Taming of the Shrew: Male Domination Essay -- English Literature Essay

Taming of the shrewmouse manlike DominationThe Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespe are, deals with marriage. The ideas explored are primarily shown by dint of the characters of Petruchio and Katharina. We are introduced to the trials and tribulations which present themselves in their everyday lives. The characters bring up a traditional concept of male supremacy. Through the play we see the need for domination through Petruchio, and the methods he uses to dominate. While these ideas of male domination live remained a constant throughout the years, however lately there has been a multifariousness toward equality. Males continually want to be the best, being a distinct priority in their lives. Knowing t eyelid they are the best acts as a break valve in their life. This is best demonstrated in our own society through sports. Men trained to be brutal killers. When a sports career is oer men are left with a void to vent frustration. This peculiarity of todays society can als o be seen in Shakespeares time in the sport of falconing. Falconry is the sport of taming a wild falcon. The falcons spirit has to be tough before the taming can occur. After the spirit is broken, the animal can be tamed. Mens training in and enjoyment of falconry connects to their desire for dominance in a human relationship. This type of domination easily relates to spousal relationships. If a married woman acts disobediently and like a shrew then a need for taming can evolve. William Whately, author of A Bride-Bush, justifies the occasions that a economise can use violence against his wife. But yet if a wife will put upon herself even servile conditions, if she will abase herself foolish, childish, subservient behavior, I see why the rod or staff or wand should non be for the fools back in this case also. (Whately, 224) playacting in foolish, childish, slavish behavior permits the husband to teach the wife improper doing and therefore taming her not to be a shrew. This circu mstance relates to that of a put forward spanking a child when discipline is needed. The point is to teach not to do wrongful things. Men revert back to their need to be the best, and to dominate in a spousal relationship fills that void. Petruchio tames Katharina on several(prenominal) occasions. The first taming scene is during Petruchio and Katharinas wedding. Petruchio shows up in a new hat and an old jerkin a pair of old breeche... ...eir husband, and because of this domestic violence is interpreted more seriously. The ideals represented in Taming of the Shrew are out dated. We, as Americans, have come towards a concept of equality in relationships. Male dominant relationships were common thought out the forties and fifties in the United States. Women were deemed as housewives, whose job was to clean and have dinner wide awake for their husbands return from work. Imagining women in that type of status is difficult to do in society. Families are not a place for a tyranny. Fa milies are a source of love, not a place to dominate through order. deuce people are certainly collectively smarter than one person. Male peremptory treatment towards women is hard to comprehend. If one looks back on the stereotypical relationships of our grandparents during the forties and fifties, the many changes with todays generation easily juxtapose. We see women with high paying jobs and regent(postnominal) positions in life. Single women raising families have become a recent trend. A sense of how far we as a society have come since Shakespeares time to today verifies that male domination is dying out. We as a society have shifted towards equality.