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Abstract
This thesis analyzes William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew in light of the historical position of women in sixteenth-century England. Chapter One discusses the Renaissance concept of "shrews," explaining how they were perceived in society; it also investigates how communities in Elizabethan England attempted to tame shrews by using formal and informal methods of punishment. Chapter Two examines the critical dilemma and controversies that surround The Taming of the Shrew. This section looks at two important critical categories: the revisionists and the anti-revisionists. The revisionists view Kate as a character who subverts the patriarchy, while the anti-revisionists believe that Kate is tamed and subdued by her husband, Petruchio. Following in the tradition of the revisionists, this thesis in Chapter Three argues that Kate uses "comedic deception" to resist the taming process inflicted upon her by Petruchio. By employing manipulative tactics, Kate gains happiness and equality in marriage.
