Two Can Play that Game

Comparing the play, “The Taming of the Shrew” and the the movie, “High School Musical: 2”.

The play The Taming of the Shrew unifies ideas of possessions for show. These possessions are not just common objects, but they are also people. Characters of the play, like Katherine and Petruchio, both demonstrate these ideas. The movie, High School Musical: 2, also share these ideas about possession. The rich and talented Sharpay tries her best to exercise her status to trick and win over Troy, another talented student.


For those who are familiar with the High School Musical franchise, it is known how manipulative Sharpay Evans can be. She already has the fortune, but she also wants fame and she will do whatever it takes to get it. Sharpay’s main gist for wanting Troy is to sing with him during the talent show. Because he is very talented, together they will attract many people, making Sharpay famous. In the play, The Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio is a fortune hungry bachelor. He wants to marry, but not just any woman. Petruchio wants a wealthy and well known woman that he can show off, and he will make sure he gets just that. Both the play and the movie show ideas of not just material possessions, but personage possessions too. These human possessions are ones that are worth swanking about. They can be shown off and advertised to benefit the braggart. They both the play and movie demonstrate that relationships are more about having a human possession to parade than actual love.


“...if I get your daughter's love, what dowry shall I have with her to wife?” - Petruchio Act 2/Sc. 1/Pg. 83


In this excerpt, Petruchio is asking Baptisia, Katherine’s father, what he may receive if he takes Katherine’s hand in marriage. Petruchio has already shared with Baptista what he can bring to the table; he is legally entitled to his father’s land and goods. Although her love is not enough for Petruchio, Baptista offers him half of his land and twenty thousand crowns as well. This exposes that courtship in this Shakespearean novel is centered around material wealth and what one can offer another, rather than love itself. This idea of courtship is also reflected in the movie High School Musical: 2. This movie takes place in a modern day setting. Sharpay wants to be with Troy for only one reason, his musical talent and she displays acts of interest only to win him over.


In this scene of the movie, Sharpay fairly expresses to Troy how cool her life is. Her father is arriving to a golf course via a helicopter and her parents own the country club he works at. Not only does she let him play golf with her and her parents, she gives him a pay bonus for it too. She is vaguely showing him what she has to offer to him, and by offering him all of these luxuries, she hopes to gain his interest. If he decides to be with her, he will get a fair share of her cool life.


“After my death, the one half of my lands, and, in possession, twenty thousand crowns.” - Baptista Act 2/Sc. 1/Pg. 83


The excerpt from the play also displays parental interference in courtship/dating. Because Baptista chose to respond to Petruchio with a dowry, offering him land and crowns, he has made an interference. He already had an influence of who Katherine gets to marry, but now he also has an influence on her partner as well. Petruchio only gets these treasures if he marries Katherine. This play logic is similar to the movie.


In this scene in the movie, High School Musical; 2, Sharpay invites Troy to dinner with her parents. Without his knowing his parents invites a college basketball player who can hook Troy up with a possible scholarship. After a long night of dinner and talking, Troy is put on the spot when Sharpay asks him to promise to sing with her. He faces the choice of either agreeing to sing with her and get the scholarship or not agreeing and upsetting her parents and throwing away his shot at college. Of course Troy agrees to sing in order to maintain Sharpay’s parents’ happiness, but deep down he actually did not want to do it.


“Say as he says, or we shall never go.”

- Hortensio Act 4/Sc. 5/Pg. 187


In this excerpt from the play, Katherine and Petruchio are arguing over whether the sun or the moon is in the sky. Katherine know it is the sun in the sky, but Petruchio will not agree with her. Hortensio, friend and wingman to Petruchio, insist that Katherine agree with Petruchio or the argument will never drop. Once Katherine gives in and agrees with Petruchio, he then rebuttals his arguments saying the sun is indeed in the sky and Katherine had just lied. Petruchio now sees Katherine as his puppet; he owns her. She will now do or say whatever he wants. At this point in the play Katherine goes along with Petruchio's ideas to avoid conflict with him. This tactic of “giving in” is also used in the movie.


In this scene of the movie, Mr. Fulton, the club manager, promotes Troy to a new position under Sharpay’s orders. This new position offers more money, less labor, and club benefits. Although the job comes with many benefits, Troy can no longer work beside his friends. Mr. Fulton insist that Troy be grateful and appreciate his new position. Troy, once again, goes along with the idea to avoid upsetting Sharpay and her parents. Sharpay now has control and some kind of ownership over Troy. She has the ability to make him agree to anything. The main reason why Troy continues to give in is because his college career is on the line.


Both the play, The Taming of the Shrew, and the movie, High School Musical: 2,  holds true to idea of having a human possession to show off. Although both forms of productions are based in different eras, they still hold many similarities to one another. Usually these kinds of behaviors exercised would not happen in the past if gender roles were switched, like they were in the movie. Society back then was strict and and more sexist than today’s modern era. This goes to show that not only men can obtain human possessions over the opposite sex, but women can too and with the help of parental influences.


Work Cited:

  • Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. The Taming of the Shrew. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992. Print

  • High School Musical: 2, Kenny Ortega, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Disney Channel, August 17, 2007


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