Explain the ways that Shakespeare presents Katherine & Bianca.

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Sam Mulholland                25/01/04

Shakespeare

Explain the ways that Shakespeare presents Katherine & Bianca.

Shakespeare’s comedy “The Taming of the Shrew” shows the two sisters, Katherine and Bianca, as complete contrasts to eachother. He uses various techniques to achieve this effect. Many of these techniques are the same for both sisters; however their outcomes are different, therefore creating two completely different characters.

        We first see some of these techniques in action in Act I scene 1 when Kate and Bianca are first introduced. Our perception of the sisters is formed by what the men say about them and to them. Baptista, Kate and Bianca’s father, tries to persuade Gremio and Hortensio, Bianca’s suitors, to woo Kate, as she has no suitors yet. Gremio’s first comments on Kate paint a picture of her in our minds, “To cart her rather! She’s too rough for me”. Already we have a bad first impression of her and it becomes worse when Hortensio insults her, “No mates for you unless you were of gentler, milder mould”. These nasty comments show that the men are scared of her and obviously don’t think she is marriage material. Kate then says marriage is the last thing on her mind and wittily thinks of a comeback, “to comb your noddle with a three-legged stool”. She threatens to hit him with a piece of furniture. It is now clear in our minds that Kate is obviously the Shrew.

        

In contrast to Kate, however, Bianca is presented as very different. When we hear how the men speak of Bianca it is in an entirely different way. Everything said about her is not only flattering but elevates her; men worship her like a goddess, “the love I bear my sweat Bianca”. She acts sweetly in front of her father. This is a technique that is used to carry on the theme of deception and disguise used throughout the play. When told to go inside she does, “Go in, Bianca”. When given instructions she obeys. When Men speak to her they are polite and courteous, “madam, my instrument’s in tune”. She is seen as the “perfect” woman of Elizabethan times where as Kate is seen as the woman

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of today, much more independent and stands up for what she believes in. But she is seen as absolutely dreadful in Elizabethan times. By the end of act I scene 1 Shakespeare has used the same techniques to present the sisters but their behaviour, language and attitude are perceived as complete contrasts. Kate is seen as a shrew. She is feared and appears depressed. Bianca is pictured as the ideal woman, worshipped and adored throughout Padua.

        

Shakespeare brings us back to the sisters in act II scene 1. This is a crucial part in the play as ...

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