Exploring Sexuality In Taming Of The Shrew

Title	Exploring Sexuality In Taming Of The Shrew
# of Words	1296
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	5.18

Exploring Sexuality in "Taming of the Shrew"

Andrea Blacksten
Shakespeare Plays
Professor Christopher


     Human sexuality underlies many of the happenings of "Taming of the Shrew."  It affects the conflicts, theme, and resolution of the play.  It becomes evident throughout the play that sexual behavior denotes whether a character is thought of  as good or evil (not necessarily good evil as meant in conventional terms, but rather as a "nice" character versus a "waspish" or "mean' character).
     In the beginning of the play, there is an obvious conflict between Kate and her sister, Bianca.  This conflict stems from the fact that their father favors Bianca, as well as the fact that Bianca has many suitors, while Kate has none.  Kate's father, Baptista, tries to persuade some of Bianca's suitors to pursue Kate instead.  However, they make it clear that none of them could desire Kate.  "Mates, maid?  How mean you that?  No mates for you unless you were of a gentler, milder, mold" (I,i, lines 58 - 60).  From this it is clear that the men in the play prefer a better "mold" than Kate, in other words, she does not carry herself as well as Bianca.  Kate does not play the coy flirting games, and is therefore thought of as harsher than Bianca.
     Bianca, however, knows how to be flirtatious, witty, and coy around her admirers, and yet is almost intentionally mean to Kate.  For instance, Bianca knows that it hurts Kate to have no suitors while she (Bianca) has several.  Bianca uses this to hurt Kate.  When Kate tries to find out which suitor Bianca really likes, Bianca swears that she won't take the suitor that Kate likes.  She casually offers Kate whichever suitor she wants.  Kate is enraged by this because she knows that the only reason that Bianca has suitors while she has none is because Bianca plays the sexual flirtation game.
     When Kate gets a suitor of her own, Petruchio, there is a lot of sexual tension in their relationship.  At their first meeting, they exchange a barrage of sexual comments:
               Petruchio:  Why, what's a movable?
          Kate:   A joint stool
          Petruchio:  Thou hast hit it; come sit on me.
          Kate:  Asses are made to bear and so are you.
          Petruchio:  Women are made to bear and so are you.
          (II, i, lines 196 - 200)

Also, Petruchio decided before he met Kate that he would act as though she was being very kind, and as if she welcomed him and accepted him no matter what she does or says.  This sets the tone for their entire relationship.
     Later in the play, Petruchio decides that the best way to change Kate's behavior is to act contrary to her.  He  uses this to deny her food, sleep, and clothes.  For instance, when they are brought dinner, he shouts that the food isn't good enough, and sends it away.  When she tries to sleep, he rants that the bed is not good enough for her, and makes such a fuss about it that she cannot sleep.  He does this until she realizes that if she does not appease him, she will not get anything.
     In contrast, Bianca controls her relationships with her suitors.  Bianca realizes that if she acts nice and flirts with her suitors, they will do anything she asks of them.  All Bianca has to do is smile, and then anything she says after that is accepted without argument by her suitors.  For example, when Hortensio and Lucentio are tutoring Bianca in different subjects, and arguing amongst themselves about who should tutor her first, when Bianca steps in.
"Why, gentlemen,  you do me double wrong to strive for that which resteth in my choice.  I am no breeching scholar in the schools.  I'll not be tied to hours nor 'pointed times, but learn my lessons as I please myself.  And, to cut off all the strife, here sit  w...

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