Taming of the Shrew & 10 Things I Hate About You

In "The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare, and "Ten things I hate about you", directed by Gil Junger, both contexts reflect the society of when each text was composed. When comparing these two texts and observing the themes, it is indisputable that these contexts have shown the similarity and differences of the values during the time, thus, it shows the evolution of society.

Firstly, "The Taming of the shrew" suggests money to be a very important necessity of life during the time. It is a suitor's economic consideration which acts as a determinant to who marries whom. Both Bianca and Katherine are viewed upon by their suitors as "treasures". This is suggested by Petruchio's first appearance: "I come to wive it wealthily in Padua; If wealthily, then happily in Padua" (Act 1, Scene 2). The initial attraction between Katherina and Petruchio is money, and this is similar to the appropriation. "Ten things I hate about you" also shows money to perform a significant and controlling role in life of the contemporary society, though not quite to the same extent as the play. The wealth of Joey Donner is clearly a connection between the two contexts. Money is used to persuade Patrick to "date" Kat. However, love overtakes wealth and this illustrates how values have changed and how relationships need greater meaning and context than just simply economic status.

Social position is another issue in both of the texts. Within these texts, each person employs a certain social position that conveys with its specific expectations of how that person should behave. In the play, Katherina does not live up to the society's expectations, so she excludes herself from what she considers as part of the "acceptable social community". And due to her alienation, she suffers from the capability to "belong" to any social groups and this leads her to become the ultimate shrew. In "Ten things I hate about you", at the beginning of the film, Michael explains to Cameron about the different classified groups in their school. Later in the film, it is discovered that Kat was once a part of the "popular" group of people. Due to morality and pressure, she became aware of the excess amount of conformity in the society. Similar to her equivalent character from the play, her isolation leads her to have a negative attitude towards society's expectations and conformity. When comparing the issue in these two texts, it is suggested that the existence of the social barrier, the importance of the "exterior" and playing the respective social role has not changed during time.

The two texts also address the gender positions and the relation between opposite sexes. The differing roles of men and women of the time are apparent to those of the Elizabethan times. After Katherina and Petruchio's marriage, Petruchio instantly dominates the household despite Katherina's behaviour. Petruchio speaks of instructing her like a "falcon" and plans to "kill a wife with kindness". Katherina is forced to follow Petruchio's every order, not only because