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   Having read the Taming of the Shrew, my first thought was to compare it to Tommy Wiseau’s magnum opus, and what is commonly regarded as one of the worst movies of all time, The Room. In The Room, the characters of Johnny and Lisa have an unhappy marriage that prompts Lisa to have an affair with Johnny’s best friend, Mark. In The Taming of the Shrew, numerous Italian men vie for the affection of Bianca, apparently the most beautiful woman in Padua, by pretending to be teachers with reasonable day rates.The common theme here is deception. Though an essay could be written about that, a more interesting area to cover here is the intention of the authors of the media in question. Throughout the course of both pieces, it is plausible that a reader may ask themselves “Is the author serious?” This uncertainty propels the reader forward in both stories, proving that it is a useful and lasting method.

   The catch in the Taming of the Shrew is that Bianca’s older sister Katherine must first be married before a man can become Bianca’s suitor. A wealthy man in pursuit of more power, Petruchio, offers to marry Katherine. Petruchio, unfazed by Katherine’s reputation as a shrew (the titular shrew, in fact), began training his new wife, just as one would train a pet. After a non-specified duration of training, Katherine eventually submits to the will of Petruchio, delivering this brief announcement during a mid-travel argument in which Petruchio swears to ensure they do not reach their destination unless she gives in:

"Then, God be bless'd, it is the blessed 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 4, Scene 5, lines 21-25)

   Certainly, that’s a convincing way to affirm that you have become the perfect wife, docile and obedient. However, the context of this quote must be considered. Katherine has not said anything along these lines, or even vaguely cooperative, to Petruchio before. This is the written word we’re talking about here. Knowing the character of Katherine, she very well could be being sarcastic. Unfortunately, whether that is the case or not is lost to history. In addition, this set of lines have the vibe that they are spoken merely to keep Petruchio content with how his glorious plan is going, at least to the point where he is willing to allow the completion of the trip. Tying into the theme of deception, Katherine is manipulating and deceiving Petruchio, who believes he is manipulating and deceiving Katherine. Next, the intent of the author must be considered. Shakespeare, being a playwright, wanted people to see his plays. He wanted people to pay to see them multiple times, in fact. Therefore, it is probably in his best interest to keep things somewhat ambiguous so multiple directors and such could have different takes on the written play. Another example of this ambiguity is at the very end of the book, where Katherine reveals her apparent change of heart:

"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 labour 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;"

(Act 5, Scene 2, lines 162-169)

   Doesn’t this seem to be laying it on a little thick? Especially since this is a mere component of a larger rant/monologue on the same topic, which was a portion of a bet that Petruchio made with the other husbands at a gala. Isn’t it a bit convenient that Katherine is suddenly so willing now that earning money is in the picture?

   In this highly peculiar non sequitur, male leads Johnny, Mark, Denny, and Mike decide to play football in their tuxedos in an alley. Not only does this scene have no context, it also has no later relevance. On a related note, Claudette (Lisa’s friend) suddenly reveals to Lisa during a conversation the she has breast cancer, another subplot that continues on to mean absolutely nothing. These subplots, like the mysterious nature of Katherine’s allegedly changed behavior, do a wonderful job of keeping the reader perplexed.

  In conclusion, it is important to consider the tone of the author when analyzing a text on its portrayal of love and romance. As proven by these two texts, keeping the reader in question of whether or not a text is serious is an effective way of at least maintaining interest. However, confusing the reader with false starts and missteps can only go so far. While the Taming of the Shrew is generally accepted as a classic, the Room is known worldwide purely for being a terrible film.

Barcelona, Spain

Marcin: ¡Hola amigos! ¿Qué vas a hacer después?

Leo: Voy a estar de vago. ¿Y tú Marcin?

Marcin: ¡Voy a viajar!

Julia: ¿Adonde vas?

Marcin: Barcelona, España. ¿Y tú, Julia? ¿Qué vas a hacer después?

Julia: Voy a ver las atracciones.

Marcin: ¡Qué interesante! Hay muchos museos en Barcelona.

Leo: ¿Qué vas a hacer mañana?

Marcin: Estar de vago.

Julia: Hay un jugar de fútbol después. ¿Quierés ir?

Leo: ¡Claro qué sí!

Marcin: ¡Absolutamente!

Leo: ¿Cómo llegamos allí?

Julia: ¿Por tren?

Marcin: Sí. ¿Dónde está un estación de tren?

Leo: Carrer del Rector Triadó. En Avenue de Roma.

Julia: ¿Qué es el estadio de fútbol?

Leo: Camp Nou.

Marcin: ¿A qué hora es que en?

Leo: Son las dos en punto.

Julia: ¿Qué debemos usar?

Leo: ¿Jerseys, posiblemente?

Julia: Bueno. Qué bueno Yo recéin compré un jersey.

Marcin: ¿Que hora son?

Julia: Son las doce y media.

Leo: Bueno, nosotros tenemos hora. ¿Qué ustedes querer algo mientras nosotros espera?

Marcin: Tengo hambre. ¿Tienen almorzar conmigo?

Leo: Seguro. ¿Dónde está el restaurante más cercana?

Julia: Él está tres manzanas desde aquí.

Leo: Bueno ¡Vamos!

(Cuarto horas más tarde)

Julia: Eso estar divertido. ¿Debemos pasar con cada otro mañana?

Marcin: ¡Claro qué sí! Nosotros debemos pasar con cada otro más frecuentemente.

Leo: Yo esto de acuerdo. Nosotros debemos absolutamente. ¡Hasta luego!

Julia and Marcin: ¡Hasta luego! ¡Adios!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cWogj19OGbS-sxwPTRLCV2UdZoijRHJYfEEIsMtpm7k/edit?usp=sharing

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.

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.

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.

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

     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.  

      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.

    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.

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.

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 .

"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.

“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.

“...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.

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.

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.

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.

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.