Taming of the Shrew Compare and Contrast
Compare and Contrast Essay
“William Shakespeare vs Franco Zeffirelli: Who Did it Better?” “The Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare, is a very notorious play that has been rewritten and turned into multiple Hollywood films. One very popular version of the famous play is the movie directed by Mr. Franco Zeffirelli. Although most think that this version is the most accurate representation of the original play, there are still many distinct differences. One of these key differences can be found through the attitudes and portrayals of each of the characters. Baptista Minola, (the father of Bianca and Katherine) in the play, is a very respectable and confident man. But in the movie he acts extremely timid and scared;
Perri 2 especially around his eldest daughter Katherine. Also in the play, Katherine has a slightly different attitude. In the play she is a compassionless, cold-hearted woman until the very end of the play. But in the movie she shows a warmer side a bit earlier. Once, after evading Petruchio the first time she goes into a fit of laughter. And again while helping Petruchio’s servants clean the house with a smile on her face. Another gaping difference lies with the character Christopher Sly. Sly is a drunkard who is fooled into believing he is a fine lord, in the play anyway, but in the movie he is not mentioned at all.
There are also multiple plot differences in the play and movie. In the play, after Hortensio is unsuccessful in wooing Bianca, he journeys to Petruchio’s house to attend “taming-school” (Act 4, Scene 2, Page 9) to learn how to control a woman. In the movie though, Hortensio does not enter this boisterous school. Another very big discrepancy between the movie and book takes place when Petruchio is trying to court Kate. In the movie, there is a lengthy chase scene where Kate runs away from Petruchio and eventually ends with Petruchio literally running through a wall for her. In the play, Kate does not run away she simply
“William Shakespeare vs Franco Zeffirelli: Who Did it Better?” “The Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare, is a very notorious play that has been rewritten and turned into multiple Hollywood films. One very popular version of the famous play is the movie directed by Mr. Franco Zeffirelli. Although most think that this version is the most accurate representation of the original play, there are still many distinct differences. One of these key differences can be found through the attitudes and portrayals of each of the characters. Baptista Minola, (the father of Bianca and Katherine) in the play, is a very respectable and confident man. But in the movie he acts extremely timid and scared;
Perri 2 especially around his eldest daughter Katherine. Also in the play, Katherine has a slightly different attitude. In the play she is a compassionless, cold-hearted woman until the very end of the play. But in the movie she shows a warmer side a bit earlier. Once, after evading Petruchio the first time she goes into a fit of laughter. And again while helping Petruchio’s servants clean the house with a smile on her face. Another gaping difference lies with the character Christopher Sly. Sly is a drunkard who is fooled into believing he is a fine lord, in the play anyway, but in the movie he is not mentioned at all.
There are also multiple plot differences in the play and movie. In the play, after Hortensio is unsuccessful in wooing Bianca, he journeys to Petruchio’s house to attend “taming-school” (Act 4, Scene 2, Page 9) to learn how to control a woman. In the movie though, Hortensio does not enter this boisterous school. Another very big discrepancy between the movie and book takes place when Petruchio is trying to court Kate. In the movie, there is a lengthy chase scene where Kate runs away from Petruchio and eventually ends with Petruchio literally running through a wall for her. In the play, Kate does not run away she simply