Comparing The Taming of the Shrew and 27 Dresses

Both in The Taming of the Shrew and 27 Dresses, there are characters who wish to win someone’s love in means that are not natural nor romantic. Jane can best be compared to Petruchio in this sense, however, because Jane ends up with another man entirely, the movie implies that women do not know what is best for them, especially in regards to love.

In The Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio is adamant about wooing Katherine to be his maiden, and has set up elaborate ways in which to tame her into his wife. In 27 Dresses, Jane is madly in love with her younger sister’s fiance. Because Jane has been a bridesmaid in 27 different weddings, she completely does not accept the idea that her sister will be marrying the man that she loves. Jane, although selfless in her ways, can be compared to Petruchio because both of these characters wish to “win” a person. However, with a woman as a pursuer, because she ends up with another man entirely, it implies that women do not know who is best for them and need a man’s confirmation.  

“Why, that is nothing: for I tell you, father,

I am as peremptory as she proud-minded;

And where two raging fires meet together

They do consume the thing that feeds their fury:

Though little fire grows great with little wind,

Yet extreme gusts will blow out fire and all:

So I to her and so she yields to me;

For I am rough and woo not like a babe.”

(Act 2, Scene 1, 135-144)

In this part of the play, Petruchio is describing to Baptista his precise intentions in making Katherine fall in love with him, disregarding any and all arguments against his intentions. Petruchio does not find love or the potential of it in Katherine, but instead wants to use this marriage as a status symbol because of her riches. In this sense, Petruchio is trying to prove something to himself by doing so.

In 27 Dresses, because Jane has been the bridesmaid in so many weddings and has yet to have one of her own, also finds that getting married will benefit her in a similar sense. She wants to prove to her family, friends, and herself that she is worthy of marriage, and is adamant about marrying the man that her younger sister is engaged to.

“Then God be blessed, it is the blessed sun,

But sun it is not when you say it is not,

And the moon changes even as your mind.

What you will have it named, even that it is,

And so it shall be still for Katherine.”

(Act 4, Scene 6, 19-23)

In this scene of The Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio is convincing Katherine that the sun is the moon, and once Katherine agrees with him, he then changes his mind and convinces her that the sun is in fact the sun. Then, Katherine gives up on any rebuttal and decides to just follow whatever Petrucio ends up saying, and tells him he is and will be correct regardless. This scene shows that, regardless how minor the decision is, women are incapable of coming up with reasonable conclusions in any situation, and cannot speak for themselves without their thoughts or feelings being validated by a man’s.

In this scene of 27 Dresses, Kevin is suggesting that Jane say “No” to her younger sister, because she’s convincing Jane to do absolutely everything for her wedding. He then asks Jane if she’s ever said no before, and persuades her that she should be able to say no to her sister. The interesting conclusion that this scene presents is that Jane needs permission to say no. Before Kevin suggested she speak her mind, this scene makes it seem as though Jane would have never thought of doing so before. Interestingly, Kevin has a similar impression on Jane that Petruchio has on Katherine. Petruchio asserts very clear, authoritative power over Katherine. Kevin, although tactfully and subtly, introduced his feeling of entitlement over Jane, by making it as if he’s granting her liberation.

Comparing “Taming of the Shrew” to “She’s All That”

Both the book, “The Taming of the Shrew”, and the movie, “She’s All That”, prove that men have always looked at women as something to possess and that they feel as though manipulation is an appropriate way to to go about possessing a woman.

In the Shrew, Petruchio wants to possess Katherine for her money, but needs to manipulate her to be the type of girl he can deal with and marry. In She’s All That, Zack wants to possess Laney to win a bet, but also needs to manipulate her to be the type of girl he could deal with and make prom queen. Both men are manipulating these women, but in the Shrew the manipulation is more blatant and Katherine is well aware of what is going on. Whereas in She’s All That, Zack is much more sneaky about manipulating Laney, and even though she had some early suspicions, she isn’t really aware of what is happening. Men have always seen women as an object to possess and manipulate. And with women gaining more rights in society, men have only become better over the years at hiding this manipulation, instead of changing their mindset.

“One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife

(As wealth is burden of my wooing dance),

Be she as foul as was Florentius’ love,

As old as Sibyl, and as curst and shrewd

As Socrates’ Xanthippe or a worse, …

I come to wive it wealthily in Padua;

If wealthily, the happily in Padua.”

(Act 1, Scene 2, Line 67)

In this quote Petruchio talks about how the only thing that matters to him in a woman is how much money she has. Basically, no matter how bad she is, he will deal with her and marry he as long as she’s rich. He speaks about women as though if he makes the decision to go forth and put up with them, then the will be married. He doesn’t speak about whether or not the woman will want to marry him nor does he mention her say whatsoever. If she is rich enough for him to want to possess the woman, then they will be married no matter what.

Zack then finds himself in an extremely similar situation even though he has to have a little bit of help from his friends to come to his epiphany.

In this scene Zack is sulking over the fresh break up with his ex girlfriend as he watches her all over another boy. His friends then remind him of his status at school, top of the class, best jock, etc. Zack and his friends then talk about how he will get over his ex quickly since he can have any girl in the school that he wants considering his status. Zack also speaks about the girls in his school, as Petruchio did, as if they are just something he can possess if he so wants to.

“And woo her with some spirit when she comes!

Say that she rail, why then I’ll tell her plain

She sings as sweetly as a nightingale.

Say that she frown, I’ll say she looks as clear

If she do bid me pack, I’ll give her thanks …

If she deny to wed, I’ll crave the day

When I shall ask the banns, and when be married.”

(Act 2, Scene 1, Line 177)

Petruchio is now going over his plan as to how he plans to manipulate Katherine into being his wife. He speaks of the plan proudly as if he is doing nothing wrong, considering back then he wasn’t since women didn’t have much of a say anyway. This portrays Katherine having no choice and that Petruchio can easily get what he wants.

Zack is then found in almost the exact scenario, only for a different reason.

In this scene, Zack is making a bet with his friends about his plan to manipulate any girl at the school. Different from Petruchio, Zack plans to manipulate a woman to become the perfect prom queen, not the perfect wife. The fact that his friends don’t think it will be so easy for him to do this shows that times have changed and that women do have more of a say and that they may not be so easy to just possess.

“I am ashamed that women are so simple

To offer war where they should kneel for peace,

Or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway

When they are bound to serve, love, and obey.”

(Act 5, Scene 2, Line 219)

This over the top speech shows that Katherine is just doing what Petruchio says in order to survive, she doesn’t actually believe what she is saying based on how fast and drastically this being truthful would have made her personality change. Katherine is now very aware of the manipulation taking place by Petruchio considering he didn’t do much to hide it. Women didn’t have much say back then, portraying why Katherine has pretty much accepted the fact that she is being manipulated to become his wife.

Lindy has found herself in the same position as Katherine, but handles it very differently.

In this scene, Lindy has found herself also aware of the manipulation after she is humiliated at a party in which Zack made her go to. Unlike Katherine, Lindy was completely unaware of the manipulation considering how sneaky Zack had to be to make it work. It did start to work, she changed her entire appearance for him and attended a party with the high school kids she hated, but as soon as her earlier suspicions turned out to be true, she objected it all. She does not at all accept Zack’s conditions for her to change in order to be his prom queen.

The fact that Zack almost loses the bet and Laney altogether once she figures out how she is being manipulated shows that women gaining rights in the world has made it more difficult for men to manipulate and possess women considering Petruchio couldn’t lose Katherine since she had no choice. But, Zack does win Laney in the end, after trying a little harder of course, which proves that the idea that movies, novels, etc. still like to play around with the idea that men can manipulate women in order to possess them and have them fall hopelessly in love.

I Have More Control

By Ilker Erkut

I am comparing both Taming of the Shrew and the movie Hitch.

In the movie Hitch, the main character Alex Hitch is like a love doctor.  He is called when guys are in need of help when it comes to women.  He plays a character who thinks he understands women.  He finds a woman of his intellectual match, and instead of showing his true feeling, he uses his generic women tips to get what he wants.  In the play The Taming of the Shrew, the character Petruchio is in a similar but different predicament.  He sees Katherine, one of the king’s daughters and declares that she will be his.  Katherine and her sister, Bianca are on the road to marriage.  Petruchio uses his manipulation and cockiness to trick winning her over.  He tricks the king and everyone around him, getting what he wants.  All the events up until the marriage between Katherine and Petruchio has led the book to be called The Taming of the Shrew.  

These scenarios are similar because the male feels that they have a more dominant role in these situations.  Both Alex and Petruchio act as though they understand the women more than they understand themselves.  The women in the situation just sit back and watch it happen, until the end where they show that control is not always the path to take.  Sarah in Hitch, makes Alex realize that she wants someone who is themselves and she wants someone with insecurities and imperfections.  Katherine kisses up to Petruchio making him feel in control, but she is secretly has a plan to get him back for the fake marriage.  According to the play and the movie, control matters in relationships and because of that the characters, like people in real life, learns that control ends badly for whoever has it.  

Quote #1

“Father, ‘tis thus: yourself and all the world that talked of her have talked amiss of her.  If she curst, it is for policy, for she’s not forward, but modest as the dove; she is not hot, but temperate as the morn.  For patience she will prove a second Grissel, and Roman Lucrece for her chastity.  And to conclude, we have ‘greed so well together that upon Sunday is the wedding day.”

(Act 2, Scene 1, Line 307-315, Page 97)

In this scene Petruchio manipulates Katherines father.  The king is definitely believing every word that Petruchio is saying because it seems as though he wants it to be true.  Katherine is having a hard time finding a man because she rubs off as being very nasty to people and shoots down all the men.  The king was desperate for her to find a man.  Petruchio makes it clear to her that something is going to happen between both of them.  Then the father comes in and Petruchio states that Katherine was very lovey dovey when it was just them two talking.  The king accepts and Katherine is furious.  This scene was a prime moment in the play because Petruchio figured out a way to take control of the entire situation.

Alex is the man listening to the conversation.  He was supposed to be that guy who is talking to the girl behind him.  He had it all thought out until this guy shows up.  He had to figure out a way to gain control of the situation considering he is the relationship expert to others.  Alex Hitch walks up behind the man and acts as though he is her boy friend who had to run an errand.  Alex finally gets rid of the guy so he can have a stab at this women.  He played the situation to the point where Sarah, the woman, was already impressed.  After he gets her attention he goes about his conversation in a very “in control” tone of voice.  He explains what every other man would have done in this scenario and he starts the relationship off in a controlling way.

Quote #2

“I am ashamed that women are so simple to offer war where they should kneel for peace, or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway when they are bound to serve, love and obey.”

(Act 5, Scene 2, Line 177-180, Page 219-220)

In this scene Katherine swallows her pride and gives this long speech about how women should be loyal and do what men ask.  It clear that she is tricking Petruchio for later.  She realizes that the only way out of this is to go through with it.    She can take control of the situation later in the marriage and make Petruchio realize he should have never conned her into the marriage.  This little speech of her almost seems scripted considering all the hatred she had toward him in previous conversations about it.

Allegra Cole, the women with the blond hair, thought Albert Brenderman was tricking her and instead of sticking with him like Katherine would have done, she left.  She continued her life without him.  Alex hitch agreed to meet with her to explain that Albert truly loves her and that he was not tricking her.  Albert just needed someone to guide him around his own insecurities.  Petruchio had so much self confidence that everything he said was cocky and always sounded like there was more behind what he was saying.  It almost as if people like Petruchio are the only one who can get the best women because he is cocky and great guys like Albert cannot because they are nice and always scared to make a bad impression.  This is what the world has come to.

Quote #3

“I know not what to say, but give me your hands.  God send you joy, Petruchio.  ‘Tis a match.”

(Act 2, Scene 1, Line 338-339, Page 97)

At the end of both Taming of the Shrew and Hitch, the men with the control are in predicaments.  Hitch realizes in the last scene of the movie that control was able to get him, women and the respect but never allowed him to connect with the girls on a personal level.  He was never able to fall in love with them, it was a game that he always had to win.  Now he is chasing the women he tried so hard to impress.  In Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio is mind blown to see that Katherine is so satisfied with the idea of marriage even though she doesn’t remotely like him.  The ending throws people off because it is not as expected.  The controller's are being controlled.

Hitch realizes that he needs to make up for all the acting he was using before by showing, Sarah, he truly loves her.  He chases Sarah out of the building and sprints until he gets close enough to jump.  The things that people do for love are crazy.  Sarah gets out of the car and makes sure he is ok.  In the end she explains that she loved him too but wanted him to work for hers.  Petruchio grows more of a liking toward Katherine because she has lightened up so much at the end.  He is ready for the best life, while she is planning how she can get the most out of her arrangement.  

In both The Taming of the Shrew and Hitch, there are a lot of problems with love and relationships.  They both beg you to ask the questions; is love real?  In Taming of the Shrew, it dwells more on the fact that you grow to love someone if you have control over them.  Getting the love and satisfaction they need will not be hard to get because have control.  In Hitch, Alex Hitch is a man who believes in control and being perfect but he realizes near the end of the movie that to truly love there needs to be no control games.  Alex needed to lose his barriers and open up and in the end he almost dies just to show his true feeling toward the women he loved.

Sources -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvbZsDZRBWk

"Hitch (2005)." YouTube. YouTube, 2005. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

“The Taming of the Shrew”

Holderness, Graham, and William Shakespeare. The Taming of the Shrew. Manchester: Manchester UP, 1989. Print.

Love In No Time

The Taming Of the shrew (Big Eyes)

Reviewing the actions of Couples in love and the expectations of what they get out of their relationship other than love it is found that true love can only be felt through time. If you compare the experiences between Petruchio and Lucentio of Taming of The Sher, and to Walter and Margaret of Big Eyes you will find this to be true. Love at first sight can only happen on the rare occasion that two people meet out of lust and then fall in love for real through time. This lust to love doesn’t happen very often, where most of the time the true colors of lust doesn't show up in the relationship until much time has been invested. Couples who claim love at first sight are actually false. These couples contain a naive partner a lustful partner, or a deceptive partner.

Lucentio falls in love with a woman named bianca for reasons that aren't love. He falls for her because of her looks and the way she carries herself. True love can only be felt through experience and time together.

"I saw sweet beauty in her face... I saw her coral lips to move, and with her breath she did perfume the air..." p 41-43 [Lucentio]

Lucentio liked her because she looked nice and she smelled good. She hadn't even spoke yet, but still he just knew he loved her. This can be compared to the relationship of the main couple in big eyes. Walter proposes to Margaret and she actually marries him because she needs to marry in order to keep her daughter. She might have lost her daughter because her x-husband wanted custody of her, and being a single mother she didn’t have much say at the time. Walter lies to Margaret and tells her that he paints, when in reality he didn’t paint anything he claimed to paint. Conclusively, Margaret marries Walter out of situational desperation instead of marrying him out of real love. Walter didn’t want to marry Margaret because he loved her. He didn’t even want to marry her because of her charm or her looks. He wanted to marry her out of her potential to make him money. Looking towards the end of their relationship you will see that this was indeed his motivation from the start.

(Walter see’s Margaret can paint, and he see’s her potential of making him money. Walter himself has a blank canvas.)

Petruchio chooses to marry Katherine because of her potential to make him money. He knew this from the start, and it seems this is the only reason he would marry anyone.

"...Such friends as we few words suffice. And therefore, if thou know one rich enough to be Petruchio's wife." p 52 (petruchio)

Just like how all Petruchio wanted was may, by end of the movie you find that all Walter  really wanted was the money that came out of the paintings she made. If he was anything like Petruchio we would find that he realised the potential for her paintings to be lucrative from the beginning. We find this to be the case because Walter used the paintings from his previous relationship to make money. Walter figures that since it worked before, it will work again. Thus he set his sights on Margaret. This meant that he disguised his true intentions of lust love at first sight in order to get money out of it.

(Margaret finds that walter painted over his x-wife’s work with his own initials to sell them.)

Works Cited:

Big Eyes. Dir. Tim Burton. Perf. Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz. 2014.

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

The play, Taming of the Shrew shows how wealth dictates to the romantic experience one has. In the play a man named Baptista has two daughters, Katherine and Bianca who are ready to be married. The men who look to marry these women first have to prove their wealth and riches to Baptista. In the year 2006 Movie, “Madea’s Family Reunion” there are similar ideas from Taming of the Shrew.  In the movie the mother, Victoria, pressures her daughter Lisa into marrying a rich man who constantly abuses her. Though in many ways similar the two stories end differently. The two sisters from the movie, Lisa and Vanessa, gain the power to overcome adversities and explore what true love is to them. While Katherine and Bianca from the play seem to be defeated by the men who took their hand in marriage. Bianca, Katherine, and Lisa are pressured and forced into marriages by their parents, but the more modern text shows how things have changed for women, their marriages can end. This means that women have the right to chose who they love not based on money or parental opinions and true love can be found on its own time.

Many of the characters from the two text are similar. A strong character connection is between Katherine and Vanessa. Katherine was known as an evil and a malicious women while Bianca was seen a sweet and lovely. For example, in the text Katherine is called “Katherine the cursed” while Bianca is called “Minerva”. In the movie Vanessa experiences  similar things. Vanessa’s mom always treated her sister Lisa better than her. Vanessa felt neglected through her childhood because her mother used her just to satisfy the wants of her sick boyfriend at the time. Vanessa’s childhood has left her with many trust issues and scars. She is sometimes seen as an angry person and harsh especially to the man who finds interest in her.

Although these characters are similar they are very different. In the text Katherine seemed to have it out for her sister. She would beat her and call her a host of arrogant names. While Vanessa loved her sister and would encourage her to do what’s best for her.

Bianca

Is it for him you do envy me so?

Nay, then, you jest, and now I well perceive

You have but jested with me all this while.

I prithee, sister Kate, untie my hands.

                                       [KATHERINE] strikes her

(Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 18-22 )

In this scene Katherine is attacking her sister Bianca. This anger is coming from a deep place of jealousy. Katherine is envious because most of the men are attracted to Bianca. Katherine knows that if Bianca could get married she would have been married but, she can’t because Katherine is the oldest. Also, Katherine is angry because she feels like things are out of her control. She really has no say so when it comes to her engagement and marriage. Katherine doesn't truly love the man she is marrying and her dad said that love had to be a requirement. (Act 2 Sc 1. Page 83)  “Ay, when the special thing is well obtained, That is, her love, for that is all in all”. Baptista has not been true to that statement throughout the story line. On the day she gets married she expresses to her dad that she doesn't feel like this is the right move. Then, Petruchio comes to the wedding late and is dressed poorly. This is all apart of his plan to tame Katherine and show her that she has no control. His clothes also symbolize their relationship, which is deplorable. Katherine will never be satisfied with her marriage because there is no true love and her choices were made by her father and not herself.

Vanessa-“All men come for something.”

In this scene Vanessa is crying because she feels as though she is no longer able to trust. Unlike Katherine, Vanessa has already been through the taming process. Her mom gave her away to her boyfriend who physically abused and raped her. In this scene Vanessa’s tears may be a sign a sadness but letting her emotions out to someone is apart of the healing process. Vanessa grows into a beautiful person. Later on in the movie Vanessa falls in love and marries Frankie. Unlike the older text, the modern day text shows how one can overcome  issues and find what true love is for himself. Vanessa learns to be comfortable with herself and has come to terms that her mother may never accept the choices she made in her life or apologize for the wrongs she did against her.

“Thy Beauty that doth make me like thee well, Thou must be married to no man but me. For I am born to tame you,...”

(Act 2 Sc 1.)

In the play Petruchio wants to marry Katherine. He showers her with compliments which at times becomes annoying and overwhelming to her. They get into multiple fights and at the end of the text it seems like Katherine has given up. Petruchio feels a sense of accomplishment because he has tamed Katherine. This is an unhealthy relationship because there is so much mental abuse. All the fighting and arguing can be draining and frustrating. At the end of the play Katherine says a lengthy speech about how wives are supposed to submit to their husbands. Kate doesn't really believe what she’s saying but is simply just telling her husband what he wants to hear.

Lisa- “Hit me now so everyone can see what you’re really like”.

In this scene Lisa is dancing with her fiance Carlos. In the movie the character Carlos is similar to the Character Petruhcio from the older text. They both abuse their finances but in different ways. Carlos is more abusive towards Lisa. At multiple points in the movie Carlos is seen abusing Lisa. Lisa is a smart girl and knows she has family that she can depend on but a strong force is keeping her from getting out of this relationship. That force is her mother. Lisa feels obligated to stay with Carlos in order to financially take care of her mother through his income. Also because Victoria, Lisa’s mother protected her as a child and spoiled her unlike her sister Vanessa.  Victoria says in one scene “Stop that whining! Stop it! I took care of you and gave you the best of everything you little princess. Now it is your turn to take care of me!” This shows how parental opinions about marriages aren’t always good. This is not what true love is.

In the end of the Movie, “Madea’s Family Reunion” Vanessa ends up happily married to Frankie and Lisa objects to marrying her abusive fiance Carlos. Although Lisa isn’t getting married or has a man in her life she’s still content with where she is. Lisa learns not to let anyone dictate to who she wants to be in a relationship with with, while Vanessa learns not to let pass experiences dictate to her new relationships with others. On the other hand the two sisters from the Taming of the Shrew, Bianca and Katherine weren't so lucky. They both end up with men who picked them rather than men they picked themselves. These two stories show parental guidance isn’t always needed and how true love will happen on its own time. Even, if true love is found within oneself.

Bibliography

"MADEA'S FAMILY REUNION." N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.

"Full Cast & Crew." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015.madea's family reunion

"Watch Madea's Family Reunion Online Free Putlocker | Putlocker - Watch Movies Online Free." Watch Madea's Family Reunion Online Free Putlocker | Putlocker - Watch Movies Online Free. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.

in the scene pictured above, Rachel is drunkenly lamenting to her “friends” about how she only has one child immediately after Stephanie tries to bring up the fact that she’s having another baby. The most interesting part of her maudlin confession is that Rachel says and does all of the right things around the other moms, but this drunken stuper seems to eject all of the words she’s been holding on her tongue.

“You will all have three children, and I have one. Just one,” she almost yells angrily, seeking empathy in a place where it simply won’t be offered. The assumption that can be made during this scene is that the drudges of her marriage and amount of sexual tension is manifesting negatively with each thing she says while drunk. She says what she truly feels- and those feelings are those expectations of a good, healthy marriage weighing on her shoulders. She makes each woman in the room feel bad for their bounty, unleashing a cornucopia of unkempt thoughts. Just as Katherine lashed out against the women in the scene from “Shrew,” Rachel lashes out against the women in “Afternoon Delight”- and they’re both doing it because of those weighty preconceptions of how women are supposed to be in relationships.

“The Taming of the Shrew” was written over 400 years ago, but still connects to “Afternoon Delight” with comedic moments both light and dark. Both works are laced with drama, but the greater comparison can be made when there is a realization that both of these romantic “dramedies” touch on one elephant in the room: for centuries, men have, and still do, dictate the way women choose to present themselves- not only in relationships, but as a woman in general. Petruchio aims to woo and tame Katherine, trying to shove her on the “right” path to a “perfect” relationship. In the first scene, Rachel and her friend can be compared to Petruchio, trying to push an untamed McKenna into the light. In the second scene, Rachel can be compared to Katherine, with a ruthless Petruchio yelling through her subconscious. At the end of the movie, despite a breakup with her husband, a falling out with most of her friends, and an end to her relationship with McKenna, Rachel ends up happy and comfortable with married life- void of those expectations that were holding her back.

Le fabuleux destin de Lucentio

Comparing Amélie and Taming of the Shrew

There has always been a debate whether love at first sight is real or not. Some see it as logically impossible and completely ridiculous, while others say they’ve even felt it themselves. However, there’s no objective way to know if it’s real or not. Because of that, fiction has always been a base for talking about love at first sight, and both Amélie and Taming of the Shrew show that.

Amélie Poulain, a woman living in France, has lived alone her whole life, and is looking for love. She falls in love with a man named Nino who spends his free time collecting discarded photo booth photos. Amélie later finds his briefcase, which he has left behind, and goes on a journey to find him and return the briefcase. It’s very different,  but there are parallels with Taming of the Shrew. Amélie is a lot like Lucentio. She falls in love at first sight, much like Lucentio falls in love with Bianca, and they both spend the majority of their respective works trying to find who they love and win their heart. In addition, in the end, they both end up together with who they love. However, in Taming of the Shrew, this is shown as a bad thing- Lucentio is unable to summon Bianca during a bet, while Petruchio, who manipulates Kate, is able to. Therefore, while Amélie enthusiastically supports love at first sight, Taming of the Shrew refutes it as worthless and meaningless.

“Happily I have arrivèd at the last, unto the wishèd haven of my bliss.”

(Act V, Scene vii, 108-109)

“Sir, my mistress sends you word, that she is busy, and she cannot come.”

(Act V, Scene ii, 86-87)

At the end of Taming of the Shrew, the characters Petruchio, Hortensio, and Lucentio place a bet on whose wife is more obedient. They each call their wives and wait to see who will come. Lucentio, whose love was “at first sight”, cannot make his wife, Bianca, come, as she is busy. Petruchio, who “trained” his wife with cruelty, gets his wife, Kate, to come. It makes a point- Petruchio’s marriage, which is based on training Kate to be a good wife, is worthwhile, while Lucentio’s, which is more organic, is not.

This is the opposite of what Amélie shows.

In Amélie, the main character, Amélie, falls in love at first sight with Nino. She’s shy, and he’s shy, so they don’t really talk much. However, she finds his lost photo album, and she eventually works up the courage to look for him and find him. This is similar to Lucentio, who also falls for someone and goes on a journey to find them.

“If you let this opportunity slip away, then, as time goes by, it's your heart that will become as dry and fragile as my bones.”

Amélie is shy, but her friend, the old painter M. Dufayel, tells her to find Nino. Dufayel is portrayed as the “wise old man”, which is meant to make the viewer believe and trust him. This, combined with the end of the film, where Amélie finds Nino, returns his briefcase, finds out he also loves her, and they live “happily ever after”, contribute to the air of “love at first sight is worthwhile” around the film. This is in contrast to Taming of the Shrew.

In the end of Taming of the Shrew, Lucentio and Bianca are married and in love, but the play makes a point by having Bianca disobey Lucentio when he summons her during the bet. This is, to our best knowledge, meant to show that love at first sight can lead to a bad marriage. While they are not shown to be unhappy together, it shows that love at first sight does not magically tame wives, and is therefore worthless. Which is right? That’s your decision to make.

Works Cited

Amélie. Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Perf. Audrey Tautou. UGC-Fox Distribution, 2001. Digital.

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