Taming of the Shrew is Shakespeare’s book that talks about the taming of Katherine, Baptista’s daughter who is seen to shrewd and bad tempered in that men opted for his young sister who was gentle and beautiful. But in the end a young man Petruchio manages to woe her heart and tames her into a fine woman to the surprise of many including her father.
The relationship and conflict between Bianca and Katherine
In this play Bianca is the young sister to Katherine both Baptista’s daughters. As the play begins an obvious tension in the relationship of these two sisters can easily be felt. This stems from the clear fact Bianca is loved more by her father than Katherine and also the fact that Bianca was more beautiful and therefore had more suitors something that Kate loathed because she had none. None of the men would want to go near Kate leave alone court her. This comes out clear when Baptista, Kate’s father, tries persuading some of Bianca’s suitors to try out Kate instead. But they clearly tell him that they are not interested in her. They say “Mates, maid? How mean you that? No mates for you unless you were of a gentler, milder, mold” (Blacksten par 2) Exploring sexuality in “Taming of The Shrew”, 200. This clearly that Kate does not carry herself well enough as Bianca. Bianca knows how to play with the men those coy flirting games that Kate can’t and there she is seen to be harsh and unapproachable. Bianca knows that having several suitors while Kate has none hurts Kate, so she uses this to hurt her more. When Kate tries to know who her sister’s favorite suitor is, she is harshly told that no one will like her favorite suitor. Katherine on her part torments Bianca with physical harm and words. She pulls her hair, binds her hands and drags her to her father and the suitors. In an effort to portray herself as innocent as possible, Bianca denies liking any of the men. She says, “Sister, content you in my discontent to your pleasure humbly I subscribe. My books and instrument shall be my company, on them to look and practice myself” (Kinonahk par 1)
The relationship and conflict between Vincentio and Baptista
Vincentio is Lucentio’s father who Petruchio and Katherine meet on the way and greet him as a little boy. Vincentio is later arrested calling him an impostor. Baptista on the other hand is Bianca’s father that is later on married to Lucentio. The two men’s children are therefore married bringing them together. But before that Baptista is not happy with Vincentio because his son has married his daughter without his permission. He says “But do you hear sir? Have you married my daughter without asking my good will? (Brian 1981).
Both men are angry with Cambio for impersonating Lucentio and there bring about that marriage, a marriage that was abrupt and unplanned for. Vincentio tells Baptista “Fear not, Baptista, we will content you, go to. But I will in, to be revenged for this villainy.” (Brian 1981) And Baptista adds “And I, to sound the depth of this knavery.” (Brian 1981) The two men’s anger cool down in the end and they all agree to the marriage though they both lived in two different socio-economic worlds, with Vincentio coming from a surviving background his son being just a mere teacher whereas Baptista was affluent.
The relationship and conflict between Pertruchio and Katherine
Katherine is by many for her bad temper that gives her the name “the Shrew”. And everyone was therefore sure that no man in his right senses would want to marry her. But this young man comes along one day and plans to marry her despite hearing about all her behavior. This is Petruchio, a witty and high spirited young man. He approaches Katherine’s father and makes his wish known something that the father warns him to tread carefully but Petruchio does not care. As always Katherine was spiteful at first glance at Petruchio but does this does not deter him in his efforts to win this stubborn girl. The conflict between this two comes in the way each sees the other although it is Petruchio strategy to win Katherine, in that for anything bad that Katherine says, Petruchio says the opposite of it. This confuses Katherine and there she gives in at the end. Petruchio says to Baptista “And when two raging fires meet together, they do consume the thing that feeds their fury.” (Brian 1981). This means that all these between them will just end one day.
Petruchio proposes a day for their wedding without giving her a chance to say anything. And when the day in question arrives, Petruchio deliberately delays keeping the guests waiting. This enrages Katherine who thinks that may be Petruchio just made a joke out of her, but turns up later not dressed up at all. He says she was marrying not the clothes. Petruchio manages to tame Kate and to this Baptista is happy in that he adds him more dowry, he says “Now fair befall thee, good Petruchio! The wager thou hast won, and I will add unto their losses twenty thousand crowns, another dowry to another daughter, for she is chang’d, as she had never been”. (Brian 1981)
Conclusion
In this play we see two sisters who are not on good terms because one is beautiful than the other and therefore is more liked by men. This hurts the other one, who is seen to poses a bad temper. Bothe girls end up in marriage but the beautiful one ends up living miserably as the one who was initially seen as bad tempered and ugly is tamed and live a happy life with his husband. Other characters of course play a big role in all these.