The Things We Do For Love

Books and movies are known to portray false love in today’s modern day society. Ever since childhood, children watch movies and T.V. shows that focus on fantasies of true love. Princesses, castles, princes, and other fantasies brainwash kids at a young age into thinking that this is how life should go and this is how relationships work. In the book “Taming of the Shrew”, Bianca and Lucentio are looked at as the dream couple with no issues or problems and live the fantasy marriage. In 50 first dates Drew Barrymore was in a car accident and now has no short term memory. Everytime she goes to sleep she forgets everything from the day before. After falling in love at first sight, Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore hit it off immediately only for her take wake up tomorrow morning forgetting that she ever met him. Each day Adam Sandler goes out of his way and uses chivalry to win Drew Barrymore’s love every day. Love at first sight can happen with the same person at any time, any day.

“O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face, Such as the daughter of Agenor had,” Act 1, sc. 1, Ln. 169

In ‘shrew’ Lucentio originally comes to Padua to attend the university but then lays eyes on Bianca. When he saw her he compared her Europa. In greek mythology it was said that Zeus saw her and fell in love immediately. Once he sets eyes on her, his goals and priorities change. He no longer attends school and spends his time in Padua trying to convince Bianca and Baptista that Bianca should marry him and not the other two suitors. The love at first sight hit him like a brick wall and changed everything.

The suitors in ‘Shrew’ and ‘50 first dates’ both have one goal in mind once they set their eyes on their girl. To marry their girls. In ‘50 first dates’ Adam Sandler first sets his eyes on Drew Barrymore in a café and immediately knows that he wants to be with her forever.

In the movie ‘50 first dates’ Adam sandler was a ‘fast’ man. He had sex with tourists who came to the island of Hawaii and sent them on their way. He was just spending time here before he took his research of seals to Alaska. Then, one day he walked into a café and set eyes on Drew Barrymore and changed his whole life. Love at first sight. For the first time, he was nervous and didn’t know how to approach her. When he finally spoke to her the next day they hit it off. This relates to ‘shrew’ because both couples fell in love with each other within the same day. But a big problem arose in ‘50 First Dates’ when they met up at the café again the next day.

Also, another comparison of these two couples are the hoops the men jump through to be together. In ‘50 first dates’ Adam Sandler goes through “50” different ways to get Drew Barrymore to fall in love with him. In ‘Shrew’ Lucentio must pose as Cambio, a school teacher, in order to get close to Bianca. Both men go through more problems in order to get the girl than an average man in real life.

“Basta; content thee, for I have it full.

We have not yet been seen in any house,

Nor can we lie distinguish’d by our faces

For man or master; then it follows thus;

Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead,

Keep house and port and servants as I should

” Act 1, sc1 Ln. 204

In this section of the play, Lucentio has to dress up as Cambio, a school teacher, in order to get close to Bianca. Another problem Lucentio is faced with is the fact that Bianca’s father, Baptista, won’t let her marry before Katherine. It is difficult because Katherine isn’t a desired wife by most men. She is strong willed and has an adamant attitude. So Lucentio had to wait for Petruchio to take care of Katherine before he could come into the picture. Lucentio goes through all of this for one girl. He had a plan before he fell deeply in love with Bianca at first sight.

Lucentio and Adam Sandler are similar in the fact that each were willing to go extremely out of their way for one girl. Lucentio left school and Adam Sandler put his walrus research trip to Alaska on hold for Drew Barrymore. Even though both men put in great efforts to win their significant other’s love, the couple of problems that ‘Lucentio’ faced don’t compare to the hoops that Adam Sandler had to jump through from day one to have a future with Drew Barrymore.

In this section of ‘50 first dates’ Adam Sandler came to the café the next day expecting to have another beautiful day with Drew Barrymore. But then was surprised to find out that she had no recollection of ever speaking to him before. Once an employee of the café explained to Adam Sandler Drew Barrymore’s mental disability it became his priority to get her to love him forever. He thought maybe if he proved that he loved her and tried something new and ridiculous everyday, she would remember him and fall for him the way he fell for her the first time they met. Adam Sandler didn’t succeed in winning Drew Barrymore’s love the way he did times before the first couple of days trying to win her love again. In fact, more times than not he failed and she became angry with him. After what seemed like 50 attempts of trying to have a regular conversation to tricking her into talking to him. He figured out that she will never remember him the next morning. Making a very chivalrous decision he decided to stay with her and wake up next to her everyday and refresh her memory everyday of who he is and the relationship the two share.

‘50 First Dates’ and ‘Shrew’ have many similarities. But the most important similarity lies in what this book and this movie portray about society’s view on dating. In these two examples the men go after the girl giving all they have. Both men make their women their first priority at this stage in life, dropping all other things that seemed important before being in love became more important to them. ‘50 First Dates’ and ‘Shrew’ both support that you can fall deeply in love with the same person at any time, any day.

Citations:

Shakespeare, William . The Taming of the Shrew. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992. Print.

50 First Dates. Dir. Peter Segal. Perf. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Columbia Pictures, 2004. DVD.