English 3 - Pahomov - D Public Feed
The Olympic Agent
“And the gold medal goes to Ot Muller!!!” There is cheering and clapping. This was Ot’s second gold medal in the olympics and he was determined for it to not be his last. This was a dream of his since before could run a 8 minute mile. He had trained long and hard for this moment. His feeling of joy..of relief.. he never wanted it to end.
*Ring* *Ring* *Ring* Ot rolled over to snooze his alarm clock, and then rolled back, thinking of his dream. This wasn’t the first time he had this dream, it was a recurring nightmare for him. He had won an olympic medal once when he was 21, but while training for his second he suffered a traumatic leg injury. He had a follow up appointment with an amputation doctor today, something he neglected to tell anyone in case it ended up like all the rest had.
He climbed into the bath where struggled to clean himself. Once he was finished, the slipperiness of his body and surfaces made it even harder to get out.His friends had offered to help him unit he adjusted, but he didn’t want to seem needy. He knew that wasn’t their intent but it made him feel uncomfortable. They were there for him after he went into a year long depression following the accident.He had gone through many therapists, his trainers said he was being too picky but he was not about to tell a random person his whole life story. Running was a big part of his life, maybe his whole life and he was not ready to give it up. He did not want to see they pity in the stranger's eyes as he told them his life was now meaningless.
He called a car to pick him up outside his apartment complex at 8:15; it was now 8. he had to start heading down now,it was always a gamble as to how long it would take him to get down to the lobby. As he waited he thought about the questions the doctors would ask him, “How did it happen?”, “How much pain are you in? On a scale of 1-10?” He’d been asked the questions 100 times and he wished he could just hold up a sign instead of wasting his breath. He hated having to think about the accident but he knew it was inevitable. His town car finally pulled up and he wobbled over to it and pulled himself in. The driver kept looking at him like he was trying to figure out where he knew him from. Ot wanted to say “your wheaties box” but instead just let him figure it out himself.
After the accident he was on the news a lot. They called it “The biggest tragedy in sports this decade”. Ot was Germany’s first olympic gold medalist in the 100 yard dash. Strangers used to leave flowers, cards, fruit baskets, and stuffed animals to send their hope his way. As they pulled up the the hospital the driver made a move to open the door for Ot. As he helped Ot out of the car he asked, “Do I know you from somewhere?” Ot responded, “Do you eat wheaties?” His driver started laughing and said “Oh yes, you’re the runner that got his leg…” his eyes then trailed down to Ot’s leg.He started to fidget and pull at his collar, he didn’t know what to say.
“Yes I’m the runner that got his leg amputated during the olympics”, Ot said trying to not sound like he had said it hundreds of times already. Trying to hide how much it still hurt to say.
“If you don’t mind me asking, I never quite understood how, rather why, you had to get your leg amputated. How did it happen?”
Ot was getting ready to resist his speech when he realized his driver was leaning down to show him something. He had a prosthetic leg.
“How did you get yours?” Ot asked.
“I asked you first” They both chuckled.
“Well after I won the race, I collapsed on the side of the track, with all the adrenalyn it was hard not to. I fell on top of a screw that was meant to hold the track down. It went straight through my calf. I couldn’t even feel it at first because of the adrenalyn,but when I went to stand to receive my medal, I noticed something coming out of my leg. Myteam rushed me to the hospital where they told me the nail had some sort of rust or chemical of some sort that had already formed a clot in my leg and the only way to stop it from spreading was to amputate it.”
“Well my story isn’t that good.”
“I’m sure it was something worth hearing.”
“No it really wasn’t. I was a dumb teenager racing down the highway late one night. It started to rain, which we thought made it even more fun, then came a sharp turn and I hydroplaned. The whole car spun around. The car I was racing hit us and we flipped. I don’t remember anything after that but when I woke up I was missing a leg and they told me I was lucky that was all I lost.”
“You’re telling me this after I’ve hired you to be my driver?”, once again they both laughed. “Well I’m late for my appointment, I’ll call you when I’m done?”
“I’ll be here.”
Ot was nervous to walk in. He had poked around blogs from other people that had gotten prosthetic legs. There was mixed feelings about it but Ot knew he needed to be able to walk again no matter how hard it would be. As he made his way to the counter he thought about all the different things he had read and wondering how much of it was really true. He read that one man was able to program his leg to do different things. He wondered what he would program his leg to do if he could.
“Hi, how can I help you?”
“Hi, I have an appointment with Doctor Tomko at 9.”
“Let me just check… Mr… Muller!”
“That’s me”
“Great, if you’ll just take a seat we’ll be with you as soon as possible.”
“Thanks”
He continued to think about what he would do if he could program his leg. He didn’t really believe that this was true, how do you program a piece of plastic to do anything?
“Mr. Muller?”
“Here”, he made his way to the nurse.
They walked down a hall where she pointed him into a room, asked if he needed anything and then left him. He decided he would ask the doctor if he he had heard of anything like what he had read. The doctor walked in,
“Hi, I’m Dr. Tomko”
“Ot”, they shake hands, “nice to meet you”.
“So what’s the nature of your visit?” He was typing information into a computer.
Ot stops and looks at the doctor. Tomko turns his head to see why he hasn’t answered, he sees his leg, “Oh I see.”
“It was amputated about a month ago and I was told to come see you about getting a prosthetic leg.”
“Okay well I’ll take a look at it. I don’t know if you know but not everyone is a good candidate for a prosthetic.” He paused to look at Ot’s reaction, he wasn’t happy.
“I need to be able to walk again. My whole life revolves around my legs, it’s bad enough that I’ll never be able to compete again, let alone walk!” He was yelling now. The doctor looked surprised.
“Do I know you from somewhere?”, the doctor asks.
“Yes, I won gold in the 100 mile dash in the 2012 olympics.”
“Oh yeah, I think you’re on my cereal box”
“Yeah that’s great, my leg?”
“Right, let me run a few tests and we’ll go from there. Sound good?”
“Whatever you need.”
After being poked and pinched, tugged here and pushed there, and many needles later, the doctor came back in.
“What’s the news Doc?”
“It looks good. Your cut has healed nicely, there doesn’t seem to be any sign of aggravation from the spoke that did this in the first place. I think we could even get you fitted for one today if you are up for it?”
“Are you kidding me? That would be great!”
“Okay, do you have any other questions?”
“Actually yeah, one. I read somewhere that a man programmed his prosthetic leg to be… bionic?” The doctor seemed to get nervous when he heard this.
“I’m not sure where you heard that but do us all a favor and forget you did.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means forget it!”
“Am I missing something.”
“You’re missing a lot and be thankful you are.”
Ot does as he’s told. He finishes his appointment and calls his driver. He gets back in the car and can’t stop thinking about why the doctor was so abrasive when he asked about the bionic leg. The doctor told him to return the next day to get his prosthetic leg, and he does. When he gets there a man in a black suit with a white shirt, black tie and perfectly shined shoes standing at the door. Ot pays him no attention and walks in but the man stops him.
“Are Ot Muller?” he asked
“Um, who’s asking?” Ot responded
“The United States Government.”
“What do you want with me?”
“Are you him?”
“Yes…”
“Please come with me.” The man in the suit shows him to his car. Ot gives a little nod to his driver who has now exited the car and looks about ready to pounce if needed.
Ot get’s in the car, “Where are we going?” there was no response. He started to regret his decision but then again why would the U.S government want him, it’s not as though he did anything wrong. They pulled into a tunnel that spit them out on a runway. Ot’s eyes grew to the size of oranges. The fear rushed through his veins as he didn’t expect to be taken. He just thought he would talk to someone over the phone. They pulled up infront of the plane and the man in the black suit opened the door and told him to board the plane. Ot did as he was told. Once they were aboard the plane Ot saw someone sitting in a chair facing the wrong way, as they walked towards the back the man turned around to face them.
“Good afternoon Ot” said the man
“Mr. President?!”
“Sorry for the abrupt way you were brought here but it was very important that we meet face to face, as soon as possible.”
“What am I missing? Why is it so important that I meet you? I mean you’re the president, what do you want with me?!”
“Well I must say I’ve been a fan since the olympics. I thought you ran that race impeccably. But the real reason you are here is because you have been exposed to some information that you were not supposed to be.”
“Are you talking about what I said to Dr. Tomko? I didn’t realize it was sensitive topic and if it is going to get me in some sort of trouble I can forget I ever read it…”
“No, no, no, we wouldn’t want you to do that. We want to enroll you in a secret service program that would use your prosthetic leg as a weapon.”
“How can I use my prosthetic as a weapon?”
“Well we would program it to be able to… There are some things we have to take care of before we get into all of the details.”
They were on the plane for about 45 minutes talking about the olympics before the captain came over the loudspeaker and said they would be landing soon.
“Where are we going?”
“Look out your window” replied the President.
Ot looked out the window and saw green lawns with perfectly trimmed hedges surrounded with flowers of all different colors. Finally he saw a big building with rows and rows of windows. The house was perfectly white and had an american flag on top.
“The White House?!” Ot asked . The President smiled and nodded his head. They got off the plane, walked across the lawn to a door that was being held open by two dressed officers.
“Welcome to my home,” said the president.
“You have a lovely home,” Ot said, as he looked around the room.
“Thanks. I hate to pull you away even before you settle in but we have a lot we have to talk about.” He guided him down a hallway, down steps, left, right, up, down, right, through another door that led to yet another door that was sealed close. There was a man guarding the door put his thumb on a pad that unlocked the door. Ot walked in, “what is this pla…” he turned around to face the president but realized he wasn’t there. “Hello?” There was no response. He looked around. It looked like a tin can. The door unlocked again and a middle aged man walked in with a brief case.
“Who are you?” Ot asked
“I’m your worst nightmare… Ha I got you! You should have seen your face!” Ot just stared at him blankly. “Sorry I’m Henry Davis. I work for the president. I’m here to give a thorough exam of you and see how you function.”
“Okay, well, here I am. What do you need me to do?”
“I just need you to be yourself.” Henry pick up a needle and flicked it.
“Woho there! What the hell is that for?!”
“It puts your mind into different situations that you may have to face while an agent in order to make sure that you can handle it.”
“I hate needles” Henry walked over to Ot, Ot jumped back. “Really. I hate them.”
“Well then don’t think about it.”
“How am I not supposed to think… Ow!”
“See that wasn’t so bad. Now count to 10 please.”
“Fine. one… two… three… four… fi… ve… si…” he was asleep.
“Ahh they go quicker every time. Maybe I gave him too much, we shall see.”
Ot opened his eyes and to see a pretty young girl fly past him. He had no idea where he was. All he knew was that it was hot and dry. He looked around and saw nothing but mountains and below was covered in sand. Another car zoomed past but this one was closer to him than the last. He started to walk down the hill thinking there would be someone that could tell him where he was. There was a faint buzzing sound in the distance but he couldn’t place it. It seemed to get closer and closer, so he turned around. There were 5 men on motorcycles coming at him at what seemed like 95 miles per hour, he dove to the side. He rolled to try and get out of the way of them but rolled off of edge. As he was falling he noticed a button on his belt that wasn’t there before. In a last hope to save himself he pushed it. It sent something flying from his prosthetic leg, which he didn’t have before, into the cliff. He hung from his one leg. He realized that there were all different kinds of buttons on his leg. He started to click them, he found one that was like a jet pack and allowed him to hover over the surface. He finally got close enough to the ground to just fall. When he hit the ground woke up.
“How was it?” Henry asked.
“What do you mean how was it? I almost died!”
“And how did that make you feel?” Henry was holding a clipboard and was walking around Ot writing his observations.
“It scared the living daylights out of me!”
“How did you survive?”
“I pushed all these buttons that were on me.” He looked down to see that he had a prosthetic leg. “Where did this come from?”
“Everything you were going through was being broadcasted to a panel that was determining if you were suited to protect your country, when they decided you were, we operated.”
Ot just looked around the room. He saw no one. He heard a phone ring. Henry answered it.
“Hello? Yes… Yes… Right away, Sir. Yes… As you wish.” He hung up. “Ot come with me.” He banged on the door and it opened. Ot followed Henry down the hallway back the way they came but then down a flight of stairs. When they go to the bottom, Henry ordered him to put on the clothes that were laid out in front of him. Henry walked out of room and closed the door behind him. Ot looked down at the floor and started to get dressed. He realized he had just walked all the way down the hallway and got a rush of energy. He realized these people had granted him his one true wish and for that he would do anything to repay them. As he finished getting dressed Henry walked back in.
“Are you ready for your first mission?”
Ot nodded and followed him out the door.
The Silver Linings of Manipulation: Comparing “Taming of the Shrew” to “Silver Linings Playbook”
In “The Taming of the Shrew”, honesty and deception play big roles in the relationships between the characters, especially Petruchio and Katherine, as well as Katherine and her father, Baptista. In the 2012 movie “ Silver Linings Playbook,” honesty and deception are even more important — almost every important thing that happens is rooted in honesty or a lack thereof.
Pat Solatano, Jr. is a diagnosed bipolar who has just been released from prison following his beating of his wife’s lover. Tiffany Maxwell is a recovering sex addict whose husband has recently died. While the relationship between Pat Solatano, Jr. and Tiffany Maxwell can be compared to Petruchio and Katherine’s, the genders should be reversed. In “Shrew,” Petruchio uses very manipulative tactics to eventually end up with Katherine’s love. Likewise, in “Silver Linings Playbook,” Tiffany manipulates Pat, making him think that her end goal is something completely different from what it is. In contrast, Pat Solatano is not aware of Tiffany’s goals until almost the end of the movie, while Katherine most likely knows Petruchio’s plans from the beginning. Both of these stories show that, while manipulation is not always moral, the results can be good for both the manipulator and the manipulated.
Petruchio: Come, come, you wasp, i’faith you are too angry.
Katherine: If I be waspish, best beware my sting.
Petruchio: My remedy is then to pluck it out.
Katherine: Ay, if the fool could find where it lies.
Petruchio: Who knows not where a wasp does wear his sting? In his tail.
Katherine: In his tongue.
Petruchio: Whose tongue?
Katherine: Yours, if you talk of tales, and so farewell.
Petruchio: What, with my tongue in your tail?
(Act II, Scene I, 207-214)
In this scene, Petruchio and Katherine are first meeting. While on the surface they are insulting and trying to intimidate each other, they are also hinting at the physical or sexual attraction between them using innuendos. This represents deception and manipulation, because they are hiding their true meaning behind clever words.
Pat, Jr. and Tiffany also have a strange first conversation:
In this scene, Pat and Tiffany are meeting for the first time at Pat’s friend Ronnie’s house. Pat remarks that Tiffany looks nice, and soon after asks about her dead husband, which spurs an awkward and somewhat hostile conversation between the two. However, during the conversation, they are both giving each other somewhat heated looks. When Tiffany leaves the room, she gives Pat a sultry look, implying her unspoken intentions, just like Katherine and Petruchio.
Thus in plain terms: your father hath consented
That you shall be my wife, your dowry ‘greed on,
And will you, nill you, I will marry you…
Here comes your father. Never make denial.
I must and will have Katherine to my wife.
(Act 2, Scene 1, 261-272)
In this scene, Petruchio has recently spoken to Baptista, Katherine’s father, and gotten his consent to marry her. This was a very deceptive act, because Katherine thought that her father would at least talk to her before doing such a thing. This is incredibly dishonest, of both Petruchio and Baptista.
However, in the long run, this might have been good for Katherine; she ends up seemingly happy and “tamed” at the end of the story.
In this scene, Tiffany shows Pat the envelope that supposedly has a response from Nikki in it, but says that he cannot read it until he nails the dance they are working on. In the end of the movie, it comes out that Tiffany actually wrote the letter. This was an incredibly dishonest and pretty manipulative thing to do, but in the end, seemingly caused Pat to fall in love with her.
Both of these works prove that manipulation, dishonesty and deception can sometimes bring about good results and happy endings. In Shrew, while Petruchio’s manipulation and deceit at first only bring about a difficult, forced marriage, in the end, Katherine seems to be a more happy and subdued wife that any of their friends. In Silver Linings Playbook, Tiffany does something that in many cases would be appallingly manipulative and dishonest. However, through the dishonesty that is part of her friendship with Pat, comes an honest relationship of love.
Love at first sight more like physical attraction at first sight.
Love at first sight more like physical attraction at first sight.
Comparing "Taming of the Shrew" to "Romeo and Juliet - 1996 Version"
Carolyn Borock
In the popular shakespeare play “ The Taming of the Shrew” proves that the idea of being yourself is a bad idea and lying and being deceitful is the way to go in getting a girl. In the taming of the shrew young Hortensio sees beautiful Bianca and he decides to court her. The only thing getting in his way is that Bianca’s sister Katherine is not wed and must be before Bianca gets courted. Hortensio comes up with the clever idea to dress up like a music teacher in order to get close to Bianca. But as seen in the 1996 version of “Romeo + Juliet,” Romeo sees young Juliet and falls madly in love even without one word coming out of her mouth. But he does not lie and deceive her as Hortensio has. ( Romeo and Juliet portrays the long-standing conflicts between the two families in Verona, the Capulets and the Montagues.)
Contrary to what society believes, people don’t really fall in love at first sight. Almost always, it’s lust at first sight. The intense attraction that people feel for someone when they first lock eyes with each other, those butterflies in someone’s stomach and that skip in their heart, in all probability, is lust and not love. Lusting for someone isn’t a bad thing, because love generally starts with lust and desire and grows and blossoms into love over a few weeks or months. In the movie Romeo and Juliet, as soon as Romeo saw Juliet, that was it, he had to have her. The only thing that he was truly falling for was the physical attraction. The same goes for Hortensio who sees Bianca and he decides to marry her right away. In contrast, Hortensio goal’s are a little different by having the mindset from the beginning that he is going to marry Bianca. The way he goes about getting Bianca is by dressing up and not being who he is. On the other hand, Romeo loved Juliet but never lied and was not deceitful to impress her. This just shows that society has proven that, in order to win the girl, a person must be who they truly are. These texts show the standards in life and love that being yourself truly is a great thing.
(Act 1, Scene 2, line numbers 130-140)
“Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace
And offer me disguised in sober robes
To old baptista as a schoolmaster
Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca,
That so I may, by this device at least,
Have leisure to make love to her
And unsuspected court by herself”
In the “Taming of the Shrew” this quote is explaining how Hortensio is going to steal Bianca’s heart. He is tricking the father Baptista into thinking that he is a schoolmaster. This will then lead to the father hiring him to teach Bianca. His overarching goal is to get close to Bianca. In this scene he is taking to Grumio and discussing the plan. This goes along with my thesis because he is a servant and is changing himself to fit what he thinks her ideal man is. This proves the thesis by being yourself is a better option then tricking a girl to like you.
Even though the two shakespeare plays are quite similar there are major differences in how the characters go about getting the girl.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bApvA8me8q0 < Clip of the Scene
In this scene from “Romeo and Juliet,” the characters are seeing each other for the first time. Romeo starts to “flirt” with her in a way such as kissing the glass between the two of them. Romeo is being real and honest about his feelings for Juliet and expressing that. Unlike Hortensio who decides to be someone he is not when dressing up as a school master.
"Quote 2 from Play"
(Act 3, Scene 2, line numbers 70-85)
“Gamut I am, the ground of all accord:
A re, to plead Hortensio’s passion;
B mi, Bianca, take him for thy lord,
C fa ut, that loves with all affection;
D sol re, one clef, two notes have I;
E la mi, show pity, or I die.”
Call you this “gamut”? Tut, I like it not.
Old fashions please me best. I am not so nice
To change true rules for old inventions.
In the play Hortensio is portrayed as being weird and unlikable. This quote was given at the music scene where he tells Bianca of the whole scheme to get her love and affection. Which in the end became a terrible idea because bianca found that a red flag.
In the last scene of Romeo and Juliet - 1996 version lying ended up being a terrible thing.
After romeo finds Juliet “dead”, he decides to end it all because he couldn’t live with the pain of losing her. This is the only time they have ever lied or was deceitful and look what happened they ended up dead. How she was deceitful was to intake a liquid substance and this would put her to sleep. People believed she was dead so she had a grave in place. The effects wore off about one minute before he drank the potion. She grabs his hand and starts crying and kisses him as he dies. She shoots herself in the head and they both end up dead.
In the end being lying and deceitful is never a good thing. Romeo and juliet end up dead. In the taming of the shrew hortensio doesn’t get the girl. Society hasn’t learned that being yourself in the end is all you need to be. These two plays portrayed that very well and tought some meaningful lesson that being yourself is ok and not to be the person who you're not.
WORKS CITED:
Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992. Print.
Romeo & Juliet. Madacy Entertainment Group, 1996. Film.Is romantic love a myth?
Is romantic love real? Or is it a myth? There has always been the people that have fought against that statement. There have been those people that argue that romantic love is not a myth and that they try to use themselves and their relationships as examples. Throughout time, one thing that is always being argued is whether or not romantic love is a myth and if couples truly love each other.
In the movie, The 40 Year Old Virgin, the main character Andy Stitzer(played by Steve Carell) is a 40 year old man who has yet to really lose his virginity and may have yet to be in a relationship. At the beginning of the movie, he is playing poker with three of his friends and he decides to make up a story of him engaging in sexual intercourse with a woman. As he is telling the story his friends catch on and realize that he’s a virgin when he compares the breasts of his fake girlfriend to a bag of sand. His friends then decide that they will do everything in their power to help their friend(Andy) get laid by trying to hook him up with a bunch of women.
Comparatively, in The Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio is a man who is currently single and he hears that a really rich father has forbidden his youngest of two daughters(Bianca) from getting married until the older daughter(Katherine) can find herself a husband. Petruchio really heard about this because several of his friends loved Bianca and wanted to marry her so Petruchio volunteers to marry Katherine. When he proposes the idea to Katherine’s father, he is told that he must win the love of Katherine.
Conquest is Not Just Romantic
Conquest is Not Just RomanticComparing “Mamma Mia!” to “The Taming of the Shrew” In “The Taming of the Shrew”, many men are in love with Baptista’s daughters and will do about anything to get them as their wives. They are suitors in the romantic sense, but in “Mamma Mia!” Sophie has three possible dads and when they all find out they could be the father they become suitors in the paternal sense, trying to woo Sophie by telling her how they would treat their daughters if they had one and wanting to “win” the spot of father by walking her down the aisle at her wedding. Competition for a woman's attention and affection still exists hundreds of years later, but now in a more modern sense of something other than romantic. “Say she rail; why, I'll tell her plain She sings as sweetly as a nightingale. Say that she frown; I'll say she looks as clear As morning roses newly wash'd with dew. Say she be mute and will not speak a word; Then I'll commend her volubility, and say she uttereth piercing eloquence.” In this scene Petruchio is telling his friend his plan to woo Katherine and get her to fall in love with him so that she will marry him. He thinks that by telling Katherine how great she is he will win her affection and will be able to claim her as his. Even this long ago men had little schemes to “win” the women of the time. Similarly in “Mamma Mia!” Sophie’s potential dads have their own ways of making them seem special like they would be the best dad by winning the prize of walking her down the aisle. In this scene from “Mamma Mia!” Sophie talks to one of the potential dads, Harry. She asks him if he has any children of his own and he says no but he would have loved to have a daughter like Sophie and would have spoiled her rotten. As Harry stays on the island he starts to realize that Sophie might be his daughter and ultimately decides that by treating her like this she might believe he is the one. Like Petruchio, Harry wants to “woo” Sophie into thinking he is the best candidate and later tells her that he wants to walk her down the aisle. In this generation people go on quests for things other than romantic love, just like how Harry is on a quest for paternal love. “Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell Whom thou lovest best: see thou dissemble not.” (Act 2, Scene 2, 1) In this scene Katherine is talking to Bianca about her suitors asking her who she loves the most. Bianca says no one because she is not technically allowed to be involved with boys until Katherine gets married. Bianca and Katherine both know that all the suitors are obsessed with her but if the time comes, she can only choose one. Katherine may be trying to help her but she is also showing how all of the men could be happy with Bianca even if they don't know her. They would all take her if they could. At the end of “Mamma Mia!” all of the dads stand up and say how happy they would be to be Sophie’s dad even if all three of them have to share her, it would be a privilege. In this scene in the movie the dads are behaving a bit like Bianca’s suitors in the sense that they would all be happy to have Sophie as their daughter. In the “Shrew”, they want Bianca as their wife but these men want Sophie as their daughter. They’ve all tried to woo her but in the end they are all happy to have Sophie as their daughter and are willing to share. Unlike the “Shrew”, the suitors can't really share a wife, so one of them must get her in the end. Society has seen many changes over time but here society has just progressed and broadened. Rather than seeing romantic love as the only thing to try to get people try for more things like parental relationships, as seen in “Mamma Mia!”. In “Shrew” romantic love seems the only thing that is important to the men, now people have broader horizons and see that other things can be just as worthy. |
Works Cited:
Mamma Mia! Dir. Phyllia Lloyd. Perf. Amanda Seyfried. Universal Pictures, 2008. DVD.
The father has control or does he?
Comparing “The taming of the Shrew” to “Peeples”
Fathers normally have control of their daughters relationships because fathers are so overprotective of their daughters. In the play “The Taming of The Shrew”, Baptista has full control of the relationship. Some suitors want to have Bianca but he won’t let them have her until the eldest daughter, Katherine, is married. After that he makes sure Katherine is married so Bianca can have a husband too. In the movie “Peeples”, Grace who is played by Kerry Washington goes to see her family but leaves her boyfriend, Wade, home. Her boyfriend comes to her hometown anyway, only to find out Grace hasn’t told her parents that she is dating anyone. Her father doesn’t like her boyfriend because he thinks that he isn’t serious about his daughter enough to marry her even though secretly, he came there to propose to his daughter.
The difference between these two texts shows how fathers are overprotective of their daughters. They want to have control over their daughters relationships in order to make it seem like they are the boss and are in charge of what happens to their daughters life. Years ago, men who wanted to be in relationships went to the father in order to have access to the daughter. In modern times, a father tries to put fear into the guy who wants his daughter so that he will be the guy that he wants the guy to be.
“That is not to bestow my youngest daughter, before I have a husband for the elder.”
(Act 1, Scene 1, lines 50-51)
In this scene, Baptista has control of the relationship. The suitors want to be with Bianca but in order for them to do that, the eldest sister Katherine has to get married first. Baptista has complete control over the relationship. Gremio came to Baptista to tell him that he wanted to be with his daughter but it didn’t work out that way. Instead, he mentioned that Bianca had to wait until her oldest sister weds symbolizing that he has the power and control over their relationships and what happens in their life when it comes to love and who to be with.
Fathers tend to have an impact on their daughters relationships even when they aren’t physically there.
In this scene of the movie, Grace and Wade are having a discussion about him not going to her parents house so she leaves him at their house. During this conversation, Wade says to Grace “This is about your father. You empower him. You are a lawyer with the United Nations but you need a permission slip signed by daddy so I can be your man.” Grace is afraid to have Wade meet her parents but in particular, her father. This quote proves that her father still has control over her relationships. She says in the movie, it has nothing to do with her father but if it did not, she would have been introduced him to her parents. Grace’s father still has power over her relationships which could be a good and bad thing. In the scene, Grace’s father has a power over their relationship that is present without him being physically there. In the book, “The Taming of the Shrew”, Baptista has a power over both of his daughters by forcing one to get married so that the guys would desire Bianca can have her.
“On Sunday next you know, my daughter Katherine is to be married. Now on the Sunday following, shall Bianca be bride to you, if you make this assurance”
(Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 415-418)
As Gremio and Tranio are discussing who has more to offer to Bianca to get her love, Baptista stops the gentlemen in their tracks when he says “on Sunday next you know, my daughter Katherine is to be married. Now on the Sunday following, shall Bianca be bride to you, if you make this assurance.” Baptista in this quote, tells the guys if they can get Katherine to be married than one of them can have the key to Bianca’s heart. Baptista is again using his power to his advantage. He is making a point that he has the power in his daughter’s relationships. The guy went to approval to marry the girl but the father has the control of the relationship. Baptista is using this to control not only his daughters but the men as well. If he thinks they don’t offer a lot of financial stability for if they die, then they won’t be with his daughters. Baptista likes to be in control of his daughters relationship and he will remind his children that he is the one in control of them.
At this point, Grace’s boyfriend, Wade is having a meeting with her father and her grandfather. Things seem to be going pretty well but things make a 360 when Wade says that him and Grace are just “kicking it” when her father asks what is his plans for the future. After that occured, her grandfather said “I suppose a man has to decide when he wants to stand up and be a man.” This quote shows how important it is for a man to want to marry a female and not play around with females feelings and the relationship. While her grandfather was putting a lot of pressure on Wade at that moment, Wade appreciated it. It made him determined to show how much he loved Grace to ask for her hand in marriage at that moment. Her grandfather also has control over her relationship because by saying that it put fear into wade. Grace reassured Wade that he was a man so that ended that. Her grandfather expectations of Wade is to be a man which consists of marrying Grace and to not be so childish. He has the expectation for Grace to be with a guy who has goals for their future and not someone who isn’t serious about commitment. Not only fathers but grandfathers want to have control of the daughter/granddaughters relationship so much that they make a comment on everything. Her grandfather put fear into him so that he will be who he wants him to be. By him saying that to Wade, it made Wade try harder to be perfect for her family so that he can marry Grace and spend the rest of his life with her like he planned.
“Doth watch Bianca’s steps so narrowly, Twere good, methinks, to steal our marriage, which, once performed, let all the world say no, I’ll keep mine own despite of all the world.”
(Act 3, scene 2, lines 141-144)
In this scene, Lucentio is talking to Tranio about getting Bianca’s love and the haters that may occur if they be together. Tranio states that Bianca fathers approves the relationship his daughter gets into. Lucentio on the other hand, is not letting Baptista ruin his life so he doesn’t care. He will do anything to get Bianca to be his wife. Even when the world doesn’t think they would work out together, he doesn’t care because at the end of the day, he will fight for what he wants. In this case, Baptista doesn’t have any control over the relationship because Lucentio is willing to do anything to get what he wants. Baptista has very clear expectations of who his daughters should be with. The guy who offers her the most financial stability so she doesn’t have to worry about anything. He has this expectation that the guys Bianca should be with should be perfect. Wade and Lucentio are somewhat similar. They both fight for what they believe in. Wade was told not to go to her hometown to meet her family but he did anyway and tried to make her family like him. He did things he thought her father would like to meet the fathers expectations. Lucentio doesn’t care about what people thinks because he will still get the girl that he wants at the end and he will continue to get what is his regardless of what the father thinks.
Fathers do not have control in this case but in most cases they do.
After Wade told Grace’s father that they had not had any wedding plans yet, Judge Peeples said to him “I want my daughters to know what its like to be with someone who has the conviction to plan a future and not someone who just wants to kick it.” When her father said that to Wade, it put fear into Wade as to who was in control of the relationship. The father in this case, puts his input as to what he expects out of relationships for his daughter and if the guy who they are dating does not fufill his requirement then they aren’t the one for his daughters. Even though Grace will still be with Wade regardless of what her father says about him, her father still wants to let Wade know there will be consequences if he hurts her. This scene sounds like Baptista in the book “Taming of the shrew”. Grace’s father and Baptista are both demanding certain qualities for their daughters partners. They are both giving the guys who want their daughters expectations for what they should be like in order to get their daughter. Grace’s father and her grandfather actually cares about Grace while Baptista only wants Katherine to get married so he can get her out of the way so his favorite daughter, Bianca to get married.
Grace’s father expects Wade to want to commit to marriage if they are together and not someone who
The taming of the shrew and Peeples both dealt with Parents expectations on the relationship. In the peeples, Grace’s father cares about Grace and her relationship with Wade but expects a lot out of him. It was already enough for him to pop up at their house unexpectedly but now, he has to prove to her father why he deserves to be with his daughter and to marry her. The whole trip pressured Wade to be more than her father thought he would be and expected him to be. He broke his neck trying to be so “perfect” for Grace’s father, he didn’t take time to reflect on what he is offering Grace now and if it is good enough for her father. Mr. Peeples is an overprotective father. In Taming of the shrew, Baptista doesn’t care about Katherine’s happiness, just Bianca’s. Baptista has expectations on the guys as well but in a different way. Sometimes fathers can be very overprotective but sometimes fathers just want their children to get married so they can live their life. It’s not all about overprotective fathers but more so their expectations for the men who want to pursue their daughters and if they are “good” enough for their daughters. This shows that overtime, fathers expectations of the daughters boyfriend hasn’t really changed but the impact it has on the relationship and the impact on the guy it has, is important. Our attitude towards dating can be preserved that the fathers rule the relationship and had control of the men. Fathers are the one that makes the rules and challenges the men goals and aspirations of the relationship.
Taming of the Lover
|
Who Get's to Choose .. Me or You ?!
A compromise between The Taming of The Shrew and Coming to America,
Similarities in finding love, obtaining wealth, and family can be found in the 1988 movie Coming to America and the 1590’s book the Taming of the Shrew. It was normal in the Elizabethan era for women to “aspire” to get married. The woman had very little, to no say about who her husband would be. Marriages are normally arranged by the parent to bring “prestige” or wealth to the family. Marriage became a family decision as opposed to an individual decision due to the fact that marriage was no longer a choice. In the Taming of The Shrew, Katherine set the tone for her and Petruchio. This shows that at this time period woman did not have say and married by force the family.Today, however, the situation is more complex, In modern time the man and woman have the ability to choose who they want to marry , and also have the option to not marry a lot without being shamed for it.
“ Call you me daughter? Now, I promise you
You have showed a tender fatherly regard
To wish me wed to one half lunatic,
A mad-cup ruffian and a swearing Jack,
That thinks with oaths to face the matter out.”
(Act _:Scene_:Line__-__)
“ You're right! Get out, see the world.
Enjoy yourself.
Fulfill every erotic desire,
and in 40 days, you will marry Imani.
- But, Father...
- It is settled.
May I have your attention, please?
The wedding will proceed in 40 days.
You may go home now. Good night. “
Prince Akeem has met his “Queen to be” Imani. When in conversation Imani was trained to do his every command. He uses the excuse of “ he’s never been any where else but Africa.” As a result upon his father’s consent he allowed him and Seemi to go to America. Little does his father know that the object of this plan is to find him a wife of his own choosing.
“ Fie, fie! Unknit that threat'ning unkind brow
And dart not scornful glances from those eyes
To wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor……
Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot,
And place your hands below your husband’s foot:
In token of which duty, if he please,
My hand is ready, may it do him ease. “
(Act 5: Scene 2: Lines 152-195)
For this quote you can see that Katherine is not happy in her marriage. She has come to the point where she has expected the fact that her father just gave her away. To marry Petruchio without knowing his true intentions. As a result of Katherine is under the impression that the only way to be happy with her husband is to train him to her pleasing.
Prince Akeem as found a wife that suits him for him. His father was understanding and approved of the marriage. Although he was not truthful of his reasoning for going to America, his outcome was positive.
In the book The Taming of the Shrew, Baptista willing gave Katherine away to marry Petruchio. Being unmindful of Katherine’s feeling about the marriage, as a result katherine is unhappy in her marriage. What these portrayals show us about society's attitudes towards courtship/dating is that regardless of the time period there will forever and always will be a parental consent. However courtship and dating are to different things. However the resulting action is to be married .
About Relationships
In the Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio forces Katherine into marriage with him. They basically skip the part where they’re supposed to get to know each other. This shows how relationships were different then vs. now. In About Last Night, Bernie and Joan meet and hit it off instantly, they rushed things and consequently, their relationship suffered temporarily. They go from have sex occasionally to arguing out of spite every time they see each other. The Taming of the Shrew and About Last night are similar in their message which is love has happy endings and that the road to happiness isn’t always easy. However in contrast, Katherine has no say in whether or not if she wants to be with Petruchio, and Bernie doesn’t take the time to get to really know Joan before he makes her his girlfriend, all he wanted was sex.
In this scene, Bernie is explaining to his best friend Danny about last night. He tells him that he met Joan at a bar and the only reason they really wound up in the bed is because of the fact the he dated a woman Joan hated. This is the good part of their relationship but because they didn’t take the time to get to actually know each other, their relationship eventually wasn’t so great.
Both relationships reach a point where all they do is argue and someone eventually just gives in. In this particular part of the book, Petruchio is arguing with Katherine telling her to say that the sun is actually the moon. In Act 4, Scene 5, lines 21-22, Katherine submits to Petruchio by saying,“Then God be blest, it is the blessed sun. But sun it is not, when you say it is not.” Katherine is realizing that she just has to give in to Petruchio, and maybe in her mind things will get better.
In this scene, Bernie is explaining to Danny the complexity of him and Joan’s relationship. While they were constantly arguing with each other, they got to know more about each other. Bernie is thankful that they can put the bickering behind them and is so happy to have a genuine relationship with Joan. If he had never given in to Joan by telling her how much he missed and loved her, they wouldn’t be in this happy place.
The last stage of the relationships are the part where they basically start over. They forget the previous animosity that they had in their hearts for one another and move on to be happy with each other. In Act 5, Scene 2, lines 162-163, Katherine is talking about what a husband’s job is and accepting the love they provide. She says, “Thy husband is thy Lord, thy life, thy keeper, Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee.” At this point Katherine realizes that her and Petruchio may have gotten off on the wrong foot, Petruchio will truly care for her. At the end of her speech, she kisses him and you can imagine the smiles on their faces as the finally reached true happiness together.
This is the end of the movie. Bernie and Joan are so happy and it’s real happiness. They laugh, joke, and treat each other with nothing but the upmost respect. They’ve had their ups and downs in their relationship but they still loved each other through it all. Joan realized that Bernie truly cares for her the way she cares for him.
Comparing relationships back then to relationships now, there's a clear difference in how relationships come to be like if the woman has a say in it. There's one thing that hasn't changed however. People do not take the time to get to know a person before they become involved with them. If no one takes the time to learn what the other person hates or likes, then there will be unhappiness.
