How The Taming of the Shrew influenced the movie 27 dresses

Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and the movie 27 Dresses, both have a similar plot that shows different a perspective about relationships and marriage. Katherine, a character from Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, carries an aggressive attitude. Katherine is the oldest daughter of Baptista. No one wants to marry her because of the behavior she carries. which sooner makes Katherine become miserable and desperate in her life. Katherine’s younger sister Bianca, can not date or marry Lucentio, the man she loves until Kate does first. Petruchio comes in town and the only one who looks forward to take Katherine’s hand into marriage but she dislikes Petruchio. Jane from 27 dresses doesn’t like to say no to her friends when it comes to weddings, which she becomes the perfect bridesmaid that any bride can have, 27 times she has been. Jane is also the oldest sister. Jane is secretly in love with her boss George. Jane’s younger sister Tess, comes in town and sooner becomes engaged to George and it kills Jane to see her sister to fall in love with her secretly love. The main focus between Jane and Katherine is about the female ideas on courtship and dating. The Taming of the Shrew and 27 Dresses, both focus on the female perspective that love is a lie.

“Sorry? You humiliated me in front of every single person that I know, and you think you could just say sorry? - Tess

In this scene of 27 Dresses, There was ignorance between Jane and Tess, that an argument was turned into. Before Tess came in the hardware store, their father tried to convinced Jane to solve thing out with Tess and ask for forgiveness. “All I'm saying is you two are sisters. You have got to work this out”, Says the father of Jane and Tess. When Tess enters the hardware store, their father and an employee exist the hardware store, to give Jane and Tess space to sort things out. “Tess, this is between you and her. I'm out of this. You know, Flo, have you seen the new weed whackers we've got out front? The latest model”, Says the father. Jane and Tess argument relates between Katherine and Bianca, when it comes to romance love. The argument was about, how Tess engagement was cut off. Tess lied about herself in the entire relationship and pretended to be another women that her ex- fiancé would look into. Tess ex- fiancé was also Jane’s secret love and refused to let her marry the love of her life. All Tess wanted was to fit in and to be successful relationship like Jane.  Everything changed when Jane set the powerpoint and revealed the real Tess. Even before the dinner rehearsal for the wedding. Even before, Tess became selfish and cut the dress of their mother who passed away, that she was suppose to wear on her wedding day that became into her own design. It was the only piece that kept the memory of their mother. Both characters Jane and Tess have an different perspective between love and marriage, but noticing in this scene shows the female ideas about romance love from two different personalities. Weather love is it real or not? 

“I am ashamed that women are so simple 

To offer war where they should kneel for peace, 

Or sneek for rule, supremacy, and sway

When they are bound to serve, love, and obey.”

(Act V, Scene 2, Line Number Line CLXXVII)

In Act V, Scene II, Lucentio and Bianca, Petruchio and Katherine, and Horteniso and the Widowm all attended the wedding banquet. At the wedding banquet, Petruchio have been teased that he married to a shrew. Petruchio tries to prove Lucentio and Horteniso wrong that Katherine will obey his demands but also he challenges Lucentio and Horteniso to call out their wives and to see who is the most obedient of them all within responding and obeying.  Neither Bianca or the Widown have refused to come to their husbands but Katherine was the only one to obey. At the moment, Petruchio wins the challenge but he also demands Katherine to bring out the other wives as we’ll. After Katherine arriving with the other wives, Katherine makes a long speech about women’s submission to their husbands. As Katherine goes along with the speech, she includes how women are simple and how women offer themselves to their husband differently. Women usually stand under command by their partner to be pleased by keeping them happy and to stay with the decision they are force to do. This is to show how Katherine and the other wives shows the female ideas within marriage and love. Not only Katherine disses women’s but she also gets the love that she deserves. “ My mind hath been as big as one of yours, My heart as great, my reason haply more, To bandy word for word and frown for frown”, Says Katherine in her speech. Katherine had changed her mind Petruchio even though that both of them has gone through difficult moments in their marriage. The way that Katherine perspective about her love life, weather it’s real or not? It gave her a chance to believe in it. 

Between The Taming of the Shrew and 27 Dresses, Katherine and Jane have gone through difficult moments within love experience and it may seem that both characters perspective may have changed their their minds about love and marriage. Both Katherine and Jane have realized the real definition about romance love. Is love real or a lie? they asked. At the end, they noticed who do they really love and who is actually beside them. They may have been different positions that no other would want to be in. But they also realized that women my be physically attached to pleased one another, but do women actually mean it? Do they do certain stuff to not let each other go?

SCENE 2:

 “ I want you to know, I think you deserve more than what you’ve settled for, I do. I think you deserve to be taken care of for a change.” - Kevin 

In this scene of 27 Dresses, Jane finally steps out for a change at the dinner rehearsal for the wedding of her sister Tess and her boss George. Everything changed when Jane set the powerpoint. Jane finally revealed the real side of Tess, who disguised herself to as an different person that would make someone George fall in love with her. George, was also known that he is the secret love of Jane. Jane refused to let her younger sister Tess to marry the love of her life. This was something brave and dramatic that Jane did for herself. Jane was sick enough and had to let the truth out for all to know that Tess was a lying throughout the whole situation. Through out that moment, the engagement was off, which made George furious about Tess lies. Jane felt guilty. Jane stepped outside from dinner rehearsal, into the streets. Kevin, who was there for Jane this whole time to watch her get hurt by her sister. Kevin and Jane, also had a love connection. “ I think you deserve more than what you settle for ”, Says Kevin.  At that moment Jane finally realized that she was wrong about hiding her love for George, where her real love was beside her the whole time. Kevin was the one for her. Kevin and Jane, had gone through difficult moment in the movie but at the end, they finally realized that they were made for each other. This is to sort out that love can be real. At times, you may not realized, what is love really about? Love is not going to show up at any time, It take patience to notice. This changes to female ideas about romance love from dating to marriage. 

Both The Taming of the Shrew and 27 Dresses includes love and marriage. Between both stories, the main focus were on the characters Jane and Katherine. Between both characters, shows the female ideas on courtship and dating. As female’s different perspective that love is a lie, but most females think that love are  emotional feelings. For some people, it makes no logical sense that love dose not make exist. Of course, love can be trouble concept but sometimes it can be proved wrong. Most relationships and marriage goal is to maintain each other to keep each other happy. Not many relationships and marriage are successful, there are many reasons why it becomes a failure but there are consequences that will be made with each other. 

Brosh McKenna , Aline, ed. "http://www.imdb.com/." 27 Dresses . N.p., 18 Jan 2008. Web. 8 Dec 2013. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0988595/>.

Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. New York, New York: Washington Square Press, 1992. Print.

Wedding Crash

Comparing “Taming of the Shrew” to “27 Dresses”

Both movies, “Taming of the Shrew” and “27 Dresses”, are about love, but the love that is being shown is not romantic love. It’s forced love. Forced love is when someone does something to make other person be in love with them. The way most people use force love is with lies. In the book, “Taming of the Shrew” Lucentio made Bianca to believe that he was a teacher named Cambio just to get close to her and get her to marry him. And in the movie, “27 Dresses”, when Tess came back into town and met George, she pretended to like everything he did just to get George to fall in love with her and get him to marry her. 

Though Lucentio and Tess basically did the same thing, they still in eclectic situations. What made Lucentio’s situation different is even though he lied to Bianca she  still decided to marry him. Tess had a different situation. Once George found out that she lied to him decided to call off the wedding. Also, Tess wasn’t the one who told him she lied to him. Jane, the main character and also the first one to be in love with George before Tess, told him and everyone at their engagement dinner who Tess actually was when she was showing the slide shows. These two situations shows that, over time, the way some people find the spouse have only changed slightly but not dramatically. But they are very similar. Honesty in relationships is very rare. But deception has been in multiple relationship for so many years. It helps people forces other people to fall in love with them for the wrong reasons.

Bianca

“Believe me, sister, of all the men alive

I never yet beheld that special face

Which I could fancy more than any other.”

(Act II, Scene i, 10-12)

In this quote, Bianca was talking to her sister about how she have not found the right man to marry yet. She says, “I never yet beheld that special face”. Which means, just like most people, she’s just worried about finding a handsome guy and not a guy with a good personally. But the movie was a bit different. When George first met Tess, he began to fall for her looks. This tells the viewers that looks means a lot to guys and not just the female’s personality.

In the beginning of the “27 Dresses,” Jane’s best friend, Casey says to Jane sarcastically, “Yea, that’s what guys want, responsible.” Unlike Lucentio, George eventually started to like Tess’ personality, even though what she told him about her was all a lie. He liked what she told him. Even though there is a saying that goes, It’s not what’s on the outside that matters it’s on the inside that counts, this movie is displaying the opposite.

Merchant, “as Vincentio”

“Thou liest. His father is come from Padua and here looking out at the window.”

(Act V, Scene i, 31-33)

In this quote, Vincentio realized he was being impersonated. Tranio had to find some to impersonate Vincentio, Lucentio’s father, just to insure Lucentio of the money he was going to get if he was to marry Bianca. One night, the real Vincentio decided to come see his son and out the window looked the merchant, the person who was pretending to Vincetio. Kevin’s and Lucentio’s situations are similar, but  it could be seen different because of what they lied for. Lucentio lied for riches while Kevin lied to keep his identity. 

In the middle of the movie, Jane was a bakery place getting Tess’ and George’s cake together when Tess decided to surprise Jane with her favorite wedding writer, Malcolm, also known as Kevin. Jane was so confused and angry when she saw him because she hated that he lied to her to protect his identity. Another way Kevin’s and Lucentio’s situation could be seen as different is when the real Vincentio found out that Lucentio had someone to impersonate him he wasn’t really mad. But when Jane found out that Kevin was actually this wonderful writer that she admired so much she was beyond angry.

Throughout the movie, there were a good amount of issues that started because of deception and lack of honesty. Once Jane saw that Tess had destroyed their mother’s wedding dress she realized she’d been pushed too far. So at the anniversary dinner Jane decided to tell everyone about the real Tess when she was presenting the slide show about Tess and George. This set awkwardest all in the building. It also caused the Tess and George to break up. After all the madness was over, Jane realized that she was in love Kevin, a writer that she admire. 

At the end of the movie, Jane and Kevin got married and Tess and George remained single. And at the end of “Shrew” Lucentio won Bianca over and they got married to each other. At the end of “27 Dresses” Jane realized that the person who actually notice you might just be your lover for life and not the person who don’t notice you unless they need something or something went wrong. The movie surprised the audience by having Jane living happily ever after instead of Tess.

Resources:

Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. Pp. 84. J. Tonson & the Rest of the Proprietors: London, 1734. Print.

27 Dresses. Dir. Anne Fletcher. By Aline B. McKenna. Perf. Katherine Heigl and James

Marsden. Fox., 2008. DVD.

“Say as he says, or we shall never go.”

Act 4, Scene 3, Line 13

The Taming Of The Shrew has two characters that get married, Katherine and Petruchio. Petruchio has wed Katherine against her will in order to get money that her father will give him. Both characters are stubborn and mean to anyone who tries to get close to them or is just in the way. Katherine hears of her sister Bianca's wedding and the newlyweds are supposed to attend the celebration. But Petruchio is still in the process of completing his secret plan at this point; break Katherine into the perfect obedient wife. 

To test her he say's that the moon is shining even though it is clearly the sun. Katherine then tries to argue that it is the sun but quickly stops as he threatens to not go to the wedding. Petruchio's servant Hortensio then whispers the quote above to Katherine so that they can attend the wedding. Petruchio expects Katherine to follow where ever he goes and agree with whatever he says. No matter how crazy or wrong it is.

Husbands aren't always the person demanding attention and respect all the time though. Sometimes it's the best friend or servant or even the wife that has expectations to be met.

In Ted, John has a magical stuffed bear that has been his best friend sense childhood. They do everything and go everywhere together. John has always depended on Ted to fill him up with the friendship he never had as a child. In this part of the movie, Ted asks John to hang out with him later. John turns him down saying that he has an anniversary dinner with his girlfriend Lori. Hearing this, Ted acts upset and not thrilled one bit with the fact that John and Lori are having their 4 year anniversary. 

Ted expects John to be free whenever he needs something. His thinking is that if John really cares for him he'll come when called. It's not enough for Ted that John lets him live for free in his apartment with Lori and himself. The expectations have increased between them over the years. Just like the expectations Petruchio has for Katherine increases every time he breaks a piece of her spirit. Ted has been easing his expectations onto John sense childhood nurturing it in his head. While Petruchio is force-feeding his expectations onto Katherine daily with no remorse. Wether it's by a friend or a lover, expectations are being made everyday.

“First kiss me, Kate, and we will.”

“What, in the midst of the street?”

“What, art thou ashamed of me?”

“[No] sir, God forbid, but ashamed to kiss.”

“Why, then, let’s go home again. Come, sirrah, lets away.”

“Nay, I will give thee a kiss. Now pray thee, love, stay.”

Act 5, Scene 2, Lines 147-154

After Bianca and Lucentio wed in The Taming Of The Shrew they throw a dinner for everyone to attend and dine together. Katherine walks with Petruchio at her side as people enter the large hall. Wanting to prove his ownership once more, Petruchio stops and tells Katherine to kiss him before entering. He gives her the options to stay at the party and kiss him or refuse and go back home.

Katherine wants to go inside the hall and see her family. To see the father who wed her to this maniac and to see her sister who has gotten her true love. At the same time Katherine doesn't want to kiss Petruchio, especially not in front of a crowd of people. Her family expects her to show up to the party while her husband Petruchio expects her to kiss him or go home. To satisfy both sides she puts her feelings aside and kisses Petruchio quickly to get it over with. 

Katherine found a way to make everyone content for the occasion at hand. Both sides want their high expectations met by Katherine no matter the feelings she has. This happens all the time between families, friends, and lovers in life.

John is faced with a similar problem as Katherine in this part of Ted, the movie. His girlfriend Lori is ready for marriage and to have a better life with John.  She is tired of John letting Ted dictate his life and get between them. While Ted wants to stay at Johns side forever as best friends. Ted and John have already been friends for more than 20 years. Ted wants the relationship to be everlasting while Lori wishes for John to choose her and let Ted go forever.

To compromise and try to gain peace, John makes a decision. He decides to make Ted get his own apartment and job so that Lori can have the place just for herself and John. Now to make Ted not seem alone and left out John also decides to visit him keeping contact. John loves Lori more than anyone else he's known romantically. At the same time Ted is the best and only close friend that John has had all his life. Both of them are important to John and now they are making him choose against his feelings of having happily living together.

In the times of The Taming Of The Shrew women often had no rights or say in who they married. Women also had no voice in their marriages. All they were supposed to do was follow their husbands commands. Ted brings the same points but in a modern sense. Yes people have more of a say in who they marry. But now there's no guarantees like back in the day. 

Once a woman married, she and her husband were actually bonded until death died them part. Now a days women and men divorce, separate, and then elope at least once after the first marriage. A man and woman had to be married before they could become intimate in the Shrew. While in Ted there are prostitutes, drunken sex at parties, and sex between mates that have not yet tied the knot. 

Society has let dating and courtship become less organized and traditional. Less people are getting blessings from parents before marriage while parents are letting their children have a say in who they bring home for the blessing. Even as time progresses towards the future, society will always have people coming up with expectations for their mates to live up to.