Does In Charge Mean In Charge?

"The Taming of the Shrew” portrays the idea that men desire relationships for control and do not have a conscience while they are ‘taming’ their ‘shrew.’ Throughout this play a money-driven Petruchio plots ways to lure Katherine into his control. In “Ruby Sparks” a lonely author Calvin has control of his girlfriend Ruby from the start. This is because Calvin wrote a story about a girl who then came to life, claiming to already be his girlfriend. Calvin promises -to himself- not to abuse this power. However he breaks this promises and in the end frees his girlfriend from his control. Although Petruchio and Calvin are not originally after the same thing it is clear that they both want control over their romantic partner. For Petruchio when this control is official it is pleasant but expected. He feels no guilt for what he has done to cause this, only pride that it has happened. “Ruby Sparks” shows that these emotions have not lasted through to today. Calvin receives the power that he thought he wanted. However, he does not enjoy it and feels only guilt. These texts reflect that men’s emotions and ideas on romantic relationships have changed. They now view women as people and therefore have new ideas on what a ‘tamed’ woman is.

Petruchio “I come to wive it wealthily in Padua; If wealthily, the happily in Padua.”

(Act 1. Scene 2. Line 76.)

Petruchio claims to Hortensio that all he wants in a bride is that she is rich. He claims that this will be enough because he will be able to ‘tame’ a woman no matter how cruel. This shows that Petruchio expects a woman to be able to be ‘tamed’ and for her to bend to his every word. However, since this is an expectation and not a request or desire it is not an important part of his choosing a woman. He believes that right now all he requires is someone who is rich and he will be able to make them into whatever else he wants.

In the movie “Ruby Sparks” Calvin shows what his expectations are before meeting Ruby.

Harry "Quirky messy women whose problems only make them endearing are not real. Period." …. "That honeymoon shit doesn't last. Women are different up close. I love Suzy but she's a weirdo. Sometimes, she's mean as fuck for no reason. She's a person, you haven't written a person."

(18 minutes)

During this scene Calvin has his brother Harry read a manuscript that he’s written. It is a manuscript of a love story where he mainly describes this one girl, Ruby. His brother claims that Calvin’s expectations are too high, that he has not written someone who has the possibility of being real. Calvin gets defensive and states that he’s not finished yet. However, it is clear to see that Calvin disagrees with his brother’s claim and believes that everything he has written is a perfectly reasonable expectation for him to have.

Both Calvin and Petruchio have high expectations for what they want in a woman. However where Petruchio’s are vague Calvin’s are specific. Petruchio believes that he will be able to make a girl into whatever he wants at any given time. Calvin has already done this, he already decided what he wants and has written it down, trying to make it real. Both men are showing that they have control over the situation and they have the ability to create any girl that they like.

Petruchio “Why, there’s a wench! Come on, and kiss me, Kate.”

(Act 5. Scene 2. Line 197)

Katherine gives a long speech about respecting her husband during a dinner party. This is the first time that she is openly showing that he has power over her. Petruchio responds to this speech by calling her both a wench and Kate. Kate is a nickname that he gave her when he was first trying to gain control over her. He clearly feels no remorse about what he has done to change this girl. However, he is also not surprised by the fact that she changed. This is what he expected, for her to become someone entirely different solely because he wanted her to.

In the movie “Ruby Sparks” Calvin ends up in a very similar situation but he handles it much differently.

Ruby: (in french) "But I don't know how to speak french

Calvin: See. Ruby speaks french.

R: (in french) what's happening?

C: I told you I could make you do anything."

(1 hour 25 minutes)

During this scene Calvin shows Ruby, his girlfriend, the immense control that he has over her. He shows her that whenever he writes anything it becomes true. Ruby gets angry and upset, she begins to cry and scream. Calvin clearly feels bad but can no longer control himself. The following scene shows him writing that Ruby is free. She then leaves the house and Calvin is left alone. Although Calvin had control over a girl he allowed her to leave. This is different than what Petruchio did. It shows that although men may still expect control it is not always what they want. It is more likely that they will think about what they have done and how they are affecting this other person. There is more guilt and more conscience.

Society’s, specifically men’s, view on society has changed since the time of Shakespeare. In the play “Taming of the Shrew” it is portrayed that men only want to control their women. This is the expectation so it does not evoke any emotions when it occurs. “Ruby Sparks” portrays that men today still have the same primitive desire to have control in romantic relationships. They believe in the beginning that this is what they want. However, if these men actually gain control it causes them confusion. A realization occurs that this is not what they were expecting. They are more able to feel emotions such as guilt. In some cases, such as the one in “Ruby Sparks,” men use this guilt to lose control. In today’s relationships men do not expect to have full control over their significant other although they may still desire it as an idea.  

Works Cited

Ruby Sparks. Dir. Colin Trevorrow. Perf. Paul Dano. 2012. DVD.

Shakespeare, William, and Thomas Goddard Bergin. The Taming of the Shrew;. New Haven: Yale UP, 1954. Print.