Soliloquies Essay - Kates Soliloquy in The Taming of the Shrew :: Taming Shrew Essays

Kate's Soliloquy in The Taming of the Shrew Kate's soliloquy brings about a joyous conclusion to The Taming of the Shrew. The audience leaves the theatre with a pleasant feeling, glad that such a shrew could be tamed so well. Kate herself realised the error of her ways, making the men feel confident while making the women feel safe. Moreover, the audience found the speech to be very sound and sensible, as the views expressed in the play were extremely popular at that point in time. Kate, in realising her iniquitous ways, made the men feel extremely confident of their status in Elizabethan society, and effectively reinforced their beliefs about their own strength. Also, Shakespeare succeeds in creating a feeling of safety for the female audience, as well as in making them feel as through they are accepted for their kindness to men, and in the norm. Women, not having a strong role in society at that time, enjoyed receiving praise and encouragement for their purpose in society. Furthermore, they felt vindicated as Kate solemnly insulted the disobedient women (Bianca and the Widow), telling them to "Come, come, you froward and unable worms!". It may also be said that this play, as well as similar plays of the Elizabethan era, assisted in contributing to the oppression of females in society for an innumerable amount of years. After the conclusion of The Taming of the Shrew, including Kate's soliloquy, the audience is left with a proud feeling - proud of the fact that Petruchio tamed such a shrew so well. The men of the audience are about with feeling of satisfaction and justification. Shakespeare skillfully catered towards both sexes by using Petruchio much like the stereotypical action figure of today; a character who does the unbelievable effortlessly and leaves the audience in awe. In the play Petruchio, short after the inception of his skillful wooing, begins a plan "to kill a wife with kindness". Craftily he gives her anything that she pleases, only to swipe it away when he finds a flaw in the item. he also resorts to keeping Kate as a prisoner in his home, until she slowly becomes subservient and submissive to him.