Taming For Betterment

Comparing "Taming of the Shrew" to "Deliver us from Eva"

In Taming of the Shrew we are introduced to Katherine; a shrew or a ill tempered woman that needs to be tamed or managed by the character Petruchio. She puts up a fight but eventually gives in. In the 2003 movie “ Deliver us from Eva” Eva is the oldest sister of the Dandridge sister. All sisters except Eva are in relationships and Eva always meddles in their love lives. The Sisters partners are tired of having Eva always in their business so they set her up with the local playboy in order to get Eva out of the way so they can have better relationships with the other sisters. They pay so he can make Eva fall for him and move away then dump her in some far away place so she can be out of their lives. She falls for him and they end up together.  Both "Taming of the Shrew" and "Deliver us from Eva" show that a relationship can only work if the one person can have complete dominance over the other.

PETRUCHIO

Now, by my mother's son, and that's myself,

It shall be moon, or star, or what I list,

Or ere I journey to your father's house.

Go on, and fetch our horses back again.

Evermore cross'd and cross'd; nothing but cross'd!

HORTENSIO

Say as he says, or we shall never go.

KATHARINE

Forward, I pray, since we have come so far,

And be it moon, or sun, or what you please:

An if you please to call it a rush-candle,

Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me.

(Page 187, Act 4, Scene 5, line 15)

In this part of the book Katherine, Petruchio and Hortensio; Petruchio servant are on there way to Katherine's sister wedding. Petruchio says that the moon is out and Katherine says that the sun is out and Petruchio gives her an ultimatum and she submits and goes along with what he says. The sun is actually out This scene in the book shows how Petruchio has control over Katherine and that's how he was able to get her to summit so that not only he can get his way, but so they can get to their destination. It takes having complete dominance over someone to have the kind of power that Petruchio does; to get his wife to submit and give in so quick. They both were able to get what they wanted just by her giving in.

Ray plays mind game with Eva Just like Petruchio but it was more to get her attention and make her want him then to get her to be completely submissive.

Ray tells Eva that he has a girlfriend,when in fact he doesn’t have a girlfriend hes just wants her to want him even more. It ends up working because after this she is all he thinks about and the next time they see each other, he asks her on a date and she ask about his girlfriend but he tells her that he doesn't have one anymore and she buys it. Eva just like Katherine gives in because of the tacit that Ray used on her. He was able to have complete control over to the point of her being jealous and only thinking about him. This lead to being able to take her on a date later on.

Now looking another quote from the book we are introduced to about tacit used by Petruchio to have dominance over Katharine.

PETRUCHIO

First kiss me, Kate, and we will.

KATHARINE

What, in the midst of the street?

PETRUCHIO

What, art thou ashamed of me?

KATHARINE

No, sir, God forbid; but ashamed to kiss.

PETRUCHIO

Why, then let's home again. Come, sirrah, let's away.

KATHARINE

Nay, I will give thee a kiss: now pray thee, love, stay.

(Page 205,Act 5, Scene 2, line 145-154)

Just like the quote from the book before you see Petruchio giving Kate ( Katharine) a ultamadem. She submits to this one again, so she doesn’t have to go home and be able to stay for the wedding. This shows the control Petruchio has over her,to get her to do what he says. They both get what they want as well.

The next scene in the movie Ray arrives late to the date with Eva on purpose.

Ray arrives late to his date with Eva, which makes eva mad but then he he hands her flowers and she is putty in his hands in a way. He used the tacit of arriving late to make her want him even more. She wouldn't say no to him since one he gets flowers to woo her and take over and plus she has been waiting this long to be with he couldn’t possibly give to up. He knows this and that's why he arrives late; knowing the control he has over her.

In conclusion, Ray and Petruchio use mind games and other tactics to have complete control over their woman. What they do work Kate ends to be calm a well behaved woman to the end and the same happens to Eva. Even though Ray admits the plan that the sisters partners had in the beginning and also falling in love with her, he still ends up changing her and making her less of an ill tempered woman. Both the movie and the book show that in order for the relationship work one partner needs to have dominance or full control over the other person