William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew as a Comedy...

William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew as a Comedy The Taming of the Shrew, written by William Shakespeare between 1589 and 1594, is a romantic comedy set in the Italian city of Padua. Since the play was written, the audiences idea of comedy has changed quite dramatically. In the fifteen hundreds, an audience would have enjoyed obvious, visual aspects of comedy such as we would see in a modern-day pantomime, whereas an audience watching the play today would also enjoy less obvious aspects such as sarcasm, irony and dry humour. Shakespeare, although aware of Queen Elizabeths position as a strong and independent woman, also had to fulfil the expectations of the time. This is why the†¦show more content†¦As the title suggests, the play follows the struggles of Petruchio and Katherina in courtship and marriage; Petruchio takes on the challenge of marrying the famed Shrew, known in Padua for her scolding tongue and uninviting attitude, and by the end of the play manages to tame her. It sheds light on the belief of the time that women should be completely obedient toward their masters, and that Kate realizes she will get nowhere resisting men and relents to Petruchios authority. The typical Shakespeare comedy, in contrast to any modern comedy, has a strict structure: this begins with the Exposition where the main setting, characters and plotline are introduced. In The Taming of the Shrew we see this when Biancas suitors find out that Bianca can only marry once her sister, the Shrew, has. Baptista, surrounded by some of the major characters in the play, informs the audience that he is determined not to bestow my youngest daughter/Before I have a husband for the elder. (I, 1, 50-51) Next is the Complication stage, where disorder prevails and events descend into apparent chaos. In The Taming of the Shrew this becomes apparent through twists in the plot such as Petruchios decision to take on Kate, and also by all the dressing up, and switching of identities - Your fellow TranioShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of1100 Words   |  5 Pages William Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of the Shrew, is an embodiment of the context in which the text was shaped, the Renaissance. The Renaissance period was a time of progression, primarily in the areas of art, science, humanism, religion and self-awareness. The Renaissance focused on taking elements of the past including religion, art and science and adapting them to make them better. 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They did maintain several original scenes and even used several direct quotes from the original play. The writers have eliminated some of Bianca’s suitors and changed the way Kat is tamed to appe al to a modern audience. Read More William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Essay3149 Words   |  13 PagesWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Over the past 400 or so years since Shakespeare wrote _The Taming of the Shrew_, many writers, painters, musicians and directors have adapted and reformed this play of control and subjugation into timeless pieces of art. In _10 Things I Hate About You_ and Kiss Me Kate from two very different times in the twentieth century, and paintings of Katherina and Bianca from the late nineteenth century, the creators of these adaptations have chosen to focus