The play “Taming Of The Shrew” , it tells the reader about what love is all about back in the 1600’s. In the book there was a young lady name Katherine. She will be getting married to a guy name Petruchio. He want her for the money that she will give him. 

In the 1990 movie “Pretty Woman” Richard Gere as Edward Lewis needs an escort for some social events. He hires a beautiful prostitute, Julia Roberts as Vivian Ward, who he met on Hollywood Blvd. Petruchio and Julia Roberts’ character are different because their stories take place in different years. However, these situations are similar because they both agree to be somebody’s lover. For Petruchio, he is not a prostitute, but he got paid to get married to Katherine.

“And therefore, if thou know One rich enough to be Petruchio’s wife , As wealth is burden of my wooing dance, Be she as foul as was Florentius' love, As old as Sibyl and as curst and shrewd As Socrates' Xanthippe, or a worse, She moves me not, or not removes at least Affection’s edge in me, were she as rough As are the swelling Adriatic seas.” - Petruchio

(Act 1, Scene 2, 67)

In this quote,  Petruchio describes why he really came to Padua. He wanted a rich wife, and he didn’t care how they look or how old they were. This shows He doesn’t care about the women he’s going to marry. He’s only in it for the money. made the guy would get pay to get married to the lady of their choice. 

In the movie, there a scene with Edward on the phone with Philip talking about meeting up with a business associate. Edward is looking at Vivian in the tub as he on the phone. Vivian is also singing with headphone on.

“Housekeeping is singing” said Edward

“Edward, I know a lot of nice girls.” said Philip 

“No, you don't, besides, I already have one. You just concentrate on finding out what Morse is up to. I'm on my way. ”said Edward

(Hang up the phone)

“Don't you just love Prince ?” said Vivian  

“More than life itself.” said Edward

“Don't you knock ?” Said Vivian 

“Vivian, I have a business proposition for you.” said Edward

This Show Edward has a plane to us Vivian love for other things. Most people don’t hire an escort to be with them at a business. He only did this because he didn’t want to be alone when he went to the meeting. 

“When will he be here?” - Baptista

(Act 3, Scene 2, 38)

In this quote, after Petruchio got Katherine he knew that he could do anything now. He was late to his own wedding. In Petruchio mind he knew that he won the challenge. The challenge was to see if he could get married to Katherine. This show that the person that did something to go someone love changes after they get what they want.

In the movie, there a scene with Edward takes Vivian to a pole game. This is where Edward show off Vivian to people he knows. Now people are starting to ask question like where did  you meet Vivian.

“Don't be ridiculous.” said Edward 

“How do you know that this girl... hasn't attached herself to you because she's bringing information back to Morse ? This happens ! Industrial espionage” said Philip

“Phil, Phil, Phil !  Phil, listen to me.” said Edward

 “What ?” said Philip

“She's not a spy. She is a hooker.” said Edward

“Oh ! She is a hooker.” Said Philip 

“I picked her up on Hollywood Boulevard.” Said Edward

This show that Edward didn't care what people will say when they found out that she was a hired a escort to show off to people. He knows that he have alot of money and he can pay her anything. This show that Edward and Petruchio and the same because they don't care what the person their with thinks. The will hurt their feeling. Most people can see this in the movie "Pretty Woman" and "Taming Of The Shrew" are the same when It come to the guys.

Gender roles in The Taming of the Shrew and The Proposal

The Taming of the Shrew is a play written by William Shakespere. In Shrew, Petruchio, a wealthy man, plans to marry Katherine, a woman notorious for her unpleasant disposition. Katherine does not consent to the marriage, but Petruchio convinces her father that Katherine has agreed to the match and the two are married. When Katherine goes to live with Petruchio, he vows that he will “tame” her. The Proposal, a film released in 2009, is ver similar to The Taming of the Shrew. The Proposal is about a man named Andrew and his boss Margaret. Margaret is disliked by all of her employees, especially Andrew. Margaret, a Canadian citizen, risks deportation if she doesn’t get married. She blackmails Andrew into marrying her. 

The Taming of the Shrew is often criticized for it’s sexist themes. Due to Petruchio’s calculated abuse (he denies her food and sleep in order to extract compliance) Katherine surrenders to his will, declaring to her friends and family “Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, Thy head, thy sovereign; (5.1.146)” Literary critic George Bernard Shaw described the play as “altogether disgusting to modern sensibility". However, the gender roles delineated in The Taming of the Shrew are not outdated products of Shakesperian chauvinism. In The Proposal, Margaret and Andrew’s interactions appear to be a role-reversal of the Taming of the Shrew, but the film ends up reiterating a message of male dominance.

“She is intolerable curst,

And shrewd, and froward, so beyond all measure

That, were my state far worser than it is,

I would not wed her for a mine of gold”(1.2.89-93)

In this scene, Hortensio is trying to convince Petruchio to marry Katherine. He tells Petruchio about Katherine’s reputation: she is known to be unpleasant, petulant, and irritable. 

In The Proposal, Margaret is seen in a similar light. 

In part of the movie, Margaret fires an employee who failed to secure a contract with an important client for the publishing company of which Margaret is a high-level manager. Once she informs him of his termination, he flies into a rage, calling Margaret a “poisonous bitch” and a “monster”. Additionally, throughout the entire film Margaret is referred to as “satan’s spawn” by several other characters. Margaret is very similar to Katherine: both women are written off as horrible bitches by the male characters. The way their different situations unfold is when the two characters begin to differ.

“I tell you, ‘tis incredible to believe

how much she loves me. O, the kindest Kate!

She hung about my neck , and kiss on kiss

She vied so fast, protesting oath on oath

That in a twink she won me to her love” (2.1.325-329)

In this scene, Petruchio declares to Baptista (Katherine’s father) that he has successfully woo’d her. Upon hearing the above quote, Baptista agrees to the match and arranges for Katherine to be wed to Petruchio. Katherine remains silent during this part, although she previously made it clear to Petruchio that she had no interest in marrying him.

In The Proposal, Margaret does the same thing to Andrew. 

Margaret is a Canadian citizen living in the United States on a work visa. When she fails to take the steps necesscry to renew he visa, she faces deportation. When she finds out about her impending deportation, she quickly tells ICE that she and her assistant, Andrew are to be married. Andrew goes along with this in the meeting, but afterwards he expresses some concerns about marrying her. Margaret then says that if she is fired, her successor will fire Andrew, ruining his dreams of publishing his book. Andrew also negotiates a promotion for himself. Andrew agrees to marry Margaret. 

In The Taming of the Shrew, it is Petruchio who pursues Katherine. In The Proposal, it is Margaret who pursues Andrew. Both Margaret and Petruchio want to be married not for romantic love, but for their own purposes. Margaret wants to keep her job and Petruchio wants to collect Katherine’s sizable dowry. However, Andrew will receive a promotion while Katherine receives nothing for marrying Petruchio.

This role-reversal reflects the changed reactions to women in power since Shakesperian times. In the 1500’s, a woman had no rights and was considered property. The very idea of a woman being in any sort of power (with the notable exception of Queen Elizabeth, who was often ruthlessly mocked in the English media during her reign), was absolutely ridiculous. Therefore, the Renaissance equivalent to Margaret’s “bitchy boss” character would be a woman who refused to conform to traditional gender roles. Katherine fills this role. She refuses to allow her father to make a whore of her and marry her off to a stranger, and was often belligerent in asserting this. Through Petruchio, Hortensio, and other male characters’ eyes, an independent woman must be deficient in some way because men are dominant, and in not accepting her socially-expected role as a woman threatened their power. Thus, she was a “shrew”

Margaret is shrew for not conforming to gender roles. She is a woman in power in corporate America, which is no easy feat. When her subordinates speak to each other about her, they often use gendered insults to refer to her (like “bitch” and “witch”), even though the film never shows her doing anything particularly horrible to her employees. Modern women in power are often put under a microscope. Take Hillary Clinton. She is constantly berated by the press for her appearance in ways that her male counterparts never have been and never will be. 

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

Thy head, thy sovereign; (5.1.146-147)”

This quote is from the last scene in The Taming of the Shrew. At a dinner party with Katherine’s friends and family, she makes a shocking speech declaring that women must be obedient to their husbands, because women must be protected by men. 

In The Proposal, Margaret and Andrew interact in ways that send the same message.

In this scene, Margaret and Andrew go on a boat ride. When Margaret tries to operate the boat, she falls out of the boat and into a lake. Unable to swim, Andrew must pull Margaret out of the water, saving her from drowning. In the film there are also other scenes like this where Margaret seems unable to do anything for herself and Andrew must sweep in and save the day. For example, Margaret cannot walk down a ladder without Andrews assistance. Nor can she turn on a computer in an internet cafe without him showing her how, which seems strange since it would make sense that a highly-esteemed book publisher would know how to operate a computer. In the films final scene, Andrew confronts Margaret in the office, declaring his affection to her in front of the entire staff of the company. When Margaret tries to interrupt him, he yells at her “I told you to shut up!”. The two kiss, and the scene ends with a co-worker yelling “Yeah! Show her who’s boss Andrew!”

As the film progresses Margaret becomes more reliant on Andrew. By the end of The Taming of the Shrew, Katherine is totally and utterly reliant on Petruchio. Both works send the same message: women must rely on men, otherwise they are shrews. When Andrew “takes control” in the final scene, he has successfully “tamed” Margaret. When Katherine relinquishes her entire identity for Petruchio, he has successfully “tamed” her. On the surface, The Proposal may seem like a role-reversal of The Taming of the Shrew, but the film falls into ancient tropes the still dictate the way men and women relate to each other in television, film, and other forms of media. 

Works Cited

Shakespere, William. The Taming of the Shrew. New York, NY: Washington Square, 1992. Print.

The Proposal. Dir. Anne Fletcher. Perf. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 2009. DVD.

Everyone wants to have at least a some little amount of control on something, in “The taming of the Shrew”, one of the main men Petruchio believes to have complete control on a woman he plans on marrying, Katherine. In the movie “Bride Wars”, two best friends since toddlers planned their entire weddings out until the day it all actually happens. The two friends do everything in their power to make their wedding better than the others with the mistake of the weddings being planned on the same day. The demanding ways both women used help and hurt to plan the day of their dreams. The husbands of both women were too scared to say the truth to their fiancés because they know it wasn’t what the girls wanted to hear.

Petruchio as well as both Emma and Liv want the same things, control. Especially Liv, her view on life is that she has to always be first. Petruchio was a man of honor, well at least in his eye. Everyone would bow at his feet and listen to his commands. After listening to the stories about a woman named Katherine by some men he came across, he thought he could woo her and make her become his by his rules. Something that Petruchio didn’t noticed was how stubborn she was. She was also about control and hard to please. Though these storylines are totally different they are still common in one way, having control. This goes to show that over many years, having the desire to be in control has not changed. Both of these stories reflect on the control that one has on their spouse which then helps the relationship in the end.  

Going back to the middle of the book act three, scene two, in “Shrew”, after Katherine agrees to marry Petruchio the wedding day finally arrived. The only thing was that the husband was late. Everyone’s questioning on what is happening until Biondello comes into the act.

Biondollo- “Why, Petruchio is coming in a new hat and an old jerkin, a pair of old breeches thrice turned, a pair of boots that have been candle cases, one buckled, another laced; an old rusty sword ta'en out of the town armory, with a broken hilt and chapeless; with two broken points; his horse hipped, with an old mothy saddle and stirrups of no kindred, besides possessed with the glanders and like to mose in the chine, troubled with the lampass, infected with the fashions, full of wingdalls, sped with spavins, rayed with yellows, past cure of the fives, stark spoiled with the staggers, begnawn with the bots, swayed in the back and shoulder-shotten, near-legged before and with a half-checked bit and a headstall of sheeps leather, which, being restrained to keep him from stumbling, hath been often burst, and now repaired with knots, one girth six times pieced, and a woman’s crupper of velour, which hath two letters for her name fairly set down in studs, and here and there pieced with packthread.”

(Page 119; lines 42-62)

Biondelleo describes to the wedding party that Petruchio was coming but in a ridiculous outfit. This outfit was one of the first ways to show everyone Petruchio was in control. Though the outfit was horrifying as well as embarrassed Petruchio was making a point, that no matter what he puts Katherine, she will never really leave him. He know it would embarrass her but she was too into him that she wasn’t even going to fight back because she knew she wasn’t going to win. The wedding continued and Petruchio and Katherine were finally married.

Now in the beginning of the movie “Bride Wars”, the first time where the women are shown to be controlling and the men have nothing to say.

Both Emma and Liv have the amount of control on their men where they can do what they want and neither will say any comment in return. Both talking to their men about having a good time while the Bride of the wedding they’re at was about to throw the bouquet. 

Emma- “ Gotta go!”

(Man has a silent, mad face on.)

Emma then brings Liv along and she pocks her boyfriend in the chest and says,

“ They take it so seriously.” And then leaves. 

Both men are standing together with a silent but mad face having nothing to say but to shake their heads. This goes to show both women have control over their men. In the case of “Shrew”, Petruchio has all of the control over Katherine and she is left silent. 

Now back to the “Shrew”, in act 5 scene two a gathering is going on and a bet has been placed. The bet has to deal with which man has the most control over their wives for them to listen and to obey to their orders. Two men already went to try and fetch the other wives but they did not listen. Petruchio's turn is next and he commands a suitor to go and fetch his wife. With a surprise from the guest in the room as well as Pertuchio,

Katherine walking into the room ready for a command.

Katherine- “What is your will, sir, that you send for me?”

Katherine- “Go fetch them hither. If they deny to come, Swinge me them soundly forth unto their husbands. Away, I say, and bring them hither straight.” 

           (Exit KATHERINE)

(Page 215; Lines 113-118)

Katherine went to go and fetch the other women. This proves that Petruchio not only won the bet but has the most control over his wife and she has not a word to say about it. She replies will straight positive answers ready for his command. 

After the mixup of the weddings being placed on the same day both women promise that one will change their date but both are not giving up just yet.

Liv- “She's gonna move her date. She always was the bendy one, even as a kid, remember?”

Liv has always been the controlling one ever since her and Emma were kids and she will not give up for anything. She always know that Emma would put her happiness up before anyones, she was just that type of person but not this time. After a while, Liv needed a maid of honor but she just brought her fiancée instead to pick out the “save the dates”. Emma was going to give in and call Liv to try and settle things out but she find out that Liv went behind her back and was about to break the promise. 

Talking with her future husband about giving in he tells her to call Liv to make up and what he didn’t realize what he said wrong about the “save the date” invitations. Emma was really upset and now it was her time to shine. “Not this time. "No. No, no, no, no, no.I am a bride too. Okay? I'm number one too!” Emma sending out a save the date email to all her friends except Liv to get her word out first. She's playing no more games now.

Katherine has nothing to say after Petruchio gave her the orders because she was under a high amount of control where she didn’t even know what to say other then okay and leave. With Emma and Liv their type of control over their husbands is that they would demand something and they would get it without their men saying anything in return. The men would just listen and stare. That goes to show how one has control, and the others stay silent.

Back to the “Shrew, after Katherine goes and fetches the other women like her master pleased she says a very long speech that amazes everyone in act five, scene two.

Katherine- “Fie, fie! Unknit that threat'ning unkind brow And dart not scornful glances from those eyes. To wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor. It blots thy beauty as frosts do bite the meads, Confounds thy fame as whirlwinds shake fair buds, And in no sense is meet or amiable. A woman moved is like a fountain troubled, Muddy, ill-seeming, thick, bereft of beauty, And while it is so, none so dry or thirsty Will deign to sip or touch one drop of it. 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 labor both by sea and land, To watch the night in storms, the day in cold, Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe, And craves no other tribute at thy hands. But love, fair looks and true obedience— Too little payment for so great a debt. Such duty as the subject owes the prince, Even such a woman oweth to her husband. And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour, And not obedient to his honest will, What is she but a foul contending rebel. And graceless traitor to her loving lord? I am ashamed that women are so simple. To offer war where they should kneel for peace; Or seek for rule, supremacy and sway. When they are bound to serve, love, and obey. Why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth, Unapt to toil and trouble in the world, But that our soft conditions and our hearts. Should well agree with our external parts? Come, come, you forward and unable worms!”

(Page 219; Lines 152-178 )

Katherine goes on to say that one should obey whatever her husband has to command. He is the king, the leader and one should never think otherwise. Petruchio was amazed by the words and is convinced that she was tamed and his plan worked as wanted. 

At the end of “Bride Wars” after both girls were done sabotaging each other and making a big fight with the man they are suppose to be marrying they both just give up and give in. Both thinking and saying the same thing, “Oh, this fighting is so dumb, I'm so sorry about everything.”

At the end of both stories things actually work out for the better even though no one was expecting it. Emma found out about her true self and was convinced that the love between the man she was about to marry was “just a thing of the past”. While letting him go she remembered all she really needed was her best friend. In “Taming of the Shrew”, no one would've thought that Katherine and Petruchio would of ended up together but they did. He ended with an accomplishment and a wife as well as Liv but Emma ended off with something different, a new look on life. One partner having control in these relationship helped form them into what they really needed to be. Throughout the centuries nothing really changed about what society wants to see! They want to see someone wearing the pants in the relationship and one to watching them fit. 

Bibliography:  

-Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. N.p.: 1590-1592, n.d. Print.

-Bride Wars. Dir. Gary Winick. Perf. Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway. 2009. DVD.

-"The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb)." Bride(: |-*| )Wars Script at IMSDb. N.p., 5 Jan. 2009. Web. 6 Dec. 2013.

-SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2013.