Kiss Me Kate - 3314 Words

As a modern audience, we must remember to be mindful of the society in which Shakespeare wrote The Taming of the Shrew when we analyze it. This was a time when marriages were made for the convenience of the fathers far more often than for a love already existing between the bride and groom; people often were married without having known each other for very long, and sometimes without ever having met. Instead, one hoped to find love within the marriage once it was in place, to learn to love ones partner--there really were no better options. It is also doubtful that acting upon love at first sight, in any society, necessarily brings greater happiness in marriage than does the slowly-developed, consistent love of a married couple who†¦show more content†¦Petruchio plans to win this woman over by simply confronting her temper with flattery. Of course, the infamous Kate lives up to her reputation and is every bit as cold and difficult as Petruchio has been told to expect. After observing arguments, base insults, and even a blow inflicted upon Petruchio, the audience begins to lose faith in Petruchios unusual methods. This extremely clever gentleman, however, will not easily give up such a dowry. Still, he does not wish to waste a vast amount of time and energy on a woman that could just as soon walk away and leave him looking foolish despite his best efforts. He knows that, in order to tame her, he must first obtain her. Though little ground has been gained in the fight against her inflexibility, Petruchio, upon Baptistas return, tells him the outcome of his meeting with Kate. He speaks of a bond so natural and strong that they have agreed to marry on the following Sunday. Instantly, Kate recognizes the lies in his assertions and tries to convince her father of the true nature of their meeting, calling Petruchio, ...one half lunatic, a madcap ruffian and a swearing Jack, that thinks with oaths to face the matter out (II, i). Though one might expect Kates complaints sway her fathers opinion of Petruchio, Petruchio adheres to his original statements. He discards herShow MoreRelatedBrian Stokes Mitchell987 Words   |  4 Pagesin Kiss Me Kate. Mitchell was born in Seattle, Washington and has 3 other siblings. He was the son of George Mitchell, who was an electronic engineer, and Lillian Mitchell, who was a school administrator. He grew up in several military bases overseas. As a teenager he lived in San Diego, California where he began acting in school musicals. He has been married to actress Allyson Tucker since 1994 and has a son named Ellington. Mitchell has been in many shows some of them were Ragtime, Kiss Me, KateRead MoreThe Film Kiss Me Kate versus The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare602 Words   |  3 PagesThe Film Kiss Me Kate versus The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare There have been many Shakespearean plays that have been made into movies throughout the years. One that may not be so easy to come across is â€Å"Kiss Me Kate†. This movie stars Kathryn Gayson ,as Lilli Vanessi, and Howard Keel, as Fred Graham. This is a adaptation of Shakespeare’s â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew.† The movie contains a story with in a story. The movie is about a man, named Fred Graham, who makesRead MoreThe Different Ways to Tame a Shrew in Kiss Me Kate and The Taming of the Shrew 1192 Words   |  5 PagesThere is not only one method to tame a shrew and the movies Kiss Me Kate and The Taming of the Shrew prove that this is true. The question is, which method is more effective, and which method truly succeeds in taming the shrew. To decide which method is the better of the two, the audience has to look deeper into the methods of Fred and Petruchio. They must study the approach of each of the tamers by deciding whether their approach is physi cal or psychological, honest or deceitful. They must alsoRead MoreEssay on The Taming of the Shrew; Is Kate Tamed?755 Words   |  4 Pageswell as Act 5, scene 2 (the kiss me kate scene and her final monologue). In Act 4, scene 5, the audience is shown a major part of Petruchio’s ‘taming’ process. Petruchio exclaims: â€Å"Good Lord, how bright and goodly shines the moon!† (iv, v, line 3, page 185). It is, of course, the sun shining brightly, as Kate rightly corrects him. When Petruchio threatens Kate by telling her that they will not proceed on their journey to her father’s house unless she agrees with him, Kate is smart enough to realizeRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Henry V, The Victorious King Henry1310 Words   |  6 Pagesthe language barrier between King Henry and Kate. The king starts the dialogue very formally, and in perfect iambic pentameter, similar to how he speaks with the monarchs of France shortly before their exit. He is formal and polite. As Katherine struggles to understand his meaning, the King’s speech devolves and what occurs then is a progression of shifting meanings: â€Å"Do you like me, Kate?... I cannot tell vat is Ã¢â‚¬Ë œlike me’... An angel is like you, Kate, and you are like an angel† (V.II.106-8). KingRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew902 Words   |  4 Pagesplay, â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew† by William Shakespeare, plays heavily to these stereotypes with the two female main characters; Bianca and Kate. Whereas Kate plays the Un-quiet one in the beginning, but transitions to more of a quiet one or the good wife while Bianca plays The Virgin. The play s beginning shows both female characters and their stereotypes. Kate has an introduction like no other in which she has Bianca tied up and is beating her for information on who she likes, â€Å"Of all the suitorsRead MoreThe Musical Replaced Broadway, By Oscar Rodgers1292 Words   |  6 Pagesbut the pair found a way to create excellent work. 12. In 1949, Cole Porter found huge success in the play Kiss Me Kate. Kiss Me Kate ran an astonishing 1,077 performances, and also managed to win 5 Tony Awards. Kiss Me Kate gave Porter new life in the musical theatre world. The play kiss me Kate is about two lovers who can’t live with one another and can’t live with each other. Kiss Me Kate played into the way that Porter wrote musical because he was able to confined himself to the sweeping emotionsRead More Essay on Taming of the Shrew: Stand by Your Man1402 Words   |  6 Pagespsychologist?† For at the close of the play, in this passage especially, Kate appears to have metamorphosed from an intractable, ill-tempered woman into a subdued, submissive â€Å"Stepford Wife† for Petruchio. And wasn’t her final speech a humiliating capitulation of herself (and all women) to patriarchal rule?   Ã‚  Ã‚   However, upon focusing the lens further, I see more clearly something much more subtle and poignant and will argue: didn’t Kate instead go through a tacit epiphany, a healing or an awakening?Read MoreShakespeare’s the Taming of the Shrew: Analyzing Kate1612 Words   |  7 Pagesrotten meat. Kate then tries to reveal her mortification to her father, â€Å"I pray you, sir, is it your will/To make a stale of me amongst these mates?† (57-58). Upon hearing this, Hortensio scolds Kate for her infamous temper to which she replies that if she cared enough about him to bother, she would hit him on the head with a stool. This is nothing more than a defense of her pride, she is being publicly humiliated and she reacts with haughtiness to cover her embarrassment. Kate is further humiliatedRead MoreKate, Sheesh, Slow Down1332 Words   |  6 PagesOh come-on, come-on, answer! Kate was in her bedroom, pacing back and forth. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Jenny! Oh thank god you picked up! I’ve done something horrible you’re not even going to believe me I can’t even believe me I really just I— â€Å" â€Å"Kate, sheesh, slow down. Start from the beginning, what happened?† â€Å"Mr. Nolan. I kissed him.† â€Å"You what? No way! How was it? Is he a good kisser? Did he pick you up and spin you around? Did you— â€Å" â€Å"Jenny Anne Gallagher!† Kate whispered harshly into the phone, â€Å"This is