Power in Relationships

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 03:37:19 +0100

Power in Relationships is a strong theme that is seen between many different characters. Whether it be between Katherina in her father, Petruchio and Grumio or Lucentio and Tranio. However Power in Relationships is most evident between Katherina and Petruchio.

Quick Summary: Petruchio wants to marry a woman with a large dowry. Hortensio, Petruchio’s friend suggest Katherina but warns him that Katherina is a shrew. Arrogant Petruchio sets out to marry and tame Katherina. He quite easily persuades Katherina’s father, Baptista to allow him to marry Katherina.

Power in Relationships is demonstrated to the audience through the conventions of witty dialogue and slapstick humour. This is first apparent during the first meeting of Katherina and Petruchio. Katherina had always scared away all possible suitors until Petruchio. We see that Katherina has finally met her match in Petruchio. In act 2 scene 1 Line 195 Katherina says ‘Asses are made to bear, and so are you’ followed by Petruchio who responds with ‘Women are made to bear and so are you’. This is an example of witty dialogue. It shows that Katherina’s harsh insults have little effect on Petruchio who easily counteracts her cruel words. With every insult and response the power which originally belonged to Katherina, becomes Petruchio’s. As this scene progressed, we see that Katherina, realising this, becomes slowly angered. Things are no longer going her way. This anger slowly builds up until… she strikes Petruchio. This being the comedic convention of slapstick humour. Despite the fact that Actions like these should show that Katherina has more power, really in the end it symbolises that she is losing her power. It also shows how Katherina would be considered the exact opposite of the perfect Elizabethan Woman. This action makes this scene particularly funny for Shakespearean audience.

Mistaken Identity and Disguise

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 22:37:15 +0100

Mistaken Identity and Disguise is a theme which is used by a few characters throughout the play. This theme gives characters the opportunity to re-create themselves and become someone else. Characters are able to use it to their advantage in order to get what they want without revealing their true identities and motives. Two good examples of characters who used the comedic convention, deception and disguise to their advantage is Lucentio and his servant Tranio.

Quick summary: Lucentio is head over heels for Bianca. However Bianca is locked up in her father’s house. Lucentio decides to disguise himself as a tutor who he names Cambio. Alas, there is another problem. Lucentio is a rich man and people are surely to notice is he were to disappear. Tranio, the servant to the rescue. Tranio disguises himself as Lucentio. (remember they are foreigners in this city and therefore no one knows what they look like)

In Act 1, Scene 1 line 197, Lucentio says, ‘Tis hatched and shall be so. Tranio at once uncase thee; take my cloak and hat’. This is then followed by stage directions to exchange clothes onstage. This is particularly important in that by use of clothing the audience is able to tell who is posing as who. The clothing is symbolic showing the characters change in social status and we see in the following events how these two are treated differently according to this change. Tranio becoming treated like a respected nobleman and Lucentio treated as a tutor. One way we see how disguise changes social status is in the bidding for Bianca’s heart. Tranio posed as Lucentio bids away fortunes to Baptista for permission to marry Bianca. However this would not be possible for Tranio if he were in his true identity as a servant. Shakespeare’s audience knows this creating both humour and suspense. It is humorous for a Shakespearean audience in that Tranio is bidding away fortunes that he doesn’t have, and suspenseful in that they don’t know when, where and how will their secret be revealed and how will Tranio deal with it.

comedic-conventions

Power in Relationships

Mistaken Identity and Disguise