Shakespeare And Jonson’s Presentation Of Women, Marriage And Wives In The Taming Of The Shrew And Volpone Essay, Research Paper
Shakespeare and Jonson s presentation of women,Marriage, and wives in The Taming of the Shrew and Volpone Shakespeare and Jonson use the female characters in their works The Taming of the Shrew (1594) and Volpone (1606) to illustrate different types of femininity. Katharina, a shrew who is tamed by her husband in The Taming of the Shrew, is a fluid character. Her switch from a shrew to an ideal woman is opposite from her sister s switch from an ideal woman to a shrew. Jonson s Volpone also presents an ideal woman in addition to a shrewish character. Jonson s ideal is his character Celia, one of the victims in his play. Lady Would-be is the antithesis of this ideal. Both Shakespeare and Jonson use these character to make statements about women, marriage, and wives in The Taming of the Shrew and Volpone. Shakespeare s female characters exist in two spheres in The Taming of the Shrew. One sphere of femininity is the Elizabethan ideal. The ideal Elizabethan woman is obedient, soft-spoken, and virtuous. The ideal is very desired by many men and admired by women. The antithesis of this feminine ideal is the shrew. This figure is loud, spiteful, and forward. She is rejected and feared by men and women alike. The characters in The Taming of the Shrew demonstrate the ability to switch from the ideal to the shrew because of the influence of men. Bianca is presented as the ideal female character at the beginning of the play. She encompasses all the characteristics of the ideal, including the most importantly submissiveness. She says to her father, Sir, to your please I humbly subscribe (1.1.,80). This statement illustrates her obedience to her father and makes the men in the play desire her for their wife. Her suitor Lucentio, after seeing her interact with her father, remarks, And with her breath she did perfume the air. Sacred and sweet was all I saw in her (1.1., 167-168). As the play progresses Bianca become more independent and forward. While with her tutors she protests that she will learn my lessons as I please myself (3.1.,18). She is stating that she will do what she wants in spite of her tutor s wishes. This statement is a distinct change from her humble submission to her father. At the end of the play, Bianca behaves like a shrew. Her refusal to come when her husband beckons her marks her transition from ideal to shrew. She refers to wifely duty, commenting, Fie, what a foolish duty call you this? (5.2.,129). Following this statement, Katharina gives Bianca a lecture on the wifely duty. At the beginning of the play, Katharina is presented at a shrew. Hortensio explains how everyone knew about her shrewishness, he describes her as being reowned in Padua for her scolding tongue (1.2.,94). She exhibits this shrewish behavior in act two when she leads her sister in with her hands tied. Katharina also strikes her sister claiming that, her silence flouts me, and I ll be revenged (2.1.,29). Through her relationship with Petruchio, Katharina is changed from the shrew to Shakespeare s example of the feminine ideal. Petruchio begins Katharina s taming by showing up late for the wedding and remaining through the ceremony improperly dressed. He concludes the taming by giving her a large dose of her own behavior. Petruchio yells at his servants and continually states that nothing is good enough for Katharina. He tears up a beautiful gown in front of her eyes because it is lewd and filthy. Why, tis a cockle or walnut shell, (4.3.,65-66). He tells her that she will have a gentlewoman s clothing when you are gentle (4.3.,71). The result of the taming is instantaneous. Katharina is so changed that later that night she gives a speech about womanly obedience stating that, thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, thy head, thy sovereign; one that cares for thee (5.2., 150-151). Jonson s play, Volpone, also has an ideal female character. Celia, the typical ideal, is submissive and obedient. She responds to her husband s every whim, she rarely stirs abroad but to church (2.5., 47). Mosca describes her beauty as The blazing star of Italy! A wench O the first year! A beauty, ripe as harvest! Whose skin is white than a swan, all over! (1.5.,108-110). Her beauty and perfection is enough to make Volpone risk his scheme just to see her. He says that he will go see her, though but at her window (1.5., 127).
Lady Would-be is Jonson s representation of a shrewish female character. Other characters seek to avoid and denounce her forwardness. Volpone comments about her She s in again. Before I feigned diseases, now I have one (3.4.,62-63). Jonson uses her as an example of what happens to forward women when she makes a fool of herself while confronting her husband about his adultery. Lady Would-be hears from Mosca that her husband was cheating on her and she rushes off to confront him. When she finds him with Peregrine, she assumes that Peregrine is a prostitute dressed as a man. She angrily approaches her husband, Come, I blush for you, Master Would-be, ay; And am ashamed you should ha no more forehead than thus to be the patron to lewd harlot, a base fricatrice, a female devil in a male outside (4.2.,52-56). When Lady Would-be learns that Peregrine she is very embarrassed. She states How has my judgement wandered! Sir, I must, blushing, say to you I have erred (4.3.,11-12). Shakespeare presents his ideal marriage at the end of the play. He creates the perfect image of marriage and love, when at the end of play, Petruchio wins a bet based on his wife s obedience. Petruchio beckons to Kate, Come and kiss me Kate (5.2.,184). This kiss, combined with Kate s obedience creates the perfect picture of marriage. The wife is the ideal obedient figure and the husband is the dominator; the result is a loving relationship. Kate s obedience to her husband is clear in her final speech. Kate states, Such duty as the subject owes the prince even such a woman oweth to her husband (5.2.,159-160). Kate s speech is referred to by Frances E. Dolan editor, as a homily on marriage (Dolan 160). Dolan contends that Shakespeare hold up the marriage of Katharina and Petruchio as an ideal because it is a stable hierarchy-the husband is clearly the dominant partner and the wife his subordinate (Dolan 160). Shakespeare also presents two marriages that are the antithesis of the ideal. The marriages of Bianca and Lucentio and Hortensio and the Widow are revealed to be not ideal during the final scene of Petruchio s victory. The two women ignore their husband s beckoning while Kate responds to Petruchio immediately. Shakespeare is thus making the statement that the ideal marriage must contain the ideal wife, the subordinate and the ideal husband, the dominant figure. Jonson avoids presenting an ideal marriage in his play Volpone. The marriage between Celia and Corvino is the antithesis of the ideal, in spite of the fact that Celia is a submissive obedient wife. Corvino takes advantage of her, consumed by jealousy and power. Jonson is making a statement about the typical stereotype; that the ideal wife creates the ideal marriage. Jonson uses Corvino to represent the idea that the ideal marriage is not possible; simply because Celia is ideal. Corvino worships her and thus flies into a jealous rage at the slightest provocation. The Would-be s also the opposite of the ideal relationship. Lady Would-be wears the pants in the relationship. She yells at Sir Pol, since you provoke me with you impudence (4.2.,46). Jonson is stating, through these marriages, that no ideal marriage is possible, even if one ideal is present in the marriage. The plays The Taming of the Shrew and Volpone present stereotypical views about the ideal woman and the shrewish woman. The ideal is accepted and desired and the shrew is rejected and discussed behind her back. Both play also discuss the ideal marriage and the ideal wife. Shakespeare believes the ideal to be possible, as presented in the marriage between Katharina and Petruchio, but only when both the husband and the wife are ideals. Jonson believes that an ideal marriage is not possible, even if one partner in the marriage is ideal. Celia is an ideal wife yet the marriage between Celia and Corvino is definitely not ideal. Both marriages in Volpone illustrate the idea that the ideal marriage is not possible.