Fifty is better than One

A comparison of the movie 50 first dates and the play the taming of the shrew

I will be talking about the main male characters in both the movie and the play. I will be comparing and contrasting the methods they use to win over their love interests.


In the movie 50 First dates, the main character Henry Roth (played by Adam Sandler) has to work to win over his love by taking her on a 50 first dates. He has to do this because she has short term memory loss and forgets him by the next morning. This is completely different than the method used by Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio manipulates his love interest Katherine by “taming her” and withholds things from her. He tries to win over his love interest through manipulation, whereas Roth from 50 first dates allows his infatuation to guide him.

These texts are similar because in both they demonstrate how one can try and use different tactics to win over a love interest. Even if they go about it in greatly different manners, the dedication is still the same.

In act four, Petruchio is having a conversation with Grumio about what he is planning to do to make Katherine more obedient.


PETRUCIO

“That bate and beat will not be obedient.

She ate no meat today, nor none shall eat.

Last night she slept not, nor tonight she shall not.

This is a way to kill my wife with kindness.

And thus I’ll curb her mad and headstrong humor.

He that knows better how to tame a shrew,

Now let him speak: ‘tis charity to shrew.”


This quote from Taming of the Shrew demonstrates his ruthless disregard for the woman he supposedly is in love with. He is showing how selfish he is by making sure his own needs are cared for while not considering hers, and actually withholding basic needs from her.



In this screenshot, it is easy to see that Henry is willing to go to any length to win over Lucy. He attempts to win her over everyday and uses a different and creative method to do so. Here he attempts to discover what she loves and in giving her lilies, he also gives her a movie that had taken a lot of effort to show her what is going on in her life. Henry goes above and beyond every day to win her love and is successful.

The main difference between the idea of courtship in the movie and the play is that in the movie Henry actually loves Lucy the way she is and follows his heart to win her over. In the play however, Petruchio has more of an obsession and wants Katherine to be a certain way and tries to tame her to his specifications.


Society can make us Pigs.

From The Taming Of The Shrew and The Craft.


The concept of romance is defined with many perspectives by many humans. From the “Taming Of The Shrew”, a character Petruchio weds a rotten spirited female, Katherine. In the 1996 movie “The Craft”, a character Chris dates a self-possessed spirited female, Sarah. From both of these stories, both male's perspective of romance are terrible. That is because they’ve sought love for their own purposes. In the end of these stories, there is a deep message implied, and it is that some males view females as possessions, of theirs, that they may use and control for their own benefit. However, one of the story’s ending turns out that males could also punished for being horrible.  


Petruchio and Chris are similar for being known as horrible humans, in their relationships, they used someone they were falsely in love with. These males also differ. At the end of “The Taming Of The Shrew”, Petruchio receives a loyal wife that subjects and worships him. At the end of “The Craft”, Chris receives not a loyal girlfriend but a death, of his own, from a loyal friend of Sarah’s. Also Petruchio wants nothing but to use Katharine simply for her abundant wealth. Chris wants nothing but to use Sarah for her body. These texts reflect that males can use females, due to their very own nature of possession, because of their mentality from society that brainwashes them to believe and carry out that they are the “controlling ones”.



“Few words suffice; and therefore, if thou know One rich enough to be Petruchio’s wife— As wealth is burden of my wooing dance— Be she as foul as was Florentius’ love, As old as Sibyl, and as curst and shrewd As Socrates’ Xanthippe or a worse, She moves me not—or not removes at least Affection’s edge in me, were she as rough As are the swelling Adriatic seas. I come to wive it wealthily in Padua; If wealthily, then happily in Padua.”

(Act I, Scene ii, 63-73)


Of this quote, Petruchio speaks of finding a wife to marry from Padua. He says that he’ll marry whomever, because he cares not for the kind of wife he were to have, because his true desire of marriage is to marry for money and not for true love. Later on, Petruchio goes onto Katharine’s father asking for his hand in marriage, and he grants their wedding to happen. This shows how males use females due to their own nature of possession.  Katharine’s possession was her wealth. Petruchio wanted her wealth. Wealth is known as a form of economic survival in society. Petruchio’s mentality is obtain this economic survival in the most fullest way from one of the wealthiest female’s in Padua.  


Similar unto Petruchio, Chris from “The Craft” wanted to use Sarah.

 

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“Sarah:

You don't even know me.

Chris:

Here. I'll give you a back rub.

Sarah:

I don't want a back rub.

I don't want you to. Just let go.

Chris:

Just relax for a second.

Turn around.

Sarah:

I think you should take me home.

Chris:

No! Sarah, come on.

Sarah:

Take me home, okay?

Chris:

Just hold me, okay?

Sarah:

Let go.

Chris:

Hold me first.

Sarah:

Fine. I'll walk.

Chris:

Goddamn it!

Sarah, get back--

Come back here.

- Goddamn it!

Sarah:

Please, Chris! Let go of my arm!

Chris:

Stay still!”


Of this scene, Chris convinces Sarah to have dinner with him. Sarah is known to be the ‘new girl’ at his school, and there’s already rumors about her and Chris dating. This night was their third night spending time alone together, and Sarah already felt Chris not truly loving her for whom she was, but hoped he would. After Chris stopped the car, Sarah and him were talking about how they’ve been feeling lately and Sarah finds Chris to not have the same as hers, their mentalities were different. Sarah then asks, “aren’t supposed to go to a restaurant?” and Chris replys “no”, and they then began discussing about Chris and his feelings for Sarah and she also finds out he doesn’t care for whom she was, he only cared for he nature of possession. She possessed a female body. Chris wanted her female body. Society has had many standards of the female body, and during that time, Sarah’s body fulfilled those standards. Chris’s mentality was to not know Sarah personally but to use her for her body, that was his true desire of their relationship.


“Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee, And for thy maintenance commits his body… My hand is ready, may it do him ease.”

(Act V, Scene ii, 140-183)


Of this quote, Katharine finally submits to her husband she had to marry. She refers to him as a “Lord” saying she will do whatever he commands and commits her life to his.  She commits to a loud, boisterous, eccentric, quick-witted, and frequently drunk fool for a husband. Petruchio’s wish of being wealthy has come true and with it he has a loyal wife. Petruchio’s mentality is currently fulfilling society's way of living economically with a  loyal female Katharine.  


However, Chris from “The Craft” can't fulfill and comprehend society's standards of having a girlfriend with a perfect body.giphy.gif

“You are nothing. You are shit. You don’t exist. The only way you know how to treat women, is by treating them like whores! When you're the whore! And that's gonna stop ! Do you understand?...”


Of this scene, Chris is tongue-lashed by Sarah’s friend because in the scene before Chris tried to use Sarah for her body but in the wrong way, failing. Sarah’s friend, Nancy, has a past with Chris knowing he comes onto any female with a ‘perfect body’. In this scene he also refers to Nancy being jealous of his wanting for Sarah but Nancy replies him as being “nothing” to her. She then lists why he’s nothing and how a horrible human he is, and as this happens her anger for his stupidity kills him. That is because she’s a witch with powers, Sarah and two other friends of hers are too. Due to Chris’s mentality from society, he is killed by a witch.




In concluison, Society’s attitudes of courtship/dating from these portrayals show that to receive one’s true desire they must seek and find it by deceiving though courtship/dating, being aware of whomever is near or the deception will be found out and there will be punishment. The reason of why is because Chris is dead for pretending to be interesting with ‘new girl’ but Petrichor is alive still for marrying wealthiest female. Society has turned these two males into desperate standard fulfilling self-absorpting humans. Therefore, these texts reflect that males can use females, due to their very own nature of possession, because of their mentality from society that brainwashes them to believe and carry out that they are the “controlling ones”.


Rocket Soars Past GFS 9-6, Remains Unblemished (10-0)

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Screen Shot 2016-05-01 at 10.24.54 PM
​Photograph by Rough Cut Artist Ari Haven

It has been consistently overheard that "The Pub" is a joke. People in and around the sport, especially the Old Heads, question why a player with talent would bother playing for a program in the Public League. They claim it simply isn't what it used to be, and if a player wants to develop they need to go anywhere but a public school.

Although he's not old, Tim Gunn (Head Coach of Germantown Friends) could be considered an Old Head by this point. The S. Philly native had an illustrious career as a Top Ten power hitter for St. Joe's, a legitimate crack at the Pros and coached a Championship team in the American Legion World Series, a 5,400 team national tourney. Suffice (it) to say, Gunner knows this game. And now he also knows that "The Pub" has some teams worth paying attention to. FULL STORY

Rocket Soars Past GFS 9-6, Remains Umblemished (10-0)

Screen Shot 2016-05-01 at 10.24.54 PM
Screen Shot 2016-05-01 at 10.24.54 PM
​Photograph by Rough Cut Artist Ari Haven

It has been consistently overheard that "The Pub" is a joke. People in and around the sport, especially the Old Heads, question why a player with talent would bother playing for a program in the Public League. They claim it simply isn't what it used to be, and if a player wants to develop they need to go anywhere but a public school.

Although he's not old, Tim Gunn (Head Coach of Germantown Friends) could be considered an Old Head by this point. The S. Philly native had an illustrious career as a Top Ten power hitter for St. Joe's, a legitimate crack at the Pros and coached a Championship team in the American Legion World Series, a 5,400 team national tourney. Suffice (it) to say, Gunner knows this game. And now he also knows that "The Pub" has some teams worth paying attention to.

The day after last season ended with SLA reaching the City Final Four, Tim invited SLA to a friendly vs GFS. He also helped out as a hitting coach for The Rockets over the winter, so he was definitely not a stranger to the potential this group had. He'd heard a lot of buzz about SLA so far this season, but the friendly was the first time he had seen them play a game. He threw his ace at the Rockets, and immediately knew he had a real game on his hands when Tony Brown smoked a triple to the opposite field to lead off the game. It would be the first of two "oppo tacos" for Brown who went a perfect 5-5 on the day with 2 Triples, a Double, 2 RBIs and 3 Runs scored. 

Ijustice Avery scored Tony on a sacrifice to give SLA an early 1-0 lead, but then disaster struck. Leon Finney doesn't like the cold much less the rain, but both dominated the day. GFS was patient and Finney couldn't find his normal groove, which normally hold his opponents scoreless and only yields a few scattered hits. But by the end of the 1st GFS had scored 5 runs on just one hit, and it seemed that the Old Heads knew what they were talking about.

And yet, there was a flash of something great about to unfold. Finney worked through it and struck out the last two batters, both top of the order hitters. SLA then quickly communicated they would not go down quietly. This wasn't the first time this team had been down early on in a game against a dangerous opponent. Last year they were down by the exact same score to #1 Frankford, but came back to steal that one 6-5 in a thriller of an elimination playoff game. 

A walk, a hit batter and a near-perfect sacrifice bunt by Jason Greene put two runners in scoring position just in time for Tony Brown's 2nd opposite field blast to make it 5-3. He'd score moments later on a hard single by Kevin Courtney to quickly erase the hole and make it a 1-run game. Finney was sharp in the next two frames, and a beautiful strike out-throw out combo at 3rd by Finney, Avi Cantor and Ben Simon ended a scoreless 3rd.

SLA tied it up at 5 in the 4th when Kevin Courtney turned on the first pitch he saw. But a walk, stolen base and a throwing error allowed GFS to take the lead back in the bottom half. For just a millisecond the energy swayed toward GFS. Meanwhile, The Rocket was ready to open it up. As was the case in that now infamous upset of Frankford, it was Lukas Supovitz-Aznar who got this come back started by blasting a lead off Double to center. Aznar would score to tie it at 6 after a productive out and a fielder's choice. Ben Simon who reached on that FC, would also score on a Sacrifice by Aaron Watson-Sharer to give SLA a 7-6 lead. 

Lukas had come in to relieve Finney in the 4th, and held GFS at bay for 3 innings while SLA's bats did some more talking. Two insurance runs came across in the 6th after Tony Brown roped his 2nd Triple of the game down the left field line. Ijustice Avery plated him with a monster 350ft shot to dead center that would have been a Home Run in any park with a wall and Lukas would score another with a shot past Short to make it 9-6. They threatened to score two more in the 7th, but a shot by Leon Finney was caught in deep Right field. "Stop hitting the ball" was whispered by a GFS player as Tony Brown came off the bases. Meanwhile, the same could be said to Freshman Kristian Ramos, who is showing signs of the future Rocket by smacking a would-be Double almost exactly where Brown launched his 2nd Triple. 

In another Frankford deja vu moment, Ben Simon came in and closed the door on a dead silent GFS bench. After their Catcher couldn't keep up with Simon's fastball and struck out to end the game, Tim and his Asst Coach immediately acknowledged how impressed they were. Both had worked with SLA over the winter, but seeing them come together and work past that first inning was something special. No bad blood between these two teams, just some solidified respect and tangible evidence that the Old Heads don't always know what they're talking about. 

Next Up: SLA hosts Fels (Mon, 5/2). 1st Pitch 315pm 

The Taming of Madea

In "The Taming of the Shrew," we see example of how love and marriage was in early Italy. In the book, Petruchio indirectly abused Katherine to try and gain her love. He said that by denying her of certain things he could "tame" her to make her love him. In the movie, "Madea's Family Reunion," a woman named Lisa is in an abusive relationship with a man named Carlos. The movie is a modern version of how this relationship between Petruchio and Katherine could have possibly ended.

Petruchio and Carlos are similar in the way they treat women. The only difference is their reasons and methods. In the book, Petruchio marries Katherine as part of a master plan. Katherine is referred to as a shrew, which is usually used to describe someone who is mean and/or annoying. Petruchio's answer to this, which he states in the book, is that he will deprive her of things such as food and sleep to tame her to love him. Carlos', in the movie, physically abuses Lisa to keep her from leaving. These texts reflect that the relationship between men and women throughout the years has not changed, and that it may have gotten worse, because of the extent that abuse has grown.

In the movie and the book, women are physically abused by men to try to make women love them. In “Madea’s Family Reunion” Lisa is in an abusive relationship which she tries to get out of many times. One scene in the movie shows her try to escape. She grabs some clothes and when she is about to leave, Carlos grabs her and threatens to throw her out of their apartment window if she tries to leave again. Carlos threatens to kill her if she leaves him, so he would be the only one to benefit from such a situation.

In both the movie and the book, the families of the women are unsupportive, but the family in “The Taming of the Shrew” couldn't be culturally, and the family in the movie weren't, because they wanted Carlos and Lisa to get married for money. When Lisa confesses to Victoria, her mom, about what has been happening. This is what her mother says:

Lisa: He hits me.

Victoria: When?

Lisa: Often.

Victoria: Well, you must stop doing what you're doing to make him angry.

Lisa: What?

Victoria: Women sometimes have to deal with things to be comfortable.

In the time period of “The Taming of the Shrew,” it was expected that women dedicate themselves to whom they are married to. Divorce was not a possibility, so as much as abuse was probably looked down upon, there was no way to stop it.


Women End Up Wearing the Pants

Comparing The Taming of the Shrew” to “ The Back up Plan”

By Jamira Terrell

In “The Taming of the Shrew,” it is proven  that romantic love within relationships is mainly controlled by men and the desire to possess the other person.  In “Shrew,” Petruchio swears that he can have his way with Katherine no matter what she wants. In contrast, Zoe from “The Back-up Plan” takes on the “manly” role and becomes the possessive and dominant one within the relationship.

Zoe in the movie; reflects Petruchio from “Shrew” because she is the dominant character just like Petruchio in the play. They share some of the same key roles, emotions, tactics, and determination to gain what they want within their relationship. Throughout the movie, Zoe gains the support of her friends because they know how badly she wants to have a baby, likewise, Petruchio also gains the support of his friends. Also, the romantic relationships within “Shrew” and “The Back-Up Plan” were both forced. Zoe did not like Steve in the beginning of their relationship; instead,she wanted him for one reason to be able to have his baby. Although there are many similarities, Zoe, unlike Katherine, actually has feelings for Steve once she grows closer to him. Likewise, Petruchio was pursuing Katherine, whereas Zoe was pursuing Steve, until a change of events when Steve messes up and he ends up chasing after her. The differences allow for a peaked interest in both scenarios;Allowing the viewer to see that women have accessible power and control either equal or more than men these days. But at the end of the day, both parties in the situations must maintain the same love for each other in order for the relationship to be deemed a romance.

“I am ashamed that women are so simple to offer war where they should kneel for peace, or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway when they are bound to serve, love and obey.”

-Katherine, (Act 5, Scene 2, Line 177-180)

In this part of Katherine’s speech, given after a bet that was placed, she is explaining women’s loyalty to their men. The bet placed was to see who’s woman would come to them first when summoned. Being as though Katherine was not only the first, but only woman to come when called, Petruchio won the bet. Katherine was surprised at the fact the other women did not adhere to the needs of their partner. In her speech Katherine emphasizes the notion that women should surrender to their man and everything that they do should be in benefit of him; what he wants, he gets. In the time period of this play, it was imperative that women remain inferior and passive within relationships or else, the would not make good wives. From little, girls were raised knowing that they not only should get married, but were obligated to, and there would be no marriage without a form of loyalty.

Zoe finds herself in a similar situation as she tries to explain to Steve what her plan is for their future, but at the same time how she does not plan to fall in love with him but yet, they go their separate ways.

Image result for the backup plan movie

In this scene from "The Back-Up Plan," Zoe nervously explains to Steve that her future plans are to fall in love, get married, and have a baby, but not necessarily in that order. More like, have a baby, get married, and fall in love. Throughout the movie, Zoe is always anxious and nervous about every little thing she does. She is afraid, that something, or someone, may mess up her plan to have a baby, unlike Petruchio, who in the movie knows exactly how his plan is going to work and doesn’t fear that anything will mess that up for him.

"It's awful, awful, awful. Then a small moment happens, that's so magical. That makes it all worthwhile."- Steve

Steve tries to kindly get Zoe to understand that certain things in life can not be forced. It is all catalyzed by a small event. Knowing that Zoe is worried that, because she is getting older, she will no longer be able to carry a baby for much longer, he tries to console her by letting her know that things will happen at the least expected times. Although, Petruchio and Katherine seem to not agree. Given that Petruchio is forcing what he wants within a relationship, and Katherine has to abide; same way that Zoe is forcing what she wants and Steve has to abide.

“Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee, and for thy maintenance commits his body to painful labor both by sea and land…”

Katherine, (Act 5, Scene 2, Line 162-170)

Towards the end of the play, Katherine gives a speech devoting herself to Petruchio. She knows and accepts the fact the her husband, being a man that he his, has the right to control her and have complete dominance over her. This is an attribute that she becomes accustomed to, so much that she believes that her love and obedience to Petruchio is not even enough to thank him for the role he plays in her life; dominant and superior. She ends by saying “Too little payments for such a debt.”

In conclusion, both the movie and play prove that love and relationship are controlled by the desire to possess the other, but it does contrast the idea that dominance is not only a role that men play. In the end of the movie, Zoe ends up with twin babies, falling in love with a man that she never thought twice about, and having a grand wedding. Petruchio, at the end of the play, wins over Katherine and her loyalty to him. Both the movie and play end just the way the protagonists anticipated; with love, loyalty, and feeling of accomplishment.


Outside Looking in-Stephen Buchanico

      Outside Looking In

     Although the movie, The 40 Year Old Virgin is set hundreds of years after  of Taming of the Shrew, the main character in the movie in ways are  looking for something very similar yet different to what Katherine is in search for in the play. Both characters are in search for companionship, but in slightly different ways.


     While both the play, and movie progress, it is quite easy to tell what both Andy and Katherine are in search of --a true romantic partner--but the ways in which there bystanders are looking in are different.   In the book, the bystanders looking in and influencing the situation are mainly katherine's father, and somewhat sister. In the story, her hunt for companionship is mainly fueled and led by her father. He is in search to find her a husband who will first off love her, and second off he wants her to have someone who can provide for her.


 “Ay, when the special thing is well obtained, That is, her love, for that is all in all.”

ACT 2. SCENE 1. Lines 135-136

     This quote comes from Baptista when talking with Petruchio about gaining the rights to marry Katherine, his oldest daughter. It plays in with the idea of the bystanders looking into the situation. In this case, the bystander is Baptista. He is looking in on the situation in attempts to find what is best for his daughter. He is basically stating that the most important thing in her life is the idea that love is what he wants her to have over all.   


        In the movie, the bystanders that are influencing Andy’s situation are mainly those in which are his “friends”. His friends feel as though he should have already had sex at the age of 40, so they are in route to find him someone to do so with, fulfilling the idea of males views on dating and courtship.  

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      This scene comes right after all Andy’s friends find out that he is a virgin. They come into play here as the bystanders by automatically bringing in their views and on dating and courtship, because they feel that he should have already done this. They play part in this, but instead of looking out for him and trying to find him love, much like Baptista, they are instead just trying to find him a partner to have sex with for the night.


“First were we sad, fearing you would not come, Now sadder that you come so unprovided.”

ACT 3. SCENE 2. Lines 100-101


   In this quote, Baptista is again being the bystander in the situation. He is again looking over the marriage of his daughter, but in this situation, instead of showing the love aspect of it, he is looking at the money aspect of it. He says this after Petruchio shows up to the wedding basically dressed like a homeless man. He is looking after his daughter and trying to find her someone whom she can marry and have support her, and he is realizing that this man may not be able to by the looks of his apparel in this scene.

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    At this point in the movie, again andy’s friends are being bystanders in his situation. In this case, he has just scored a date with a girl in which he seems to really like, so his friends are attempting to help him out, by explaining to him that he needs to make his place look more approachable and “cool”. In this instance, his friends are acting a lot like Baptista. They want him to succeed in this relationship so they are looking out for him, trying to find the best ways for him to be able to achieve the overall goal.


     In both situations, the bystanders do not exactly take into account the feelings of the main characters.  In the movie, Andy’s friends are fully committed in finding him someone to have sex with, while Andy is instead falling for a girl whom he meet in this whole process. Similarly, in the book, Katherine is upset for most of the story because her father arranged her marriage without fully taking her thoughts into consideration. It shows that the ideas of love while in the relationships have not changed, but instead it is the thoughts of the outsiders looking in the have changed overtime. Today they are more focused around the idea of gaining sex because of the way that relationships are shown in society through movies and tv.

Complicated Love-Tomas Arango


Complicated Love

     "Taming of the Shrew" keeps relationship standards in place, as Petruchio has envisioned a perfect relationship where everything ends happily ever after no matter what the cost is or barrier that they must overcome. Although the majority of romantic comedies set sail on the stereotypical love story, "Friends with Benefits" throws a curveball at the idea that relationships are always structured in a similar fashion.  Unlike Petruchio and Katherine who try and follow the mythical romance that surrounds the book, both main characters from the movie follow an unconventional path to love, as believe that there are other ways enjoy some of the perks of relationships and romance. "Friends with Benefits" shows that romantic love doesn't always have to be society views it, and also that audiences enjoy the novelty of seeing a couple who are on an unconventional path to romance.

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“No relationship, no emotions, just sex. Whatever happens we stay friends.”- “Friends with Benefits”. In Friends with Benefits you see the development of two friends as they endure a journey into a different type of relationship. The main characters Dylan and Jamie, are both troubled by past relationships, and are looking for something new and different from the traditionally structured relationship. But still being a romantic movie, you can predict that both characters will eventually fall in love. Like Petruchio and Katherine, Dylan and Jamie take unconventional paths to love. You see this unconventional path develop the second the two characters meet, and you can already predict how the movie is going to end, despite the fact that this movie was made to show that love isn’t always like a fairytale.  When Jamie and Dylan first meet they act as if they are already dating in a way. Jamie has this sarcastic yet playful humor as she teases Dylan when he asks her out for a drink, acting as if she’s not interested, but obviously is. As they grow stronger and agree to become friends with benefits, you see the complications of feelings slowly arise.  Although Petruchio as well as Lucentio, take very unconventional paths to love, it is for more comedic reasons, as they also still follow the traditional standards of romance.

Dylan: “Why do women think the only way to get men to do what they want is to manipulate them?”

Jamie: “History, personal experience, romantic comedies.”

-Friends with Benefits

      Throughout the movie both characters question why all love stories are the same, and where all these images come from. It is as if they’re making fun of the stereotypical romantic comedie. The Taming of the Shrew takes a twist at the idea also but all the elements such as gender role, misogyny, and true romantic love are still very present. Unlike the movie Katherine shows a strong disapproval of Petruchio until a surprising twist at the end, which is sort of reversed in the movie because Jamie plays a big role in her relationship with Dylan. While Petruchio gets a lot of approval for his marriage with Katherine from family and loved ones, Dylan does not, at least until people start assuming they are a couple. When Dylan tells his co-worker Tommy about his friends with benefits situation with Jamie, he completely shoots down his idea telling him that things like that will never happen. (quote below)

Tommy: “What, you guys going out now?”

Dylan: “No, no, no, we're just friends. We're... messing around a little bit.”

Tommy: “What do you mean?”

Dylan: “Sleeping together. But it's just sex.”

Tommy: “That never works, bro. She's a girl. Sex always means more to them even if they don't admit it.”

Dylan: “Jamie's different.”

Tommy: “Does she have a penis where most girls have a vagina?”

Dylan: “No penis.”

Tommy: “Then she's no different……..”

(later on in that scene)

Tommy: “You know what I discovered? It's not who you want to spend Friday night with, it's who you want to spend all day Saturday with. Feel me, Felix?”

Dylan: “Yeah, but then it's every Saturday for the rest of your life…”

Tommy: “It's OK, you don't get it. It's no big deal. But you will. One day you'll meet someone and it'll literally take your breath away. Like you can't breathe. Like no oxygen to the lungs. Like a fish…”

Dylan: “Yeah, I... I get it, Tommy.”

Tommy: “Yeah, you don't.”

-Friends with Benefits

     

      Instead of praising their relationship like many of Petruchio and Katherine’s family members did, Tommy gives Dylan advice telling him that what he wanted would never work. At this point in the movie, the whole story takes a twist, as both character begin falling in love and then the movie, in a way becomes the love story it set out not to be.“I really have to stop buying into this bullshit Hollywood cliche of true love.”-Friends with Benefits

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“I will be master of what is mine own.

She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house,

My household stuff, my field, my barn,

My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything.

And here she stands, touch her whoever dare.”- Petruchio, Act 2, Scene 3, Taming of the Shrew  (3.2.235-239)

     Petruchio plays the dominant character in the relationship, which leads back to stereotypical romance. All this is part of his scheme of “taming” Katherine because as introduced in the play once she is married, she can no longer make decisions over her own, and no legal rights of her own. This brings in misogyny as an element that is present in many romantic stories. As he builds, what seems to be a mythical vision of romance, you think that Katherine will not fall in love with him. But Petruchio isn’t the only character that envisions a romance that many movies and books portray. Lucentio and Katherine have expectations to how life should be when in love, and all of those expectations are those that Friends with Benefits criticizes.

     Petruchio takes big risks to gain Katherine's love. From not letting her eat, showing up to their wedding in improper attire, he puts on a show for everyone as he endures on his path to mythical romance with Katherine. But Friends with Benefits throws a spin at the whole idea that romantic comedies and introduce something new, something different. They eliminate romance(or at least try to) to try and show that there are other ways for people to share feelings and bond. All this is, is set in stone until the end when Jamie and Dylan’s plan collapses, and they fall in love with each other. In the end both the movie and play create an example that no matter the path to love, everything comes to back to the bonding stereotypes that surround love and impact our society throughout our daily lives.

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Taming Of The Shrew + Think Like A Man



As "The Taming of the Shrew" proves, the idea of romance as conquest has been around for centuries. In "Shrew," Katherine acts very stubborn towards Petruchio in the beginning of the book in order to get what she wants. She doesn't comply nor take orders from any man beside her father.  In 2012 the movie "Think like a man"  has all of the main male characters face the same issue with their partners because of this new book called “Act like a lady but think like a man”  that came out revealing all of the dirty secrets men have to get what they want. Also in the movie most of the female characters play hard to get to avoid being a trophy.


Although both the movie and book touch on the expectation of a male/fe male in a relationship.They display the idea in totally different ways making it unique. For example in the play the expectation for a men is to have money to provide. Similar to the movie where the guys with more wealth are considered more attractive.  This shows that, even today, audiences have the view that man are usually in control of the relationship which is true in some cases, but not all. The idea of men being in control still exist and so does the idea of women being seductive to get what they want is also true. Till this day both male and females still contribute to these idea that was programmed into our society a long time ago.  

Katherine :  “Now, If you love me, stay.”

Line # 209,  Act 3 , scene 2


So in this scene Petruchio is invited by Tranio to join them for dinner. Then that's when Petruchio suggest that he can not join them for dinner because he has to leave. Grumio and Katherine proposal for him to stay the night and accompany them to dinner. Petruchio refused to take their offer and told them that he was content and was leaving. That's when Katherine stopped him and told him that if he love her to stay. Its very clear that she was trying to seduce Petruchio to stay by telling him that. This clearly show that even back then women seduce their men to try to get what they want. Which in this case didn’t go how she wanted to because he still left at the end.



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In the movie “Think Like a Man” the character Dominic is in a relationship with this girl that is being stubborn.  She is really making him earn her trust by making him go by this 90 day rule. Which is basically not letting him have sex until the 90 days are up. So in this scene Dominic chasing his partner to a stop because she was going home mad about the fact that he was reading the book too and knew her plan. He then tells her that the reason why he did that was because he loves her and actually cared about her. Once he told her that she smiled and gave him a kiss.

Compared to the play the movie did this scene very similar but differently. They both executed the same moral which is that people will seduce others to get what they really want. The difference between the book and movie is that in the book it was Katherine seducing Petruchio by saying now you stay if you love. In the other hand in the movie its was Dominic seducing his partner to get his ultimate goal which was getting with her in bed.



"Quote from Play"


(Act 5, Scene 2,  line 200)

Petruchio : Come , Kate, we’ll to bed. We three are married, but you two are sped. Twas I won the wager, though you hit the white, and being a winner, God give you good night.”

   

This scene in my opinion was one of the best scene in the play. In this scene Petruchio made a bet with the other gentlemen in the room that his wife will obey his orders faster than their partners. Everyone laugh at him since they know that Katherine is so stubborn and doesn't listen to anyone. So the betted a high wager thinking that Katherine is going to be a no show. Anyways as you might of guessed Petruchio won the bet and Katherine showed up first when called for. All of this connects to the idea that men are in control in a relationship and shows that even back then men dominance was looked for in a relationship and was the norm at the time .


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Before the proposal the main character was having a lot of issues in his relationship with his partner. They were getting involve in a lot of arguments and not getting along too well. So to not lose his partner he decided to propose to her. Which connects to the idea of men being in control of the relationship which was programmed into our society many years ago and still till this day is still intact.

Many years has pass since “The Taming Of The Shrew” was written. It incorporated many different beliefs that society has programmed into our minds is since then. Beliefs and ideas that men should be in control of a relationship and beliefs that women seduce men to get what they want.  All of these attitudes that were created by our society so long ago is still in place today. Like seen in the movie screen shots of “Think like a man” and quotes from “The Taming Of The Shrew” show that our society still have this same idea programmed into them.

The Taming of the Princess

The Taming of the Shrew and The Princess Diaries 2.


In "The Taming of the Shrew", it shows how the opinions of parents or families in a marriage are important. In "Shrew", Baptista wants both of his daughters to marry, and demands that the first one get married before the second, even though she has no suitors. In the 2004 movie "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement", the main character, by her country’s tradition, has to marry a prince in order follow after her grandmother's footsteps in becoming queen. However, Mia doesn’t believe that she needs someone to help her run her country, Genovia.


Both movies involve higher monarchies as well as show some type of resistance towards the act of marrying someone who they do not love. Although “The Taming of the Shrew” and “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement” share pressure as well as some sort of resistance into marriage, in “Shrew” the marriages happen while in “Diaries”, the marriage does not.


“On Sunday next, you know My daughter Katherine is to be married. [To Tranio as Lucentio] Now, on Sunday following, shall Bianca.” - Baptista (1. 1. 415-418)


In the Shakespearean play, “The Taming of the Shrew” the two daughters of Baptista, Katherine and Bianca are in a position where they are forced into a marriage they do not want to be in. Baptista forces the marriage upon his daughters because they are soon to be old. Although Bianca has many suitors, Baptista does not allow her to marry until Katherine is weded. When Petruchio, Katherine’s apparent suitor comes into the picture, Baptista is quick to give his daughter’s hand in marriage along with a great dowery to Petruchio. This is because he wants to marry Katherine off quickly. Bianca has two suitors, one old and the other young. Baptista takes this as an advantage to see who has the greater dowery. In the quote, he states Lucentio [Tranio] as Bianca’s husband because he has the greater dowery. Also when Baptista announces the dates, it is clearly seen the rush for both of his daughters to be wed.


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In the beginning of the movie, it was stated that Princess Mia was to take the throne after her grandmother. However, this scene creates a surprise because there is a twist. Other than Princess Mia, there is another eligible to take the throne, Lord Devereaux or better known as Nicholas. It was also revealed by one of the parliament members, “Genovian law states that a princess must marry before she can take the throne.” Unlike “Taming of the Shrew” the pressure of marriage is placed on Mia because it is a traditional law while in “Shrew”, marriage was placed on the women by their father.


Even though the women in both the play and movie are set for marriage, the difference is that they are for different reasons. In the play, Katherine and Bianca are arranged into marriage because during that time, it was best to marry while still young and youthful. The older, the harder it is to find a husband. In the movie, Mia is arranged into marry simply because it was the only way for her to become the queen of her country. Although Mia had the choice to accept the offer of marriage, she went agreed only for the fact that she wanted to continue her family name. So in a way, she was threatened; if she doesn’t have a man to whom she could marry, then she will not have the crown and throne to rule the country.


"Why, gentlemen, you do me double wrong To strive for that which resteth in my choice. I am no breeching scholar in the schools. I’ll not be tied to hours, nor’ pointed times, But learn my lessons as I please myself. " - Bianca (3. 1. 16-20)


In the play, Bianca is not as mentioned compared to her older sister Katherine however, she is liked among her people unlike her sister. During this part of the play, it shows how Bianca is not too happy about the two suitors by her side trying to grab her attention. She tells both of them that she is not interested and that she doesn’t anyone to entertain her.


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In this scene, Princess Mia along with her grandmother and others are choosing between a group of people that are eligible for Mia to marry. Although they did set some boundaries and goals, Mia was able to choose her fiance unlike Katherine in “Shrew” who had no choice.


In the play, Bianca had multiple suitors while Katherine only had one which was Petruchio. Although she had multiple suitors, Bianca was not given the opportunity to choose her husband. Katherine was just given someone who people around her thought was good for her. For both Bianca and Katherine, their husbands were chosen by their fathers. According to Baptista himself, he chose who was best for his daughters. Mia was able to choose her husband to be. However, she went off of what her grandmother described as what was best for her. Mia was to choose someone of a specific standard.


“This done, he took the bride about the neck And kissed her lips with such a clamorous smack That at the parting all the church did echo.” - Gremio (3. 2. 179-181)


In this scene of the play, Katherine and Petruchio are finally married. Katherine is again put in a position where she is forced into something she does not want, and in this case it was to kiss Petruchio. Many readers would have noticed how Petruchio had to use physical force in order to have his wife kiss him. Katherine is seen as weak.



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This scene towards the end of the Mia announces to everyone that she will not be getting married, unlike in “Shrew” both Katherine and Bianca are married. Mia states, “I realized the only reason I’m getting married was because of a law and that didn’t seem like a good enough reason so… I won’t be getting married today.” The reaction from everyone was surprised, some against it however most supported her decision. Unlike Katherine, Mia was showered with the support for being able to run a country without marrying a man.


Katherine and Mia are completely different characters. Mia is liked among her people while Katherine is not. In “Shrew”, everyone believed that Katherine would never be married because of her cruel and rude attitude towards everyone and everything. Although Mia is liked in the movie, many people still think that Mia is not mature enough or fit to be queen of Genovia.


Both “The Taming of the Shrew” and “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement” show are women doesn’t have much of an option to do things. Because of this, they are pressured into things they do not want to do. The only difference is Mia’s resistance allows her to rule Genovia without having to go through the marriage while Katherine and Bianca marry. Katherine marries a man she does not love and Bianca elope the actual Lucentio due to love. It is not exactly clear if Katherine and Petruchio end up falling in love however, all the women had decisions made for them without their consent.

The Silver Linings of The Shrew

"The Taming of the Shrew" presents the idea that women must be very submissive and offer everything to their partners. In the final moments of "Shrew", Katherine gives a speech about how they must offer their hands to their men no matter what. In the 2012 movie, "Silver Linings Playbook," one of the main characters would have you believe that this statement would be false.

Tiffany, from "Silver Linings Playbook," and Katherine, from "Shrew" have two very polarizing views on what the female expectations should be in a relationship. Katherine, although very cold and uncompromising in the beginning of the play, holds the idea that being subordinate to Petruchio will make her a better partner. On the other hand, Tiffany found that doing things for her husband and others around  her left her with nothing in return. She found this type of lifestyle to not be beneficial to her well-being and concluded that relationships must be two-way streets. Whether a relationship is platonic, marital, or anything in between, one party must give back to the other what it receives in equal amounts. These works show that over time, people have grown to believe that both parties of a relationship are expected to contribute something to the relationship. It cannot be successful if one person is passive.

“I am ashamed that women are so simple to offer war where they should kneel for peace, or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway when they are bound to serve, love and obey.”

-Katherine, (Act 5, Scene 2, Line 177-180)

This quote is from Katherine’s speech taking place after a bet was placed between Luciento, Petruchio, and Hortensio. The bet was to see whose wife would come to their husband if called. Both the wives of Luciento and Hortensio do not return but, Katherine does. She then rants about how women must be passive and submissive to their partners. She says that they must kneel to their husbands as an offering of peace instead of being scolding and uncompromising like how she was at the beginning of the play. Katherine then goes on by saying that women were created to be obedient to their husbands. If a woman were to even try to pursue supremacy or even equality to their husbands, then they would not be suitable as wives.

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“Its gonna be amazing! You're gonna be amazing and she’s gonna be amazing and you’re not gonna be that guy that’s gonna take advantage of the situation without offering to do something back, so think about the dance thing.”

The protagonist, Pat, is a former mental hospital patient who is trying to win back his ex-wife, Nikki, who has a restraining order on him. He decides to write a letter and have someone deliver it to her. To do this, he seeks out the help of one of his neighbor’s widowed sister, Tiffany. She accepts but, only if Pat competes with her in a dance competition. Pat refused what he thinks is a ridiculous offer but, after Tiffany lets him explain the dynamics of his love for Nikki, she responds with this quote. She says that this optimism about reviving a lost love will make him complacent and will eventually lead to him taking advantage of Nikki without giving anything back to her. She believes he will become “that guy” that would fit into the type of relationship that Katherine envisions for all women. This type of person is not seen as favorable or positive in Tiffany’s eyes and because of this, further pushes the dance competition idea onto Pat to help break this habit of not giving back or preventing it from starting in the first place.


“Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee, and for thy maintenance commits his body to painful labor both by sea and land, to watch the night in storms, the day in cold, whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe, and craves no other tribute at thy hands but love, fair looks, and true obedience - Too little payments for such a debt.”

Katherine, (Act 5, Scene 2, Line 162-170)

In this part of Katherine’s speech concluding the play, she is proclaiming her unconditional devotion to her husband. She says that Petruchio is not only the one that cares for her but, also expresses his ownership and dominance over her. Katherine is not only content with this but, also proud to give herself to Petruchio. She even begins to shame the women by saying that they should not be so selfish as the least they could do is offer their love, looks and loyalty. Even then, she says that is too large of a debt to be able to satisfy.


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“...If it’s me reading the signs I need to see something to prove you are ready to resume our marriage. Otherwise, I find myself thinking that we might both be better off by moving on with our lives separately.”


In this scene of the film, Pat and Tiffany are hastily preparing for the dance competition in the coming weeks. At this point, they are trying to nail down the “big move” of their routine and are struggling. Tiffany then reveals to Pat that she has the response to his letter to Nikki. He can only read it if he pulls off the move with her. Pat finds that he cannot focus and has to read the letter in order to practice more effectively. He reads the letter aloud and even though the letter wishes Pat well it ends with the quote above. What Nikki is telling Pat is that she needs to see Pat show that he has changed for the bette. Pat needs to give something back to the world around him whether it be to her, Tiffany, or anyone else. Tiffany emphasizes that this dance competition could be that something that Nikki needs to see.


Silver Linings Playbook and The Taming of The Shrew show the views of expectations of relationships and how they have changed over the centuries. As shown through Katherine’s character, women’s societal and biological expectations are to be obedient and passive to their husbands. If they are not, then they would be shunned and considered by their community as not being a suitable wife. In Silver Linings Playbook, Tiffany present an antithesis saying that both side of a relationship must contribute something in order for it to last and be successful. This goes for any type of relationship whether it be, platonic, marital or anywhere in between. If this does not happen, then an imbalance of power will arise, leading to one of the sides taking advantage of the other.

Does Daddy Dig It?

         

Comparing “The Taming of the Shrew” to “The Best of Me”



As Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew ” proves, parental interference has been an essential factor in courtship over the centuries. In this famous piece of literature, Baptista, the wealthy father of the ‘shrew’ Katherine and the beautiful Bianca, interferes with his daughters’ love lives most frequently. In the 2014 screen adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ the Best of Me, a young couple, Dawson Cole and Amanda Collier, is faced with extraordinary obstacles, one being Amanda’s father. While Baptista’s efforts were less brash, Collier took extreme measures to ensure a better future for his daughter. In the movie, the meddling even extends to Dawson’s non biological father figure, Tuck. Baptista, Collier and Tuck all take different approaches in their interference, but they all meddle, nonetheless. The prying was fueled by the father's’ desires to find the suitor who could provide the most stable life for their children. While, Baptista is faced with impending courtships, Tuck and Collier take on an existing one. These fictional situations are all paradigms from literature that reflect parental values in marital or love affairs. These texts prove that parental interference has been an essential factor in courtship over the centuries, proving that children have no say in whom they get to love.


"After my death, the one half of my lands, And in possession, twenty thousand crowns."

(Act 2, Scene 1, 28-29)


During this scene, Baptista was conversing with Petruchio, a possible suitor for his eldest daughter, Katherine. Katherine had a rather unflattering reputation, and Baptista asked nothing of how the suitor would love his eldest. Instead, he informed the suitor of the dowry he would provide, in turn, promising Katherine would have financial stability entering her new union. Yet, no one asked her what she would like to do, or if she could love this man.


On the other hand, instead of offering a handsome dowry to accept his daughter, Harvey Collier uses his wealth to ensure his daughter’s chosen suitor would leave her.


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Towards the middle of the film, audiences are enveloped in the courtship between Dawson and Amanda. In this scene, Dawson attends an Easter celebration at Amanda’s family home. Harvey Collier, her father, escorts Dawson to his car shed after becoming acquainted with one another. They begin to discuss his rare car collection, and Dawson’s dream of attending college. He offered Dawson $80,000, for tuition and all extra expenses, to end his relationship with Amanda. He claimed that he could not have a “Cole boy” endangered his daughter or her dreams. Both Baptista and Collier interfered in their daughters’ love lives with the notion that they ensuring a better, more stable life for them. They used their wealth and status to attempt to obtain that. The difference between the two is that, Baptista succeeded in giving his daughter away, while Collier failed in trying to take his daughter back.


"Content you, gentlemen; I will compound this strife. 'Tis deeds must win the prize, and he of both That can assure my daughter greatest dower. Shall have my Bianca's love.

Say, Signior Gremio, what can you assure her?"

(Act 2, Scene 1, 361-365)


In this scene, Baptista moved from discussing his eldest daughter to discussing his youngest daughter, Bianca. He was conversing with several suitors on who could provide the best life for Bianca. Baptista even speaks of her love, yet, he did not inquire with her on who she would consider loving. He refers to his daughter as a prize, as if he was a game facilitator at a carnival. Throughout the scene, each man began to list all of their wealth and holdings, Baptista listened intently. He was yet again interfering with his child’s future, without caring to ask who she could see herself loving. Baptista was making the decision for her, just as he did with Katherine.


Tuck, Dawson’s father figure, did not offer money, but words to ensure Dawson and Amanda would rekindle their love for one another.

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Throughout the movie, the creators use flashbacks and flash-forwards to tell the story of Dawson and Amanda’s love. In this particular scene, audiences witness a flash-forward. Amanda and Dawson are pulled back to their hometowns to fulfill wishes made by Tuck in his final will and testament. Amanda is reading the letter he had written to her, just before passing. In it, he wrote that he did not want either of them to miss out on true happiness. Inferring that, their true happiness came from being together. Unlike Baptista or Collier, Tuck was not blood, but he was still family. While the other fathers took to using their wealth, Tuck used his words and connection to the characters to ensure his message. The best future for his son and Amanda was for them to be together. While Tuck may not have used the same tactics, he meddled by making it seem as if he knew what was best for them. He did not leave it for them to decide.


These modern and past texts provide paradigms of the evolution of parental interference in courtship. Certain tactics have not altered. Parents still use their wealth to intimidate, and attempt to force suitors to do what they please. Others, attempt to use words from their heart to force their children’s hands. Whether it be, breaking a courtship apart or trying to pull it back together, parents have never been able to let their children chose their own fate. Societal values are ever evolving, but when it comes to who knows best, it always seems to be daddy.

Control of Women Versus Time (The Wolf of Wall Street and Taming of the Shrew)

Romantic relationships have existed for centuries.  In these relationships each partner is hoping to gain from the relationship. In popular entertainment, such as, plays and movies, relationships are often portrayed as a war between the sexes.  In Taming of the Shrew, a comedy written by William Shakespeare, Petruchio’s main objective in the relationship is to exercise control.  The same relationship dynamics can be seen in The Wolf of Wall Street.  While it is not Jordan and Naomi’s initial goal, their relationship becomes about control as well.  Naomi seeks to control Jordan’s habits using sex, while Jordan wants to control Naomi with their shared child.  These two narratives reflect that relationships are always about control.  The only difference is that now women also try  to control men, and have the added weapon of divorce, which makes marital conflict more complex because it gives each side more autonomy.

Throughout the play Petruchio tries to control Katherine.  One of his favorite techniques to manipulate her is withholding what she wants, until she agrees with him.  In ACT IV of the play, Katherine is excited to return home to see her father for first time since marrying Petruchio.  Petruchio sees this as an opportunity to further dominate Katherine.  Petruchio decides that before they begin their journey to comment on the brightness of the moon. However, it is day time as Katherine points out.  They argue back and forth until Katherine gives in and states,

Then God be blessed, it is the blessèd sun.

But sun it is not, when you say it is not,

And the moon changes even as your mind.

What you will have it named, even that it is,

And so it shall be so for Katherine.”

(Act IV, Scene v, 21-25)

Katherine gives in to Petruchio because she has no other option. Without the ability to divorce in this era she must agree with him to get what she wants, which is to visit her father.  Women had no leverage in this era, without the threat of leaving with half of the marital property.  This has led to male tyranny over women as men control the money and are above in the social hierarchy.  

However, over the past 400 years a great deal has changed to make the power balance more equitable. In the scene pictured above, Naomi is arguing with Jordan about his activities from the night before.  She accuses him of sleeping with other women and yells at him for waking the baby with his helicopter when he returned home at three in the morning.  She yelled, “Do you really think that I don’t know what you're up to?  You're a father now. You’re a father now!  And you're still acting like an infant!”  During Shakespeare's era women would never challenge their husbands as they were powerless.  However, since Naomi has the threat of divorce and the freedom to withhold sex, the power dynamic has changed greatly.  Now both parties in the marriage have the ability to attempt to control one another.   The power dynamic has changed enough that in the next scene of the movie Jordan apologizes to her, an act a man would have never performed 400 years ago.  

In ACT IV, scene 3, the reader continues to see Katherine controlled by Petruchio and his servants.  Petruchio and his servants have not given Katharine food for many days in an attempt to tame her into becoming the ideal wife, one who is obedient to her husband.   Katherine complains about this experience to Petruchio's servant, Grumio, attempting to persuade him to give her food.  

Am starved for meat, giddy for lack of sleep,

With oaths kept waking and with brawling fed.

And that which spites me more than all these wants,

He does it under name of perfect love,”

(Act IV, Scene iii, 9-12)

Katherine is confused at this point in the play.  She does not understand how being, “starved for a lack of meat, giddy for sleep,” is going to achieve “perfect love.”  Petruchio believes that starving and depriving Katherine of sleep will calm her down by not giving her the energy to fight.  Without ability to walk away from her abusive husband, Petruchio’s strategy works and she eventually submits to his rule at the end of the play.  Total control is Petruchio’s vision of “perfect love.”   

In the modern world men still win some arguments.  In The Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan commits many illegal acts in order to hide his money from the government.  One of his illegal acts is hiding his money in other’s names.  When Aunt Emma dies in England, both Jordan and Naomi are devastated, but for different reasons.  Naomi is upset because Aunt Emma is one of her closest family members.  Jordan is devastated because Aunt Emma is one of the people illegally hiding his money and she never signed the document to pass the money to him upon her death.  Naomi desperately wants to go to her aunt’s funeral but Jordan wants to go to Switzerland to forge documentation to have the money passed on to him.  They get into a dispute until Jordan ends it by saying, “But I have business in Switzerland.  I need to go to Switzerland right now. Bottom Line. Sorry.”  At this point in the movie Naomi would be inclined to divorce Jordan because he is unsympathetic, selfish, and unfaithful. However, she is stuck in the relationship because he is the father of her child.  Also, despite any progress society has made, the primary earner in a family still has more power. Jordan is the one paying the captain of the ship to sail it to Monaco (he will then drive to his business in Switzerland) and even if Naomi tells the captain to take it to England he would obey Jordan.

Taming of the Shrew and The Wolf of Wall Street teach their observers a great deal about relationship dynamics, especially how they have changed overtime. Naomi had options with her relationship that Katherine could not even imagine during her time period.  Women now have the option of divorce and to have their own income. Men still hold power over women but the gap in control is closing.  Society still has to make progress before there is truly equal distribution of power in relationships.  In order to get this power, women will need to first be seen as economic equals.  They need to be paid an equal amount for the same work.  This will allow them to no longer have money control them.  Since the beginning of time, romantic relationships have been about control.  The distribution of control between the two genders has changed over the past 400 years, mainly due to divorce, but men still have more power.   

The Wolf of Wall Street. Dir. Martin Scorsese. Perf. Leonardo Dicaprio. 01 Distribution, 2014. DVD.

Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992. Print.



Why Believing In “The One” & “Love At First Sight” Is Deceptive


Comparing “Taming of the Shrew” to “500 Days of Summer”




In “500 Days of Summer”, viewers watch a story about love, and not a “love story”. We watch a couple fall in love and split apart in a matter of 500 days, and it is their ideas of love that drives them apart. In “Taming of the Shrew”, ideas of “the one” and “love at first sight” are prevalent from the beginning as Lucentio falls instantly in love with Bianca. This proves that these concepts of love have been around for eons.  In “500 Days of Summer” the main character, Tom, instantly falls in love with Summer, and will do anything to keep her because she’s “the one”. These two texts show that the ideas of “the one” and “love at first sight” are still present in society. However, in today’s world they can be dangerous concepts to believe in because it can blind those in the relationship from seeing the truth in their romance.


The way Tom views his relationship with Summer is similar to the way Lucentio viewed his relationship with Bianca: it was love at first sight. Summer, on the other hand, didn’t feel the same instant attraction. She also represents a new “trope” in female characters. She is an example of a strong, independent, and driven female character. She is more focused on other things besides love. With Summer’s disinterest in love, and Tom’s persistent nature to make Summer his girlfriend, this is what drives the split between the two characters. Tom being focused on how Summer is “the one” blinds him from seeing the true nature of their relationship: they were never meant to be.


“T: I pray, sir, tell me, is it possible

That love should of a sudden take such hold?”

                      “L: O Tranio, till I found it to be true,

I never thought it possible or likely.

But see, while idly I stood looking on,

I found the effect of love in idleness

And now in plainness do confess to thee

That art to me as secret and as dear

As Anna to the Queen of Carthage was,

Tranio, I burn, I pine, I perish, Tranio,

If I achieve not this young modest girl.”

(Act 1, Scene 1, 148-158)

In this quote from “Shrew”, Tranio, Lucentio’s servant, asks Lucentio if it is possible to fall in love at first sight. Lucentio proceeds to say that he never thought it was possible until he met Bianca, and that he will do anything to get her. Similar to “500 Days”, this is almost exactly what happened to Tom.

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Tom falls in love with Summer when he sees her on a random day at work. They didn’t officially meet on that day, but just from her looks and her seemingly “docile” nature, he knew she was the “one” for him. Before they ever met—unlike Lucentio from “Shrew”— the narrator of the film tells the audience that Tom has always has always believed in these concepts of love since he was young boy, which can reflect on how society inflicts these concepts in people at young ages.


“L: Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move

And with her breath she did perfume the air.

Sacred and sweet was all I saw in her.

T: (aside) Nay, then, ’tis time to stir him from his trance.—

I pray, awake, sir! If you love the maid,

Bend thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it stands:

Her eldest sister is so curst and shrewd

That till the father rid his hands of her,

Master, your love must live a maid at home,

And therefore has he closely mewed her up,

Because she will not be annoyed with suitors.”

(Act 1, Scene 1, 176-187)

In this scene from “Shrew”, Lucentio tells Tranio about the things he noticed about Bianca. He noticed her beauty, and after that thought that there was no one else he could ever want. Tranio, however, tries to show Lucentio that there will be things standing in Lucentio’s way of getting Bianca. Lucentio, being blinded by love, will stop at nothing to get Bianca, so the things standing in his way (her family), are not considered a problem to him.


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In “500 Days”, Summer, Tom, and his friend are at a bar talking about relationships. When Tom’s friend asks Summer if she has a boyfriend, she responds with no. When he asks why, she states it’s because “relationships are messy” and that she doesn’t feel comfortable being anyone’s girlfriend. Tom poses the question “What happens if you fall in love?” Summer then says that “love is a fantasy.” This conversation doesn’t stop Tom from trying to make Summer his girlfriend. There is an obvious connection between the two characters, but unlike Tom, Summer’s feelings for him were not instant. She has also stated multiple times that she does not like relationships. So when they do start dating in the movie, Tom is seen to be way more invested in the relationship than she is. He is so blinded by love that he can’t see where his relationship with Summer goes wrong. This is where the movie shows that “true love” and “love at first sight” are dangerous concepts to believe in. They’re dangerous concepts because it can mislead people in relationships to believe that they and their partner are “meant to be” when they really are not that compatible.

Both “Taming of the Shrew” and “500 Days of Summer” show outdated concepts of love. “Shrew” shows how “love at first sight can work out in someone’s favor, while “500 Days” shows how misleading true love and love at first sight are. It also shows how today people still believe in these concepts, and are still willing to believe in these concepts even though, most of the time, it will not work. Though there are similarities within the characters of both the play and the movie, the way that they present “true love” and “love at first sight” are vastly different. To conclude, even though society has come a long way with how relationships are viewed, society still has flaws with dismantling the way “true love” and “love at first sight” are presented in people’s lives.


Works Cited:

Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992. Print.

(500) Days of Summer. Dir. Marc Webb. Perf. Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. 20 Century Fox, 2009. Film.


Give and Take

  Give and take

“The taming of the Shrew” and the movie “The Proposal”


In the book “Taming of the Shrew” we find Petruchio of Padua searching for a maiden to wife with a handsome dowry. He winds up setting his eyes on Katherine who is then forced upon Petruchio and wedded to him. We then move on to the movie “The Proposal” which follows the lives of Margaret and Andrew. Margaret winds up in a tough circumstance, unless she is wedded she would be deported back to Canada and lose her position as chief editor of a Book publishing company. She therefore drags Andrew along, and pretends they are engaged.


The difference between the two circumstances is that in the case of Margaret and Andrew they both have equal power in terms of the transaction. Unlike Katherine's case in which she has no benefits of wedding Petruchio,  Andrew has a say in what exactly will be his reward for following this plan. Both examples of “Taming of a Shrew”, and “The Proposal”show that love is only based off of a give and take relationship, where each person wants what the other person can provide for them. Romantic love is just the illusion to cover up this exchange.


“And, for that dowry, I’ll assure her of

Her widowhood, be it that she survive me,

In all of my lands and leases whatsoever.

Let specialities be therefore drawn between us,

That covenants may be kept on either hand.”

Act. 2 Sc. 1 pg. 83


In this quote Petruchio is having a discussion with Baptista who is the father of Katherine over what will be the contents of their transaction, if he were to marry Katherine. During this time period it was a frequent occurrence for suitors to discuss and make deals with the fathers of women over what both parties would receive if the Daughter were to be wedded to them. Whether it was true love or not was but a small say in the matter. If the suitors offer was generous enough then all of the woman's attempt to protest would become obsolete. Petruchio promises of her widowhood but this surely would not be the only issue Katherine would have in the Marriage.



In the movie we see Margaret negotiating with Andrew of what he will receive for following through with the false wedding.


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Here Andrew communicates to Margaret what exactly he expects out of this arrangement once she has received her green card. The movie, and “Taming of the Shrew” Portray the act of marriage as a transaction in which both parties determine what shall be expected once the couple are bound together. In neither the book or movie do the Parties have little to any romantic feelings towards one another but marriage is still accepted. Furthermore in contrast to “Taming of the Shrew” both partners in this situation have equal authority over what they will benefit from this deal. The movie shows a more modern instance on how relationships are dealt with. Women here have the power to control what shall be what shall be provided for them once the marriage is official. While in the book Petruchio is predominantly the one who decides how the bargain will be executed in the end. Katherine serves an example of how historically the power of women to which they possess for themselves was little to none.


“Too little payment for so great a debt.

Such Duty as the subject owes a prince”

Act 2 Sc.2 Pg.219


For this second quote we have Katherine who was originally the most defiant against Petruchio and her relationship defend it. Furthermore she deemed it necessary to tell two other women of how they should respect and honor their husbands. It is the least they should do, for they owe them with their lives. This all happens due to the other two wives unwillingness to come to their husbands. Katherine shows us an aspect of how men and women behaves once they are married. Men and women trick themselves in believing that every action they do for their significant other is out of love. But this is just to shroud the truth that they are only fulfilling their end in the bargain and providing what was to be expected of them once they are together. Katherine justifies this belief once she scolds the other wives.



For the next scene Andrew has just rushed back from Alaska after Margaret called of the wedding and flew back to New york to be deported.

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Margaret feels guilty once she has seen Andrew's family and calls the wedding off. She declares the real reason for why the wedding existed in the first place and abruptly leaves. Andrew dazed by what just happened rushes back to New York to tell her how he feels. Similar to Katherine in the book Margaret has a realization and shortly notifies everyone that she is not worthy of Andrew and how well he has been treated by his family. During this speech she also tells Andrew, “Andrew this was a business deal and you held up your end but now the deal is off ” Margaret realizes that marriages are business deals and that she would be better off on her own. Unlike katherine who submits to Petruchio she can freely walk away from the marriage entirely.


 “The Proposal” and “Taming a Shrew” both show that society still perceives marriage as two people who love each other but the only purpose this serve is to cover up the transaction that is taking place. “Taming a Shrew takes place in the era of which it was okay if this deal was not hidden. Modern society has changed to become ignorant of that and make it seem like “love” is the culprit. The only real change that has occurred in modern society is that now both parties are free to decide who they want to marry and what they expect from it.



Differentiating True and False Love

In the "The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare, the characters Petruchio and Katherine were a couple who faced lots of problems before they fell in love. In the movie "A Walk To Remember”, Landon and Jamie were a couple and in love too, even though Jamie had cancer and would soon die. Landon sacrificed his carefree life to be with her. In both the play and the movie, there was a wedding, but Landon and Jamie were in love when they were  got married.Compared to  Petruchio and Katherine, weren't in love when got  married. Petruchio  forced her to get married. In the end Katherine falls in love with Petruchio and made sacrifices, just as Landon did, but Petruchio’s disregard for her feelings means their love is not genuine. These texts reflect that if one person truly loves another person, then he or she will overcome challenges and make sacrifices to make the other happy.


“No shame but mine. I must, forsooth, be forced To give my hand, opposed against my heart”

(Act iii, Scene i, 8-9)

In this scene Katherine says she doesn’t want to marry Petruchio. Since she does not love him. Petruchio has to use force to make Katherine marry him. That Katherine could not be convinced to marry a man she does not love, this shows that societies view on emale ideas on courtship and/or dating. In the beginning of the play Katherine said it will be shame for her to be with someone who she does not love but by the end of the play, she gives up on this notion. Katherine initially believes that her hand in marriage should belong to someone to whom she can also give her heart. Her idea of courtship is that it should be mutual consent. However, by the end of the story, she accepts that in her situation, Petruchio’s desire to be with her gives her no choice in the matter. Since Katherine’s ideas on courtship and dating have not been met, she and Petruchio cannot share true love.



In the movie “A Walk To Remember”, the characters Landon asking for help from Jamie and when she made a request to him.

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Jamie sacrifices her love for Landon because she knows she can not be with him for very long. She does not hide the fact that she is dying from Landon which shows her belief that it is important to be honest in relationships. Even though it is difficult for her to do this, Jamie requests of Landon, “You have to promise you won’t fall in love with me.” By asking him to promise not to fall in love with her is her way of being honest. Because Jamie believes that relationships require honesty and she takes the steps to be honest with Landon about her situation, the love that eventually blossoms between them is real. If she had lied to him and he had fallen in love with her, it would not be true love because what he knows about her is not completely true.


“And threw the sops all in the sexton’s face, Having no other reason

But that his beard grew thin and hungerly, and seemed to ask him sops as he was drinking. This done, he took the bride about the neck, and kissed her lips such a clamorous smack, that at the parting all the church did echo”.

(Act iii, Sc ii, 175-81)



In this quote, the wedding for Katherine and Petruchio is depicted. At the time of the wedding, Katherine was not in love with Petruchio but he was forcing Katherine to get married. The fact that Petruchio thinks it is acceptable to force Katherine into marriage demonstrates Male ideas in courtship/dating.  The reason that there is this male idea in courtship/dating is that he is getting a sizable dowry through Katherine. His expectations are for Katherine to marry him for his economic benefits and for her to be loyal to him even though he is not treating her with respect. His idea was that it is okay to marry a girl even if she is not happy with the relationship. Katherine sacrifices her independence by marrying Petruchio even though she does not love him. In the end, Katherine becomes a submissive wife because of Petruchio’s force. If Petruchio’s love for Katherine was real, he would not have forced her to make a decision she did not want to make. When one is truly in love with another, one will do whatever it takes to make the other happy, even if one will not be happy with the outcome. Since Petruchio did not take Katherine’s happiness into consideration, his “love” for her is not genuine.



In the movie “A Walk To Remember”, the characters Jamie Sullivan and Landon Carter are in relationship and they get married.


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In this scene, it is Jamie Sullivan’s and Landon Carter’s wedding. In their relationship, there was perfectly sincere love. When Landon learned that Jaime had a very late stage of cancer, he continued to love her. During the wedding, Jamie and Landon say their vows with complete honesty. Landson says, “I do solemnly swear to take Jamie Sullivan, as my lawfully wedded wife, to honor and cherish her all the days of my life”. Even though Landon knows that Jaime will not be able to stay with him forever, he makes a sacrifice by marrying her. Since he truly loves her, he has made a sacrifice to “honor and cherish” her even though it will likely hurt him when she passes away. Unlike Petruchio, Landon made a sacrifice for Jamie to be happy and to be with her until her last breath. Unlike Petruchio, Landon didn’t control Jamie and instead accepted the challenge to love her even though it was difficult for him.  The challenge for Landon was to be in love knowing he would later be alone because of Jamie’s eventual death.


In the play “The Taming of the Shrew” by Shakespeare and in the movie “a walk to remember”, each of the characters make important sacrifices and take on challenges in the name of people they love. However, whether or not the love is real and sincere depends on each character’s actions and intentions. Jamie and Landon are honest with each other and sacrifice for each other, they want to make the other happy. Petruchio and Katherine do not sacrifice for each other, only Katherine gives up her independence. Even when her intention is to make him happy by being loyal to him, Petruchio’s intentions are not to take care of Katherine and her happiness. Petruchio marries Katherine despite her protest to gain her dowry. Therefore, the only couple who truly love each other seek to make the other happy without self-interest.

How Petruchio got his Groove Back



“Taming of the Shrew” and “How Stella got her Groove Back”


“Taming of the Shrew” is a Shakespearean romantic comedy about a man (Petruchio) who tries to force his wife (Katherine) into obedience after her and her sister are married off. The movie “How Stella got her Groove Back” follows Stella, a 40 year old divorced, workaholic mother who travels on vacation to Jamaica and meets a 20 year old native named Winston. They eventually fall in love, but find complications in their relationship because of the huge age difference.These stories may be from different backgrounds and time periods, but they are very alike. Over the centuries, love and marriage has proved to be about control rather than actually caring about each other and your differences. These texts show that, no matter what century the story is set in, people are more concerned about their own image than the feelings they have for another person. This results in someone trying to control the relationship in order to look good in front of their peers.


"That is, not to bestow my youngest daughter before I have a husband for the elder."

  • Baptista

(Act 1/ Sc. 1/ Pg 35)


This Scene shows Baptista trying to marry off his two daughter and explaining to the various suitors that the only way Bianca can be married is if his eldest daughter, Katherine, is married first. During shakespearian times (15-1600s) a woman’s purpose was to get married and have babies, so if a women doesn’t she is known as an “Old maid”. Baptista wants to Katherine to get married get married first so she doesn’t become one herself and have no source of income one he dies. Katherine must surrender her freedom to some random man in order live a “normal” life. If she doesn’t she will be left poor, judged, and labeled by the rest of society. Whatever relationship she is forced into, it will be about control, rather than love.



In this scene of How Stella got her Groove Back, Stella’s sisters are talking about her love life behind her back while at a spa. Stella walks into their conversation and and tells them she’s fine without dating. One of her sisters then responds with  She still needs a man in her life”, but Stella doesn’t actually need one. Stella is a rich, successful stock broker who can obviously take care of her son. There is no reason she “needs” a man  in her life other than the fact that it makes her look good. In many romantic comedies, dating and marriage is showed as an essential in life, so if you aren’t in a relationship there is something wrong with you. Like Taming of the Shrew the movie takes place in a society where it’s essential to be in a relationship. The difference between the two is that in “Shrew” people have to marry in order to distribute wealth while in “Stella” people are just accepted to be in a relationship because their life looks more stable. Either way both these women are judged if they have no man in their life.



“This is a way to kill a wife with kindness; And thus I'll curb her mad and headstrong humour. He that knows better how to tame a shrew, Now let him speak: 'tis charity to show.”

  • Petruchio

(Act 4/ Sc. 1/)


In this scene Petruchio is explaining to the audience how he is going to tame his shrew wife, Katherine.  Petruchio wants to make Katherine an obidient wife so he can have control in the relationship. He has no intention of loving and caring for Katherine, he just wants people to see he has control over his wife. This shows he thinks of his wife nothing more than a status symbol because her obedience makes him look like a powerful man.




Stella and Winston get in a fight during dinner about their relationship after Winston insists on paying, but Stella says he doesn’t have enough money so she should pay. Winston then yells at her for trying to control him and the relationship. Stella then says that Winston is childish and she has to make all of the big decisions on her own. Winston says that’s because whenever he makes a decision she judges him for it. Like Petruchio, Stella has to control every aspect of the relationship in fear of being judged herself. For petruchio, it’s for being less of a man/husband, while Stella fears looking immature and “whorish”. If Stella’s in control, that means she can mold Winston into the perfect man everyone expects her to have.



“I am ashamed that women are so simple to offer war where they should kneel for peace; or seek for rule, supremacy and sway, when they are bound to serve, love and obey.”

  • Katherine (Act 5/ Sc. 2)


At the end of the Play, Katherine and Petruchio attend Bianca’s wedding where Petruchio ends up making a bet with the other men on whose wife is the most “obedient”. Each man tells their wife to come over to them, but Katherine is the only one who obeys. She then makes a big speech on how important it is to obey your husband. What stood out in this scene was how happy Petruchio was with Katherine's obedience and how they instantly fell in love after the speech. Before, Petruchio admitted to Katherine that he didn’t even care about her, but now that she’s “tamed” he’s finally in love with her. This is because her obedience made him look good in front his peers, who made fun of him before for having Katherine as a wife. Only when he’s in control does their relationship work out, but that’s just because Petruchio loves being respected, rather than being married to Katherine.

The final scene of how Stella got her groove back is a cliche airport scene, where one person stops another person from going on a plane to confess their love. This is of course after the discussion they had about Winston leaving for Med school and them breaking up because he proved to be too young for Stella. Before Winson can even walk into the airport Stella is already there looking for him. They then start to make out, and it is assumed that they get back together because the movie ends right there. Like “Taming of the Shrew”, this movie also has a very obscure ending, that goes against the rest of the movie. Most of story shows Stella and Winston fighting over age and who's in control, but it’s all resolved after one airport kiss. This leads me to believe that Stella is still in control of their relationship. She’s the one at the airport looking for him, trying to stop him from leaving even though they just broke up. She’s the one who was in the wrong for trying to control who Winston was, while Winston’s only fault was being himself. Once he saw her at the airport they immediately got back together because this wasn’t his decision; it was her’s. Now once again Stella has Winston in her clutches to make her life look more stable by having complete control over everything.

Both the Play and Movie show that society thinks when two people are in a relationship someone should be in control. Stella and Petruchio act like they control their partners for love, but it in the end they are only think about themselves and the control they have over their own lives. Winston and Katherine are just status symbols or tools they use to their own advantage, not life long partners they actually care about.



Battle Tactics In The War For Love: DECEPTION

The play “Taming of the shrew” contains multiple methods of courtship, but the one that seems most prevalent is the art of deception. In the play, the character of Lucentio chose the road of deception instead of honesty to try and get his woman. The 2012 movie “Think Like A Man”,  one of the main characters Dominic sets out to do the same to get the girl of his dreams, even if he doesn’t match her standards.


Dominic shares many qualities  with Lucentio  They both fell in love at first sight and both pretended to be something they weren’t in order to get closer to the girl. The only difference between the two was their  status. Lucentio was already in a position of power, and so was the woman he was after. In contrast, Dominic was considered a dreamer and didn’t really have any money to his name, but he pursued a successful business woman that made six figures.

Both of these situation lead to hilarious moments and show the audience the blur between the honesty and deception as both men attempt to woo their women. Even in modern times, it is  actually encouraged when attempting to start a relationship with someone to be evasive and cunning so you can get exactly what you want. Both of these formats suggest that in order to be with that special someone, one must use deception to get closer to the one that they love. Honesty is not enough because that alone may not get a person to the place they want to be at to make a lasting impression.


[ACT 1. SC 1., Lines: 196-198]

TRANIO "You will be schoolmaster And undertake the teaching of the maid: That's your device"

Lucentio and tranio begun to hatch their plan to dress lucentio as a schoolmaster while tranio impersonates lucentio so that the real lucentio could get closer to bianca and make her fall in love with him without her father or the other suitors knowing.  Notice the underhandedness of this move just so Lucentio could get closer to bianca. He went as far as to disguised himself as another just for the chance to be alone with bianca. Granted there weren’t many options in lucentio’s case as he had to compete with the other suitors. He even got his friend involved with the lie by having tranio dress up as him so no one would know that the real Lucentio was missing. In this case Dominic from “Think Like A Man” wasn’t far off from what Lucentio did in “Shrew”.Screenshot 2016-04-17 at 11.36.58 PM.png




illusion Dom.png

Dom’s manager told him to work valet and get this rich man’s car for him. Long story short he came back with the car and lauren was outside getting in her car, when she saw him she thought that the car was his. Dom took advantage of this and stayed in the other man’s car and drove off to follow lauren to ask her on a date. The defining moment was when Dominic decided to stay in the car. He knew that it wasn’t his car but lauren didn’t and he used that to his advantage. Since he went along with what she believed to become so rich man that he was not he actually got closer to lauren. In both situations Dom and Lucentio felt as though being deceitful and putting up facades were the quickest ways to get closer to a woman. Also take into account that the two happening hundreds of years apart which leaves one to infer that men having been using this tactic for years. This also means that deep down people actually believe that it’s socially acceptable to lie in this sort of capacity.

[ACT 3. SC.1, Lines: 33-39]

Lucentio “HIc ibat, as I told you before, Simois, I am Lucentio, hic est, son unto Vincentio of Pisa. [Sigeia] tellus, disgusted thus to get your love, Hic steterat, and that “lucentio” that comes a-wooing…”

This takes place some time after Tranio became lucentio and lucentio took the role as cambio, Bianca’s latin teacher. He takes this time to try and get closer to bianca by telling her that he is really lucentio and that he loves her and did this to be with. Previously stated both Lucentio and Dom had succeeded through deception to get closer to their love. Lucentio felt as though he was close enough to reveal his true identity and even if she doesn’t reciprocate the feeling immediately he got what he wanted and that was to be closer.  Dominic however chose to stay masked by the illusion he created to get what he wanted.

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Dominic and Lauren are on their first date and Lauren asks Dom what he does for a living. Domini lies and states that he is a high class chef in between jobs. This made Lauren pry even further until Dominic began to talk about his dream to have his own restaurant. Dom then apologized because they agreed to stop talking about work but Lauren interrupts him and states that what he said was not work but a dream and she liked to talk about dream. After this exchange you could see that they had become closer. Even if the facade that he put about being a high grade chef was false the dream he shared was true. See the his lie was needed to get close enough to the one he love just so he could show her the real him at that point leaving it up to her whether or not she loved him back, much like lucentio.

If Naysayers stopped to think about it, they would realize that being deceitful and deceptive are all apart of falling in love . Yes it’s dishonest and one shouldn’t lie but it can also means that that person cares enough to try and get closer. It’s just doing so in a bad way. The main goal is to get closer to the one you love and be deceitful is fair game besides it’s been done before for a long time now.


Be Kind, or Be Cruel


Be Kind, or Be Cruel

Comparing “Taming of the Shrew” to “Silver Linings Playbook”


“The Taming of the Shrew” tells a story of romance between an unusual man name Petruchio and an ill-mannered woman named Katherine. Petruchio uses Katherine as a part of his plan, to marry and receive riches. In “SIlver Linings Playbook”, Bradley Cooper plays Pat, a former teacher who moves back in with his parents after  astint in a mental instituion.. Jennifer Lawrence plays Tiffany, a girl who just lost her husband. She’s also friends with Nikki, Pat’s wife. Pat uses Tiffany as a part of his plan to get back with his wife Nikki.


As I read “Taming of the Shrew” and watched “Silver Linings Playbook”, I noticed that both Petruchio and Pat used the same tactic to manipulate women, to only receive what they wanted. In the relationships, both males only wish to benefit themselves, and not the female. The males have different reasons and they have different ways of getting to their goal. Petruchio use the tactic of being mean, and Pat uses the tactice of being kind. These texts both show that real love doesn’t exist, and that no matter the time period men only use love as a way to get what they want.






Quote #1


"Petruchio: Good Lord, how bright and godly shines the moon!

Katherine: The moon? The sun! It is moonlight now.

Petruchio: I say it is the moon that shines so bright.

Katherine: I know it is the sun that shines so bright

Hortensio: Say as he says, or we shall never go

Katherine: Forward, I pray, since we have come so far,"

Act 4, Scene 5, Lines 3- 7, 14-15 (Pages 185 & 186)


In this part of the play,  Petruchio and Katherine plan on going to see her father. In these lines, Petruchio and Katherine argue about what time of the day it is. Because Katherine is so mean, Petruchio gives her a taste of her own medicine, in a way to tame her. He does this manipulate her into liking him, in a way of love. Once he could do that, he could marry her, and get her riches.



Image #1

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In this scene from “Silver Linings Playbook”, Pat and Tiffany go out to eat dinner. Tiffany sees this as a sign of love. Pat uses the dinner date as a way to get close to Tiffany, so he can get close to Nikki.


Unlike Petruchio, Pat is nice to Tiffany, so she can like him. Once Pat gets her to like him. He can get close to Nikki, because like said before, Tiffany is good friends with Nikki.




Quote #2

"Thus have I begun my reign,

And ‘tis my hope to end successfully.

My falcon is now sharp and passing empty,

And till she stoop, she must not be full-gorged

For then she never looks upon her lure.

Another way I have to man my haggard,

To make her come and know her keeper’s call."

Act 4, Scene 1, Lines 188- 194 (Page 151)


In this part of the play, Petruchio speaks of how he’s going to starve Katherine. In thes elines he explains why he’s going to do this. In line 190 he says “My falcon now is sharp and passing empty”. When he says falcon, he’s talking about Katherine, calling Katherine his falcon. When he says “sharp and passing empty”, he’s saying that she’s very hungry. When he says “And till she stoop”, stoop means fly directly to the keeper or to the prey, saying that Katherine will fly to him. When he says “For then she never looks upon her lure”, lure means the bait held by the keeper, Petruchio being the keeper. Petruchio is going to make sure she doesn’t know what they have isn’t real. When he says “Another way I have to man my haggard, man my haggard means to train a falcon, like said before, Petruchio is calling Katherine his falcon. In the last line when he says “To make her come and know her keeper’s call” he means Katherine come back to him when he wants. Petruchio does this cruel act so he can have control over Katherine. If he has control over Katherine, she won’t act so ill-mannered, and he can marry her. Once he marries her, he can get her riches, what he really wanted.





Iamge #2

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This scene is from the beginning of the movie, when Pat and Tiffany first meet. Pat gives Tiffany a compliment on how she looks nice. After she replied saying “Thank you”, he said he wasn’t flirting with her. Pat said he was saying she looked nice as “practice”. This “practice”  was for him to better hisself so he could get back to his wife. This was when Pat realized he could use Tiffany to his advantage.


Again, Pat uses the tactic of being nice, unlike Petruchio. Right here, this is the beginning of how





  



“Taming of the Shrew” and “Silver Linings Playbook” are prime examples of how men use love on females to get what they want. They show that it may seem real, but it isn’t true love. Being that they were from two different time periods, that shows that things still haven’t changed about men using love on women to benefit themselves.

Possession in Relationships

A comparison of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” and the 2014 romantic comedy, “The Other Woman.”


         "The Taming of the Shrew" ties together relationships and possession in multiple ways. At the time the story takes place, one of the most important things to men was acquiring a woman that would show off their worth, whether that meant marrying one of great beauty or riches. In the book, many suitors are after a young, beautiful woman, Bianca, because of her value in the society. Her older sister, though cranky and "un-ladylike," is also sought after due to her wealthy background. In the movie “The Other Woman,” a wealthy business man, Mark, cheats on his wife, Kate while also technically cheating on his mistresses as they do not know he is married. His mistresses and his wife band together to get him back and confront him in the end. His mistresses and wife pursue Mark based on what he can do for their status all while he, too, is looking to possess them for their value. These texts show that throughout the centuries people have chosen their significant others based on the value that possessing them will bring.


"She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house, My household stuff, my field, my barn, My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything."

Act 3, Scene 2, Line 236


         In this scene Petruchio has just married his “shrew” of a wife Katherine. After their wedding, Katherine wanted to stay with her family and enjoy the dinner that was made for them but Petruchio wanted to be on his way. In this line he is explaining why he must take her and never let anything happen to her. Petruchio married wealthy Katherine in hopes that he would become of even greater status due to the dowry that came with her. He did not care that she was crazy or undesirable in every other sense. He wanted the value that possessing her would bring to him. This was her money with which could bring him all the goods he mentioned.


         Petruchio’s reasoning is a lot like Kate’s in “The Other Woman.”


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In this scene, Kate just met Carly, his first mistress, the night before. This was shortly after Carly had found out Mark was married and had stopped seeing him. The next morning, Kate shows up on Carly’s doorstep confiding in her. Kate says: “I just thought we...maybe we could talk...because my whole world just blew up, and I don’t have a job, and I have no money of my own, and I honestly do not know what I’m gonna do at all, and I have no friends to talk to because all of my friends are Mark’s friends…” Kate depended on Mark for everything. He was her money, her friends, her life. This sounds like Petruchio’s motives in marrying Katherine. Although, in the movie, it was a woman who was possessing a man for his money and the other way around in the book.


"...I firmly vow never to woo her more, but do forswear her As one unworthy all the former favors That I have fondly flattered her withal...I will be married to a wealthy widow Ere three days pass, which hath as long loved me."

Act 4, Scene 2, Line 30


         A suitor of Bianca, Gremio, has just found out that she loves Lucentio and not him. At the time Gremio knew Lucentio to be a teacher and not the wealthy man he really was. As a result, he says he will go marry a widow because she has been in love with him for years. This shows that he only wanted her because she was beautiful and pure. He also hated that she would even like a schoolmaster. After finding out that she was infatuated with another person, she lost her value to him. He wanted her because she would raise his status as a beautiful girl would’ve loved and had eyes for only him. Now that he saw she liked a man of low status, he did not want her as she would be of no value to him.


This was a lot like when Kate found out about Mark cheating.



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         In this scene, Kate finds Carly’s work to find her and talk to her after finding her number in his phone. Some of the dialogue is as follows:

“Carly: If you have any questions about your husband, you should ask him.

Kate: Oh, well, well, I would, but I’m pretty sure he’s lying to me and sleeping with you...Am I right?...You’re sleeping with my husband?

Carly: Sorry, I had no idea, I swear...could you please keep it down?

Kate: I did not expect this at all. I thought I would come down here and you would tell me that I’m crazy. I did not think that I would be right at all. I did not think that I would be right at all. I mean, maybe a little. In that too horrible to be true kind of way.”

         In this case, Kate is like Gremio finding out that their love is infatuated with another. As a result, they both want nothing to do with them. This shows that because their love could not help their value, they do not want them anymore. It's also different in that it's the woman that is finding out the news while in the book it is the man.

Both the movie and the play show society's ideas about dating. They both tell the reader that when dating, one should look for someone that makes them of higher value. This can mean someone who brings great wealth to the table, or great beauty. Although they both share this idea, the gender roles are switched. In the case of the movie, it was women pursuing and trying to court a man, while in the play it was men trying to get a woman.

Expectation of Men


In Taming of the Shrew, there is an underlying message of how a man needs to go to the extreme to please or keep the one he fell in love with at first sight. In the book, Lucentio falls in love with Bianca, the girl he had just seen. He was determine to woo her  and get her for his own no matter the consequences. In the movie, 50 First Dates, Henry, who is known as the player or better called womanizer, who eventually falls in love with Lucy, a girl who has short term memory loss. He loves her and was determined to win her love over and over again every morning, in doing so always winning the trust of her family.

Lucentio and Henry are similar in their overall goal of winning their love at first sight, yet they are quite different in personality and ways of wooing the one they love.  Lucentio goes undercover as a school teacher, using the identity of his servant in order to get closer to Bianca, in order to win her over all the other men who are eyeing her. Whereas Henry, who had been known as a lady’s man, being with so many women, finally love someone, who he have to win over again everyday, in doing so always having to reintroduce himself. These texts portrays men as dominant and in control, and because of that, they are the one who have to work in pleasing the girl they want. What is different is how they do that work. In the past, it involved romantic work as well as financial, but in modern times, all that matters is love. However, in both cases, the expectation is that the man does the work to win the woman, not the other way around.  

“O Tranio, till I found it to be true,

I never thought it possible or likely;

But see, while idly I stood looking on,

I found the effect of love in idleness:

And now in plainness do confess to thee,

That art to me as secret and as dear”

(Act 1, Scene 1, 150-155)

In this quote, Lucentio is describing of what he never thought to be possible, him falling in love. He is pouring out his emotion and confesses that he needs to have Bianca. This can lead to a sad heart break if Bianca doesn't love Lucentio back, but Lucentio is not scared and insist, since he is a man, there’s an underlying expectation of him to work to win Bianca.


Henry finds himself in a similar situation of falling in love in the movie with the girl he just met, but his acknowledgment on loving the girl was after talking to her unlike Lucentio.


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In this early scene, Henry is seen talking to Lucy for the first time as she tries to make her waffle tepee. Henry approached Lucy holding a toothpick and saying, “You know….why don’t you try this? It’s kind of a hinge (makes squeaky noise)”. It was the thing that drawn Henry to Lucy, the playfulness of a child, similar to Lucentio falling for Lucy and her modestness in the beginning. Although both of the men started off similar, how they deliver to pursue the girls are different.


“Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves,

And let me be a slave, t’ achieve that maid

Whose sudden sight hath tralled my wounded eye.”


(Act 1, Scene 1, 124-126)


Lucentio had just arrived in Padua to attend college, so nobody really knows that he is the real Lucentio, the son of Vincentio. With that advantage, Lucentio agreed to swap places with Tranio. Since Lucentio has now taken on the identity, he will be able to focus on pretending to also be a school teacher in hopes of getting close to Bianca, to be able to woo her. Lucentio was suppose to be there for college, but he dropped everything and focused his attention towards Bianca and making the first move. As a man he is expected to approach the girl and be the one to win her love, but that is not expected from the girl at all.


Sue(waitress) informs Henry on Lucy’s condition of having short term memory loss.


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Henry had learned that Lucy would wake up only remember her pass up to the day of the accident, on October 13th. She wakes up thinking it’s October 13th, and the new memories are gone. Sue said, “She has no memory that she ever met you.” After learning this about Lucy he would not have a harder time winning Lucy’s love and keeping the relationship going. Through how masculinity is portrayed in the movie, Henry, a man, would now have to be the one to keep trying ways in hopes to be with his love Lucy and dealing with her short term memory loss. Which meant Henry would need to win over Lucy everyday, as if he had just met her. Similar to Lucentio, they both goes out of their way to pursue the girls of their dream, but differently in the way of doing so Henry is through the truth, while Lucentio through a lie.


“Why, then, the maid is mine from all world,

By your firm promise. Gremio is outvied.”

(Act 2, Scene 1, 406-407)


Lucentio was boosting about his wealth and what he owns, going head to head against Gremio wealth and status. It was how Baptista(father of Bianca) chooses who will get to have his daughter Bianca, by looking at the men’s wealth and status in society. Due to Lucentio male figure, his wealth and status is a huge factor in getting Bianca to be his wife, since that is what the society expects of a man portrayed in the play.


Henry is confronting Lucy’s protective father and brother.


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Henry is confronting Lucy’s father and brother in a way to show that he loves her and is sincere. The father said “What are you trying to say?” Henry replied, “I just wish there was another way besides, “sorry we couldn’t trick you today.”” Unlike Lucentio, Henry is trying hard in helping Lucy through being truthful and hard work in winning her love over everyday. It’s the challenge, that he is trying to find an alternative to, so Lucy won’t be as upset, also gaining the trust of Lucy’s family. Whereas Lucentio is not using just love, but also his wealth and status in getting Bianca.


Henry does win Lucy over and also found a way to help her with her short term memory lost showing that modern time expectation is different from the past. Lucentio ended with having Bianca as his wife through going undercover and his wealth. The similarity is how it reinforces the expectation in society that the man is the one to work in winning the women The difference is how in the past men use not only romance, but also finance to win women over, whereas in modern time, love is all that matter.


Work Cited:


"50 First Dates | Netflix." 50 First Dates | Netflix. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2016. <https://www.netflix.com/watch/60033311?trackId=13752289>.


Shakespeare, William. Folger Shakespeare Library. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square, 1992. Print.



“I’m not a smart man, but I don’t know what romance is”




Forrest Gump is a romantic-comedy-drama film created in 1994. The story follows the life Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), who is a dim-witted, but kind-hearted and athletic man from Alabama. Between the time of his birth in 1944 and 1982, Forrest witnesses and in some instances, influences key defining points in the latter half of the 20th century. It would be remissive however to not acknowledge the importance of Jenny Curran (Robin Wright). Jenny Curran is Forrest Gump’s childhood friend and love interest, though her role transcends these titles. Throughout the whole movie Jenny always turns to Forrest in her time of need. This is crucial because in spite of all of her failed relationships she always turned to Forrest for solace and comfort. Even though this movie is a “romantic-comedy” it is centered around an atypical romance. Similar to this, the shakespearean play, “The Taming of the Shrew” offers a plethora of atypical romances. One particular atypical romance is between the two characters Katherine and Petruchio. The reason for this relationship being atypical is that neither Katherine and Petruchio particularly care for eachother. As displayed in both The Taming of the Shrew and Forrest Gump, these unusual relationships reflect that nobody has a set definition of love or romance.



QUOTE #1


“I will be master of what is mine own.

She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house,

My household stuff, my field, my barn,

My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything.

And here she stands, touch her whoever dare.”- Petruchio (3.2.235-239)


In this scene, Petruchio’s words about Katherine exemplifies his true feelings. Petruchio sees Katherine as nothing more than property. This can be supported by the words “She is my goods.” He is comparing Katherine to a material possession and neglecting the fact that she is a human being.


IMAGE #1


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Jenny goes from being angry at Forrest for killing the mood with her momentary lover, to talking to Forrest about her hopes and dreams. While she is doing this she is undressing in front of him. Jenny then goes on to ask him if he “had ever been with a girl” and guides his hand to feel her naked breast. This symbolizes that Jenny views Forrest as a “second option” or a “back up plan”



Comparison:


These two scenes are similar because because both Forrest and Katherine are used to suit the needs of both Petruchio and Jenny. However the difference between the two scenes is that Jenny uses Forrest as something to fall back on when any relationship she has fails, in order to ease the pain of her loneliness and Petruchio objectifies Katherine not for emotional purposes, but for the pursuit of domination and power.



QUOTE #2


“Be patient, gentlemen. I choose her for myself.

If she and I be pleased, what's that to you?

'Tis bargained 'twixt us twain, being alone,

That she shall still be curst in company.

I tell you, 'tis incredible to believe

How much she loves me. O, the kindest Kate!”- Petruchio (2.1.321-326)


In this scene, Petruchio is lying about both Katherine’s love towards him and Kate agreeing to marry him. The fact that Petruchio says “Tis bargained ‘twixt us twain, being alone,” shows two things. The word “bargained” shows that Petruchio treats this “marriage” as a deal, rather than a mutual love. Another thing that can be seen is that Petruchio’s lie shows that he doesn’t value Katherine’s opinion or her love. He doesn’t even value her hand in marriage, but rather the title that comes with it.







IMAGE #2


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In this scene, Forrest says to Jenny, “Will you marry me?...I’d make a good husband Jenny.” Jenny then responds with “You would Forrest….You don’t want to marry me.” This prompts Forrest to ask “Why don’t you love me Jenny?” Even though Jenny later tells Forrest that she does love him, this doesn’t dismiss the fact that Forrest feels unloved. Even though Forrest gives 100% into his pursuit of Jenny, he feels as though he is not getting what he truly seeks, and that is Jenny’s love. Jenny realizes this as well, as shown in her statement “you don’t want to marry me.” Jenny feels as though Forrest doesn’t know what he would be getting into if they were to get married and the statement “you don’t want to marry me” serves as a warning to Forrest. However, this should not be taken as Jenny not being interested in marrying Forrest, but rather her wanting what is best for him.




Comparison:


These two scenes show that Katherine doesn’t want to marry Petruchio for the fact that he doesn’t value her as a person or what’s best for her. Jenny on the other hand, doesn’t want Forrest to marry her for the fact that she thinks Forrest deserves better. Both the film and the book show that traditional means of romance don’t necessarily need to be involved in these relationships in order for them to work.



Conclusion:


As shown in both The Taming of the Shrew and Forrest Gump, no one has a set definition of romance. Through both of the atypical relationships between Forrest and Jenny and Katherine and Petruchio, it is shown that for some reason these relationships work out in the end, where both Forrest and Jenny and Katherine and Petruchio end up getting married (respectively in the the book and movie). Despite what society believes as an ideal romance or relationship, there aren’t any. Just as people are unique and different, so are romances and relationships.