This essay deals with the appeal of 'The Taming of The Shrew' to Year 10 students in 2008, and its relevance in modern times. Despite huge cultural differences and attitudes between Shakespearean times and the present day, the play remains just as relevant and appealing as ever. This is because of the timeless themes. While directors may significantly adapt the script, these themes stay exactly the same. One example is the battle of the sexes, and their gender roles in society. These are things that will always be around. Due to Shakespeare's incorporation of this, his work is still enjoyed over 400 years later, with much more appreciation to come in the future. There are still many references to this play in popular culture today, one such example being the movie '10 Things I Hate About you'. Again, while there are significant changes, there are huge similarities with the values and themes.
The battle of the sexes is an excellent universal and timeless theme. Anybody can relate to it no matter what age, race, or gender they are. This allows many adaptations to be made while keeping the idea the same. Shakespeare leaves much left unanswered, meaning that everyone interprets and perceives it in a different way. In the case of 'The Taming of the Shrew', this battle is between Petruchio and Katherina. During the movie they both fight for dominance, with no clear winner at the end. This makes it and enjoyable script for film makers, giving them complete freedom as there is no set way that they must portray it. Initially it seems to me that Petruchio is dominating, as he forces Katherina to marry him against all her values. After being informed by her father that she was to be married the next Sunday, Katherina declared that she would rather be hanged. Petruchio of course is only marrying her for the dowry, and he has no real interest in her. We know this because after being told by Hortensio of how horrible she is, he simply says: "I come to wive it wealthily in...