Money Hungry

"The Taming of the Shrew" demonstrates that parental influence on relationships has existed over centuries. In "Shrew" the father of Katherine, Baptista, enforces the importance of wealth in marriage. In the 2005 movie "Monster in Law", the parent of the son to be wed values the same thing. Though in this situation, the parent fails in having this tactic affect the couple.

Though Baptista and Violla share a lot in common, such as their status and economic situations, the outcome they end up receiving regarding this specific scenario is different. They both enforce the importance of wealth when dealing with their children being wed, but in one scenario. Baptista is able to get what he wants, which is getting his daughter to marry a man who is wealthy. In the other situation, Violla is not successful in making her son marry a wealthy daughter. Even though this is the case, the parent in this second situation, Violla, still manages to drive the fiance crazy in lowering her self esteem. All in all, these stories reflect that parents definitely have an influence on marriage, though it has become less powerful in today’s society because wealth is not a huge value anymore; it is more of an addition. True love is valued more.

“Signior Baptista, my business asketh haste, and every day I cannot come to woo. You knew my father well, and in him me, left solely heir to all his lands and goods. Which I have bettered rather than decreas'd. Then tell me, if I get your daughter's love, what dowry shall I have with her to wife?” says Petruchio. “After my death, the one half of my lands and, in possession, twenty thousand crowns.” says Baptista. “And for that dowry, I'll assure her of her widowhood, be it that she survive me, in all my lands and leases whatsoever…” says Petruchio.

(Act 2 Scene 1, 120-132)

In this part of the play, Petruchio assures to Baptista, the parent of the woman to be wed, that he will bring to the table his wealthiness in exchange for some wealth on her part. Baptista then reassures that wealth will be granted. This shows money is an important factor to having a “successful” marriage.

The parent in the movie finds herself overwhelmed with frustration after meeting the bride and finding out she is not wealthy, which contrasts with the situation from the play.

In this early scene from “Monster in Law”, Viola is angrily fisting the air because she is upset about who her son has chosen to marry. Viola is upset for many reasons, but the one that seems to matter the most to her is that the bride has no money, which would be an addition to the family. Viola then makes this awful plan to split them up so she can have her way. Viola is in dire need of control of this situation, which compares to Baptista actually having full control of his situation when finding a suitable man to marry his daughter Katherine.

“Because I know you well and love you well, leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.” says Baptista.

(Act 1, Scene 1, 53-54)

In this part of the scene, Baptista explains that he knows exactly what his daughter likes and wants. Therefore he has the right to choose who she weds, and when that happens thereof. Parents have a clear influence on how their children wed and this is reflected through the movie too.

In this scene, the parent in the movie is complaining about the wife and plotting all the awful things she plans to do to split the couple up, which compares with the situation from the play.

In this moment Viola says that she intends to find out all about the bride’s past, to find something that will make her son not love her anymore. She mentions again that the soon to be bride has no money and will not be a good match for her son. Which implies that she knows what her son wants best. She lives in a grand home, and has lost her job recently, so it makes sense why money will be of huge value to her. Viola feels that as a parent it is her responsibility to have a strong say in her son’s marriage.

The fact that in the end of “Monster in Law”, the parent’s intentions of having her son not marry this woman fails, shows what the modern audience wants to see. Of course everyone likes when the bad guys lose, and that is what happens in this movie. Throughout the film parent’s effect on the couple got weaker as the love got stronger, but still proves that parents can influence a marriage. Whereas in the play, the parent’s effect remained instilled in the marriage, allowing Petruchio to gain more wealth in the end.