The Taming of The Shrew
and
10 Things I hate About You
There is a direct comparison between Shakespeare's play and the modern day film entitled 10 things I hate about you. Through comparing the two works, many similarities and contrasts become apparent. Although both plots were the same, there still remains the fact that love and relationships were far different in the time of Shakespeare. While The Taming of The Shrew stresses masculine dominance, 10 things I hate about you focuses more on the female's ability to have control over the male. In The Taming of The Shrew, Katherine changes to suit the preference of Petruchio. In the movie, the character kat changes her negative attitude but at the same time, Patrick Verona meets her halfway in changing for her as well. While the relationship in The Taming of the Shrew is seemingly one sided, the relationship in 10 things I hate about you is genuine and the result of a compromise. Other similarities between the two works include the protective father and the competitive nature in which the male suitors attempt to win over Bianca. Shakespeare's work, as mentioned, puts an emphasis on the male dominance of the time while 10 Things I Hate About You emphasizes the sexual power of the female and her abilities to influence the male.
Characters
Similarities between the Play and the movie
• The title "10 Things I Hate About
You" sounds remotely
like "Taming Of The Shrew".
• Several names reflect the Shakespearean origin of the story.
Bianca's and Kat's last name is Stratford (Shakespeare was born in
Stratford-upon-Avon). Patrick's last name is Verona (birthplace of
Petruchio, the corresponding character from the play). The high school
is called Padua, which is the city in which the play is set.
• After an altercation in the school parking lot, a character
Michael refers to Kat as "the Shrew”.
• In the film Kat appears in class and is reading one of
Shakespeare's sonnets.
• Lastly the basic plot outline is the same. Father won’t let
Bianca court a man till Kat finds a man.
Links
The Taming of The Shrew Explained
The Group
Joey Donner /
Hortensio
Michael Eckman /
Tranio