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Essay The Taming of the Shrew
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Essay study book The Taming of the Shrew of William Shakespeare, William Shakespeare - ISBN: 9781853260797, Edition: New edition, Year of publication: - (Essay Practice)
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The Taming of the Shrew – William Shakespeare‘For Petruchio, marrying Katherina is merely a business venture, a means to increase his wealth and
status’.
In the light of this view, discuss how Shakespeare presents attitudes towards marriage and courtship
in this extract and elsewhere in the play.
In ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ Petruchio and Katherina’s relationship is often discussed as an
unconventional love trope, which is evident using falconry instead of physical violence. In the
extract, Petruchio discusses marrying Katherina as a business deal rather than a pursuit of love.
Shakespeare uses classical allusion, hyperbolic language and slapstick comedy in order to convey the
overwhelming motif of wealth within the play, that becomes Petruchio’s focus as he states, ‘as
wealth is burden of my wooing dance’.
In the extract Petruchio presents marrying Katherina as a business deal in order to increase his
wealth in which Petruchio seeks ‘one rich enough to be Petruchio’s wife’. The theme of wealth is a
common motif throughout the play as the first entire Act focuses on the discussion of wealth and
marriage which is maintained until Act Five, in which the wager is made on the ‘most obedient wife’.
As well as the motif of wealth, Shakespeare uses classical allusion (‘be she as foul as florentius’ love’)
in order to emphasise the desire for money. The use of classical allusions regarding historical folk
tales and mythology would be a target for a wealthy shakespearean audience, which Shakespeare
often did as the wide variety of high- and low-class Elizabethans allowed a more personal
relationship to be formed.
Whilst the use of allusion throughout the play is maintained in order to exaggerate dialogue and
scenes, Grumio acts as a translation for the groundlings as he often repeats Petruchio speech in a
summarised prose dialogue. Grumio conveys the desire that Petruchio must marry for wealth as he
describes that Petruchio could marry an ‘old trot’ that has ‘many diseases’ as long as ‘money comes
withal’. This hyperbolic language from Grumio is significant as it discusses the extent that Petruchio
will go to for a wealthy marriage, as the late 17 th Century would’ve been prominent in diseases
especially during this time due to the lack of hygiene and close living quarters of 17 th Century
England.
Whilst the idea of wealth is often presented as Petruchio’s main desire in marrying Katherina,
petruchio also wishes to marry for a higher social status as he asks for ‘her fathers name’. Petruchio
often presents his status through his formal verse dialogue and use of ‘thou’ instead of ‘you’.
Petruchios formal language when addressing those around him announce his social status in which is
an important social manner in Elizabethan England, as shown in the Induction and the position of
power converting Christopher Sly from his lower status language.
However, whilst Petruchio in act one appears to be marrying Katherina solely for wealth and status,
it can be argued that Petruchio is marrying for love but wishes to meet the societal pressures of
marriage. Petruchio whilst seeking wealth and status may also be marrying Katherina for the
‘happiness’ in which it brings. This is evident as Petruchio describes that whilst he wishes to ‘wive
and thrive’ he also flaunts his current wealth ‘crowns in my purse I have and goods at home’. This
conveys to the audience that Petruchio wants to marriage for the happiness and experience rather
than merely for business. In the view of an Elizabethan audience the idea of marrying for wealth and
status is an ideal and conventional marriage, which could be why Petruchio hides his true intentions
to the men around him that challenge him and his masculinity.
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