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  • Essay / Gender Roles in The Taming of the Shrew and 10 Things I Hate About You

    William Shakespeare's “The Taming of the Shrew” (TOTS) explores misogynistic and patriarchal themes, alongside Gil Jungers' adaptation, “10 things I hate about you” (10 things). Shakespeare's play imposes the submission of women and the power of men, which reflects the motivations and social attitudes of the Elizabethan era. Gil Junger's 1999 adaptation, "10 Things I Hate About You" was created to appeal to a contemporary audience and reflect third wave feminism. The characters present new motivations, but their actions lead to the same immoral results as “The Taming of the Shrew.” This makes our modern audiences wonder why we continue to tell stories that don't eclipse the gender inequality presented in Shakespeare's time. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The romantic relationships in TOTS and 10 Things both reinforce women's submission despite Petruchio and Patrick's varying motivations. Through starvation and verbal abuse, Petruchio makes Katherina more docile: “Why did I come here without this intention?/Do you think a little noise can intimidate my ears? In his speech where Petruchio asserts his skills in taming shrews, he implies that if men cannot control women, they are effeminate. This inequality between "lovers" was considered socially acceptable at the time, as the belief that wives should conform to their husbands' authority was reinforced in the Elizabethan era. 10 Things was adapted to represent modern relationships and the improved equality of the 1990s. The film does not encourage physical violence as a means of seducing women, but instead Patrick tries to seduce Kat through gifts, such as a guitar , and extravagant performances. High-angle shots of Patrick as he plays with Kat show that he has the power to influence Kat's view of their relationship, which similarly happens when Petruchio turns on Katherina. Patrick's contemporary motivation is considered romantic, but it instead suggests that women's forgiveness and affection can be purchased by men. The romantic relationships of 10 Things have been adapted to playfully confront those of TOTS. However, they continue to claim that men have the ability to redefine images of women, leading our contemporary audiences to question whether women have truly been treated with greater equality following waves of feminism. Both Katherina and Kat are independent and challenge the socially constructed roles of women. an “ideal woman” imposed on their time, but they both end up falling into the power of men. Gil Junger's appropriation of Katherina, Kat, defines herself as an unbreakable feminist, inspired by the third wave of feminism that took place in the 1990s. Her costumes are traditionally associated with men as she wears cargo pants and blue shirts to show that she is redefining ideas of a "traditional woman", which was a common goal of 90s feminists. While Kat drives her car, non-diegetic punk rock music is played to suggest that she is harsh and careless towards others. However Kat contradicts his beliefs several times. For example, in her poem to Patrick, she says, “I hate that you're always right,” which confirms male privilege. Patrick's mastery of Kat's feminist and fiery views is considered romantic.