The Taming of the Shrew: A Misogynistic Portrayal of Women

This essay provides a detailed analysis of the misogynistic portrayal of women in William Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." It examines the power dynamics between Katherina and Petruchio, exploring how the play reflects the patriarchal society of the Renaissance era. The essay discusses the oppression of women, the concept of the "male gaze," and the societal expectations placed upon women, particularly in marriage. It highlights the contrast between Katherina and her sister Bianca, illustrating the consequences of challenging societal norms versus conforming to them. Furthermore, the essay references scholarly sources to support its arguments, ultimately concluding that Shakespeare critiques the harsh treatment of women in his society by using comedy and farce. The essay also discusses how the play highlights the lasting impact of patriarchy and the ongoing struggle for gender equality, even in the 21st century. The essay also considers the role of marriage and the expectations placed on women within the institution.

Running head: MYSOGINISTIC APPROACH OF FEMALE IN TAMING OF THE
SHREW
MYSOGINISTIC APPROACH OF FEMALE IN TAMING OF THE SHREW
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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MYSOGINISTIC APPROACH OF FEMALE IN TAMING OF THE SHREW
In the play “The Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare, the battle of women
is quite evident from the very beginning. Shakespeare has followed the ‘war of sexes’ as a
theme to develop his plot where males, as well as females, are pitted against each other for
dominance in the institution called marriage. The play opens where a drunkard, Christopher
Sly, is fooled to believe that he is a king and has to be a spectator of the play. This play-
within-a-play is what constitutes the plot of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.” The
essay aims at discussing the misogynistic portrayal and oppression of women in the play.
A central couple of the play, Katherina and Petruchio go through the difference in
power relation from the very outset of the play. Shakespeare takes his audience to the
perennial trope of the battle between sexes. The problem in the play starts when Baptista
announces that Bianca cannot marry before her elder sister Katherina. The latter is striving
for her existence and identity in a society where she is considered stale. Bianca pretends to be
gentle and polite; therefore, she is accepted by society. The only way that Kate can get her
identity is to break the patriarchal norms of society. Nobody wants to marry her for her
shrewish behaviour. The male gaze differentiates the two sisters and thereby attracts the 21st-
century audience who is forced to question the stereotypical formation of females. All the
suitors want to marry a submissive woman like Bianca to have an unproblematic marriage.
Katherina is shrewd because society has never accepted her at the same time she is aware that
society prefers male desires and she is against this. After her marriage to Petruchio the taming
plan begins, he confesses that to tame her he will not permit nourishment and sleep to her “…
my falcon is now sharp, and passing empty…He that knows better how to tame a
shrew…”( Shakespeare 1996 p.348). This process of taming is shown throughout the play.
Katherine is at last tamed and becomes a submissive wife of her husband. On the other hand,
Bianca shows her true colours and tell her husband Lucentio “..what a foolish duty calls you
this…The more fool you, for laying on my duty…” (Shakespeare 1996 p.358). This proves

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that before marriage women were expected to behave in a submissive in manner. Throughout
the play, people want Kate to be tamed as they cannot accept the presence of a strong woman
in the society. Shakespeare in the play has shown intellectual as well as emotional appeal of
women while depicting the social pressure that men faced to subdue these women.
Shakespeare was portraying the patriarchal society that prevailed at the time of the
Renaissance. He was trying to critique the culture that viewed women as objects in his play in
a comical manner. Even scholars agreed with the society that prevailed at the time of
Shakespeare. According to these authors, women were either turned out from the artistic
realm, thereby diminishing their role in society or on the other hand, made them holy figures
that would inspire other women. Even the paintings of that time depicted the sexuality of
women. Women were often considered as witches during the Renaissance as men could not
bare the sight of a powerful woman (Soehl 2019). Dating back to the Bible women were
considered to be influenced by evil more quickly than men. Even today women are seen as
the object of the male gaze. They are still considered to be inferior to men and are forced to
follow the patriarchal norm.
The last speech of Katherina very well establishes the patriarchal society that
prevailed at the time of Shakespeare. The latter shows how men at that time were successful
in taming their wives and making them submissive. He showed how oppression changes a
strong woman to a submissive one. In the end, Kate confesses and realises that husband “…is
thy lord, thy life/ thy keeper…” (Shakespeare 1996 p.357) The speech highlights the
institution of marriage that existed in the 16th and 17th century. Kate has now stopped her
tantrums and no longer forces her opinion on people. Through her speech, there is a reflection
on the power of the husband who is the head of the family. Out of anger, she confesses the
taming tactics of her husband and says that her husband tortured her “under the name of
perfect love”. Obedience is an attribute that was only expected from women. Kate’s speech is

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all about the dominance of patriarchy. She agrees that taming taught her to get along with the
system. Throughout her last speech, Kate used sarcasm to express herself as a tamed woman.
Her speech is the cruel truth about patriarchy and oppression of women. During Renaissance,
the writings of women were policed as well as prohibited. Women were not recognised at that
time. According to the authors, Shakespeare became the voice of women and their
oppression. During the Elizabethan England, gender equality was still a silent concept that
did not attract the attention of anyone. Even in Greek literature men were treated as father
figures who were superior to men. The Bible too has an anti-women bias in its writings.
Marriage was a necessity for women that gave them security and shelter. Women were
always expected to remain silent as well as obedient to their husbands (Rackin 2016).
Shakespeare sided with gender equality. Patriarchy is still considered to be the oldest form of
exploitation of women. Women were given little or no opportunity to make an identity for
themselves. Even Webster in his play “The Duchess of Malfi” has shown the oppression of
women. Though the protagonist was a duchess, she still faced the abuse and torture of her
brothers because she remarries after her husband’s death that was not expected from a woman
by society. Her husband and children are killed brutally and she also experiences incest
(Morrison 2016). In “The Taming of the Shrew” too the two female protagonists struggle to
find their identity. The decision of marriage is taken by their father rather than them. The
above sources support Shakespeare’s view of the misogynistic approach and oppression
towards women. The role of women was always confined to being an obedient wife and
daughter and a loving daughter (Pierik 2018). She could not go beyond this periphery and if
she did, then she was tormented and forced to accept the submissive role like Kate in “The
Taming of the Shrew.”
Therefore, to conclude, it must be noted that Shakespeare through his plays, was not
supporting the oppression and submissiveness of women; instead, he was trying to critique

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the society that cruelly treated women. He never directly portrayed the harsh truth of society
but always did it indirectly under the guise of comedy and farce. By doing this, he conveyed
the message to his audience without offending the latter. His plays always dealt with issues of
the society that was shown dramatically. His contemporaries too followed his footsteps and
portrayed different ways and techniques by which women were subjugated. Even scholars
and other authors support the view of Shakespeare and the society that prevailed at his time.
Even in the 21st-century women are suppressed and are victims of patriarchy.

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References
Soehl, M.M., 2019. A Comparison Of The Representation Of Women In The Northern
Renaissance And Modern Day: The Occult, Female Sexuality, And The Media.
Rackin, P., 2016. Misogyny is everywhere. A Feminist Companion to Shakespeare, 2, pp.60-
74.
Pierik, B., 2018. A History of Patriarchy? (Master's thesis).
Morrison, S., 2016. Embodying the Blazon: Performing and Transforming Pain in Measure
for Measure and The Duchess of Malfi. In Staging the Blazon in Early Modern English
Theater (pp. 67-82). Routledge.
Shakespeare, W. (1996). Taming of the Shrew. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.
London: Wordsworth Editions, pp.329-358.