The Taming of the Shrew - Character Analysis

"We know that no woman can be well and truly tamed" - Will Kemp

The BBC version of 'The Taming of the Shrew' is a modern take on the Shakespearean classic. Within the film there are a number of references to Elizabethan regality and the issues that faced the women of the period (in particular Elizabeth) such as marriage and power struggles.

Catherine

Catherine
http://users.livejournal.com/katys_/364896.html

The character of Catherine represents a key female role within the production and has a number of features reflective of Elizabeth I to enhance her stature as a dominant feminine influence, if by feminine of corse you mean rather masculine and cruel. Upon entry into every scene her character is followed by dramatic choruses of deep string instruments, this creates an essence of importance around her character but also reflects her aggressive nature. As the play goes on we witness this music soften as her character undergoes the influence of love and stability and the level of bitter loneliness that once consumed her life subsides. In the settings around Catherine are more signifiers of her status within the play, for example her work place is that of the Houses of Parliament which feature the marbles halls depicted within many reconstruction's of the Elizabethan period within film, in addition to this is the colour of her office which is blood red. The choice of this red signifies royalty and authority, therefore her placement within the centre of this room reinforces her status as leader.

Catherine is presented predominantly in a sleek cut black suit and flat shoes, the use of the black symbolises her figure of importance and has historical connections to regality as it was the most expensive and rare fabric to produce within Elizabethan England. Only worn by the Queen and her top most advisors. The jacket itself is reflective of the corsets of the time with a synched in waist and wide open necked collar, the choice of neckline of this jacket is crucial to the opening scene as it draws attention to her neck and face therefore symbolising the flamboyant ruff collars worn by Elizabeth herself. The creation of a small waist through the use of a belt adds to the Elizabethan influence of the garment with its fitted structure reflecting both the fashionable corsetry and her own uptight personality. The use of a suit continues throughout the whole film where even on her wedding day she is dressed in a long white suit/gown, the use of the colour white emphasises her virginal status at wedlock but also how awkwardly she adapts to this concept of marriage.

However the biggest signifiers of Catherine's character is done through that of her hair. At the beginning of the production it is slicked back tightly into a bun with a wonky centre part apparent down the right side of her head. The use of an off centre part is significant as it depicts her mental imbalance and inability to fit into the society around her, as the film goes on we see this uptight bun slowly fall down to a french twist and then to completely loose at the back. This is done to demonstrate her sense of belonging becoming apparent as she allows herself to fall in love, but regardless the wonky centre part remains. Although content at the end of the production Catherine's character is permanently intended to be a figure of female dominance and imbalance as in the words of Kemp, "we know that no woman can be well and truly tamed".

Petruchio

Petruchio in female dress
http://afariswrites.files.wordpress.
com/2010/10/rs31.jpg

The character of Petruchio within The Taming of the Shrew is that of a penniless, drunken aristocrat who at first appears to desire Catherine for nothing more than her wealth but soon finds himself desperately in love with her. Petruchio is portrayed in a full length fur coat throughout most of the first half of the production, the fur is visibly dense implying that he has a lot of wealth behind him (or indeed had at one point) as fur is a signifier of higher class within Elizabethan England as only those who could afford to hunt may obtain it. However in addition to the use of fur, there are also a number of verbal indications of his status such as that of his Tudor home where he was raised as the 16th Earl of Charlbury. It is apparent that he is a figure who has come from wealth and lost it all but in seeking profit through selfish desires finds love.
Perhaps however what is most recognisable about the character of Petruchio besides that of his obsessant alcoholism is his choice of attire for his own wedding. The use of colour within his costume reinforces his status of autocracy as deep greens and purples are commonly associated with that of regality however it is his choice of feminine attire in the form of knee high velvet boots, mini skirt and flamboyant velvet shirt are both comical and shocking to the audience. But this is too another signifier of the unbalanced state of the two key figures within this production and the inequality of the female gender explored through the concepts of marriage.
It may be interpreted that Petruchio's character is nothing more than bullying, materialistic and dictating throughout his relationship with Catherine as he attempt to tame her into becoming a suitable wife, however despite its comical nature this behaviour is accurate in its presumption. Petruchio's whole aim is to lower his wife down to a status of which is suitable to a woman of the Elizabethan period, therefore although we as an audience laugh at the comical way he surrounds his comments with words or romance he does in actual fact create the very female depression that is so disproved by Catherine at the beginning of the film. Unlike Elizabeth I, Catherine allows a man to put her 'in her rightful place' as it were seen.