Examine the different ways in which Shakespeare presents issues connected with the marriage and male relationships in the play "The Taming of the Shrew".

Essay by nhallemiJunior High, 9th grade March 2003

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In the following essay I will be analysing and exploring the ways that Shakespeare presents issues with marriage and male and female relationships. I believe that the men in The Taming of the Shrew are more dominant and therefore respected unlike the female characters.

I think that the play was an accurate reflection of men and women's relationship of the time, I feel this because after exploring The Taming of the Shrew and looking into the history of that period you can see the connections between the male and female relationships in the play and in the period of that specific time. Whilst looking at Shakespeare's work, I looking into the theatres in which Shakespeare could of influenced in some of his plays. The "Globe Theatre" which some people relate to as "Shakespeare's Theatre" is a round open theatre in which all elements of the weather can be felt. Only male actors can perform upon the stage of the Globe Theatre so when The Taming of the Shrew was performed there, even characters like Katherine and Bianca were acted by men.

I believe that because of this it might of influenced Shakespeare to have more main male characters in his plays than women. In The Taming of the Shrew there is only two main characters which are Bianca and Katherine but there is over five main male characters which include; Lucentio, Hortensio, Biondello, Petruchio, Grumio, Tranio and many others. I think that in The Taming of the Shrew it benefited by only having two main female parts. I believe this because it focuses on the male and female relationship of Kate and Bianca and I think it enhances the reflection of the reality of the marriage relationships of that time. It shows that women never had power but getting...