Satire and Gender Subversion in The Taming of the Shrew

Introduction: Comedy, Satire, and Social Subversion

Comedy is a vehicle for satire, and satire is a means by which to convey social commentary. In The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare uses the medium of comedy to transmit potent yet socially subversive ideas related to gender roles and norms. Cloaked in an apparent allegiance to patriarchy, The Taming of the Shrew instead describes the ridiculousness of gender inequity. Shakespeare's commitment to farce and satire is evident in the diction and characterization used throughout the play. The play is constructed to evoke the gentlest nudge of discomfort in the audience, which in Shakespeare's time would not have questioned with any sincerity the fundamental values of patriarchy and the social subjugation of women.

Yet, given that the shrew was a trope recognizable to Elizabethan audiences, women and men had already grown uncomfortable with their prescribed roles. In order to evoke any laughter, the euphemism of the shrew — referring to a rebellious or incorrigible female — would have been commonplace. Women were continually striving to stretch their boundaries, and could only do so from within the confines of the domestic sphere. The shrew is by definition a woman who persistently annoys or nags, like the rodent the word connotes. In this case, the shrew nags in order to assert her dominance. The fact that Shakespeare has his shrew ultimately capitulate into patriarchal submission proves that the play is a satire. After all, Shakespeare relies on the frame narrative to suggest the topsy-turvy nature of the world of Katherine and Petruchio. Plays like The Taming of the Shrew provided a cathartic release, respite from conformity, and insight into the means by which to challenge patriarchy.

Katherine's Intelligence and the Meaning of 'Shrew'

There is no coincidence that Shakespeare chose the word shrew as a euphemism for the nagging wife. A shrew is similar to the word "shrewd," meaning cunning and connoting intelligence. In fact, Tranio, Lucentio's servant, remarks that Katherine is "curst and shrewd" and that she will "not be annoy'd with suitors" (Act I, scene i). The fact of Katherine's shrewdness — and not just her shrew-ness — is a prevalent theme of the play. Katherine is annoyed with suitors because they appear to her as bumbling idiots. She is depicted immediately as being far more intelligent than Bianca, her sister, who has beauty but perhaps not brains. As early as Act I, scene i, Bianca is depicted as being in need of an education, whereas Katherine most certainly is not. Katherine's rejection of the men is related to her rejection of their rank stupidity and her knowledge that she is far superior to them in intelligence.

Later, Katherine's superiority is subtly alluded to when Hortensio discusses Katherine with Petruchio: "Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee / And wish thee to a shrewd ill-favour'd wife? / Thou'ldst thank me but a little for my counsel" (Act I, scene ii). Hortensio is surely intimidated by Katherine because of her intelligence, her shrewdness, and her cunning. These are qualities that threaten patriarchy and the presumed intellectual, social, and political superiority of men.

Education as Power and Symbol

Education is a primary means by which females gain access to social, cultural, and financial capital. This was as true in Shakespeare's society as ever, and indeed the theme of education is significant in The Taming of the Shrew. As Hutcheon points out, "The Taming of the Shrew is a text deeply invested in the idea of education — scenes of pedagogy fill the play, from Katherine's attack on the music teacher to Bianca and Lucentio's love lessons to Petruchio's taming of Katherine." Education is both a symbol and a function. As a symbol, it represents power and particularly self-empowerment. Katherine is immediately established as a self-sufficient woman with a strong education, and is therefore contrasted sharply with her more attractive and docile younger sister Bianca.

As a process, education serves as the means by which to achieve knowledge, power, and enlightenment. Education is not restricted to book learning, although book learning is as important in The Taming of the Shrew as it is in The Tempest. In the play, book learning is presented as essentially gender neutral — a universal human constant. As Hutcheon observes, "A system originally developed for the education of boys works equally well to educate women." Education beyond book learning entails the transformation of values and the realization that some social structures prove inefficient.

Conclusion: The Farce of Patriarchy and Katherine's Liberation

In The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare sheds light on the core farce of patriarchy. The play is clearly a satire, bordering on being an exemplar of absurdist literature. Social change is strongly recommended, even if it is not expected of an audience too far entrenched in outmoded values to embrace it. As Sirluck states, "Shakespeare frequently exploits generic conventions in a subversive way" (417). Further proof that the subversion is deliberate — and not merely a projection from twenty-first-century feminists — rests with the literary device of framing. Shakespeare frames The Taming of the Shrew precisely so that audiences can pierce the veneer of social norms and wrestle with the core dimensions of gender construction. Gender and social roles are socially constructed, Shakespeare points out, and Katherine never truly submits to them; her monologue at the close of the play is far too absurd to be taken at face value.