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This is The second page of the demo assignment

This page talks about wheteher or not Shakespear is a playrighter that will always be relevant on topics of the day

This is the first paragraph.

Among all the famous writers worldwide, William Shakespeare stands out as a great poet and playwright whose words have been used throughout history. Shakespeare's contemporary Ben Jonson famously described Shakespeare as "not of an age but for all time." His quote suggests that Shakespeare transcends the confines of Renaissance England, suggesting a timeless quality in his works. However, although Shakespeare's plays have themes that are prevalent throughout time, it's clear that certain aspects are deeply ingrained in his time's cultural and historical environment, with one example being Shakespeare's use of domestic violence. This essay shows how a thorough understanding of Renaissance English history and culture is needed for understanding Shakespeare's play "Taming of the Shrew." in order to decipher people's actions as reflections of the norms of the time and not just individual character traits.

This is the second paragraph.

Shakespeare's plays are like mirrors, showing what society was like back in Shakespeare's time. "The Taming of the Shrew" is a good example of this. The play is funny and exaggerated when it comes to showing how husbands and wives interact, but it also has something to say about how women were expected to behave back in the Renaissance. At this time, England would be characterized by what we would call today a deeply entrenched patriarchal structure where social expectations and gender roles were rigorously defined. In that period, women were often considered the property of their fathers before marriage and their husbands after they got married and were expected to be submissive and obedient. This is why the character of Petruchio, as a representative of his time, embodies the social expectation that a husband should dominate and "tame" his wife. Understanding Renaissance England's culture and norms is pivotal in decoding Petruchio's actions as reflective of such standards rather than just personal quirks.

This is the third paragraph.

The character of Petruchio, who is the central figure engaging in the taming of his wife, Katherine, must be viewed through this cultural lens in order to understand the language and actions of Petruchio during the play, which play a crucial role in the depiction of spousal abuse. He doesn't just resort to physical violence, but he also uses manipulation and psychological tactics to 'tame' Katherine. By gaslighting, humiliating, and depriving Katherine, he emotionally and mentally abuses her. His ultimate goal is to crush her spirit and transform her into a submissive wife, as society of the time expects. This is seen in Act 4, scene 1, when Petruchio tells the audience that he is depriving Katherine of food, sleep, and comfort in order to wear Katherine down and 'tame' her:

Thus have I politicly begun my reign,
And 'tis my hope to end successfully.
My falcon now is sharp and passing empty,
And, till she stoops, she must not be full-gorged,
For then, she never looks upon her lure. ...
This is a way to kill a wife with kindness,
And thus, I'll curb her mad and headstrong humor. (3.1.181-186 - 3.1.203-204)

This passage shows how Petruchio clearly wants to control Katherine's behavior. He denies her food and sleep, employing a psychological strategy to wear her down. He also uses words such as "curb" and "mad and headstrong humor" to represent not only what the society of the time expects from men and women but also the way controlling language was commonly used in marriages during Renaissance England. This is reinforced later when Katherine finally submits to Petruchio after he tells her that the sun is the moon and then threatens not to go back to Babtista's home if Katherine disagrees with him "Then God be blessed, it is the blessèd sun. / But sun it is not, when you say it is not, / And the moon changes even as your mind. / What you will have it named, even that it is, / And so it shall be so for Katherine" (4.5.20-24). This passage further shows why a thorough understanding of Renaissance English history and culture is needed for understanding Shakespeare's play "Taming of the Shrew." Petruchio's intense methods match the societal norms of a husband being in charge, and Katherine's transformation from rebellion to obedience mirrors the societal expectations on women. Therefore, the quote represents the play's main ideas, showing how cultural context is crucial in understanding the characters' motives.

This is the fourth and final paragraph.

"The Taming of the Shrew" is a play of its time and not "for all time," as Ben Johnson stated, as the gender norms and social expectations of Renaissance England are no longer prevalent in the modern world. We see spousal abuse in the play in a way that makes us think about what power dynamics were like in marriages in Renaissance England. By looking at the play in the context of Renaissance England, analyzing how Petruchio behaves and talks, and analyzing how Katherine behaves and talks, we can understand the issue of spousal abuse in "The Taming of the Shrew." We see that the play makes fun of societal norms, but when we, the audience, read the play, it makes us think about how patriarchy still affects us today and how power works in relationships. When we explore this theme, we have to face the uncomfortable truths that are hidden in the comedy of Shakespeare's play "Taming of the Shrew." It makes us question and rethink how spousal relationships have worked in the past and how they work now.

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