Is There A True Definition of Love?

Posted by Caroline Pitone in English 3 · Pahomov · B Band on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at 12:09 am

Is There A True Definition of Love?

Comparing “The Taming of the Shrew” and “The Wedding Singer”

The more you know about “The Taming of the Shrew” and “The Wedding Singer”, the more you know about whether or not there is a true definition of romantic love.

Dating back to to the year of 1593, The Taming of the Shrew was written by well known William Shakespeare. This story consists of conflicts and troubles involving love and money and the expectations of relationships during that time era. During the first few pages of the story, the characters that were introduced go by Petruchio and Katherine. Petruchio and his soon to be wife Katherine, or as he likes to call her Kate, go through a rollercoaster of emotions whilst Kate deals with settling down with Petruchio, a man she would have never pictured herself marrying, until she later realizes she will do a lot in her power to keep him around. As does Robbie Hart for Julia, in the 1998 famous film about a small town ‘wedding singer’ who gets his heartbroken by Linda, his fiance, but soon finds the person that is right for him.

There are obstacles to get around with, while dealing with a break up and a new love for a women with a wealthy fiance already. While there may develop troubles in a relationship with the person that is believed to be the one, it gives room to search for another individual. This happens to occur in “The Wedding Singer”. While being controlled by another human, and getting manipulated that there is a risk of finding nobody better, this could trigger a thought to continue in a relationship even if it is not right for someone. This is seen in the play. While looking at the similarities between these two stories, there comes to be a realization that romantic love comes with many circumstances, that don't all have to do with the emotions of a person.

“Petruchio: I come to wive it wealthily in Padua;

If wealthily, then happily in Padua.

(Act 1, Scene 2, Line 76-77)

While reading the play upon the topic of marriage and so forth, it is clear to see the certain aspect of what contributes to marriage a great deal. While feeling the need for companionship, it is expressed as almost near impossible to have a happy and healthy life in a marriage that does not generate a great quantity of income. Petruchio is said to have traveled to Padua, Italy to find the perfect spouse. Katherine is then arranged to marry Petruchio, and Petruchio heavily expresses the importance of money from the beginning of interaction.

In the movie, “The Wedding Singer”, main characters Robbie Hart, and fiance Linda, were thought to have fallen in love. As their wedding date that Linda purposefully missed, she came to Robbie the day after with some thoughts that she had to express to him. She came to a realization that Robbie was not as amazing or succesful the way he was when she first met him when he was the lead singer of a band. She comes to the conclusion that she will never leave the small quaint town they currently live in if she stays with him, which frightens her. While Robbie tries to make her see clearly about their true love, she then goes on about saying, “While you're off doing wedding gigs at a whopping 60 bucks a pop?” to Robbie, when discussing their income. Linda strikes the conversation upon the topic of money. The thought of money in her head conflicted her thoughts of love and happiness. As does Petruchio while he does not so much care about the love, but the happiness that comes with being wealthy as a unit in marriage.

“He'll woo a thousand, 'point the day of marriage,

Make feasts, invite friends, and proclaim the banns,

Yet never means to wed where he hath wooed.

Now must the world point at poor Katharine “

(Act 2, Scene 1, Line 15-20)

While Katherine thinks of the marriage between her and Petruchio, she thinks about everything leading up to it. Such as the embarrassment casted on her during the time of waiting to become husband and wife. From interpreting this line said by Katherine, it is seen to show her great concern for their future and compatibility.

After Robbie and Linda end, he starts falling for this women named Julia, who he met at a Bat Mitzvah. Later being told she has a rich fiance named Glenn, he instantly becomes sad. Feelings begin to develop for her while he cannot do anything to stop the marriage between Julia and Glenn. Robbie soon realizes that Glenn constantly cheats of Julia. He is outraged but does not have a right to act on the situation. While Katherine has concern for her relationship, she is not able to control it. Just how Glenn understands that Julia has no control over him and what he does during his free time. Since both of these concerning situations would be fixed if the other person had some sort of control, it allows the argument to come through to think about how control is thought to be necessary through a relationship in order to keep a healthy one. It develops the idea that true love can last as long as there is control on both ends for what each person wants out of eachother.

Katherine: “Then, you need a second (and possibly a third) set of comparisons: play, movie. Play, movie. Don't forget to use a larger font!

Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper,

Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee,

And for thy maintenance commits his body

To painful labour both by sea and land,...And place your hands below your husband’s foot,

In token of which duty, if he please,

My hand is ready, may it do him ease.”

(Act 5, Scene 3, Lines 140-183)

In the end of the play, Katherine realizes that she wants Petruchio in her life. In the beginning, Katherine acted in such a way that it was never expected of her to think of life with a man was necessary. Although towards the end, she contemplated what life would be like without a man and expressed to her fellow family that everyone needs a husband in order to be happy and to have security in life. She promoted the idea that women should look up to her man, and for the most part kiss the ground he walks on, interpreted by when she passionately said, “and place your hands below your husbands foot”. In the beginning of their relationship, Petruchio does many things to lessen her as a person. He starts off by calling her Kate instead of Katherine to make her angry. After treating her in a very bad and manipulative way, anything kind that he would do would seem as though it was the greatest moment to occur.

Very later on after Robbie and Linda break off their relationship, Linda comes back to Robbie. Robbie comes home drunk and sees Linda waiting for him on his step in a very seductive outfit. After seeing Robbies vulnerability, she expresses that she misses him and needs him back. The morning after, Julia decides to go to Robbie's house to express her feelings about him and say how she loves him. Linda then answers the door in Robbies oversized Van Halen T-Shirt. Julia automatically feels unwanted there and rushes to Glenn begging to hop on a plane and get married. As it is in that moment, Julia felt powerless in the situation, she turned to her option that she no longer wanted which was Glenn. This scene displays how easy it is to let go of someone you truly care for when something goes on that is not what was wanted from the other partner.

The similarities in expectations for relationships and love in “The Taming of the Shrew”, and “The Wedding Singer” still are apparent even centuries apart. As time develops in the lives of many individuals, it has the power to make people realize their love for one another, and the shame for one another. Love is never a real argument. Although one has the ability to say it, it is very easy to mess around with that statement. With so many things that balance out a successful relationship, the concept of ‘being in love’ can not be determined as real.