The taming of the shrew

“The Taming of the Shrew”, a play written by famous author and playwright William Shakespeare, can be seen as a prime example of a play that is both challenging and enjoyable. The recurring theme of gender inequality is almost always evident in any dealings with characters from the opposite sex, from marriage arrangements to simple conversation, this idea can be seen outstanding. Shakespeare treats women in a very decrying fashion to make them look more like a property rather than a person and then further highlights this point by adding characters with sexist ideals, namely the men wanting to court Baptista’s daughters and the various responses from these women. This main theme allows the play to be interpreted as both challenging and enjoyable to read.
From the beginning to the end, very “one-sided” conversations and arguments are frequently conducted. From father to daughter, such as when Baptista is ordering Bianca, “You will not be running amuck unless I permit!” to husband to wife, such as when Petruchio is proposing to Katherina, he says “Thus in plain terms, your father hath consented, that you shall be my wife, your dowry ‘greed on.”. In both of these instances, it can be seen that very little opportunity is given to the female to speak freely and is left having to follow along with no alternative. These examples prove how the themes in this play make it both enjoyable and challenging. Social status and power are also a great basis for biased conversation, even between members of the public, the person who is the most respected almost forces the other to obey them. The best example of this is between the slave of Baptista and the servant of Petruchio. Despite the fact that they are both slaves, Tranio treats Grumio as if he is his own servant simply because Baptista is more powerful than Petruchio.
The fact that the play treats women in such a derogatory way relates to the theme of gender inequality. The title of the play itself “The Taming of the