.In The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare overthrows gender stereotypes. In the early modern period, women were perceived as less rational, self-disciplined, and intellectual than men and, as a result, required male supervision from fathers and husbands, who “mold[ed]” them into obedient, docile, and silent women. Women in their “natural state” were often labelled shrews, as is Katherine in Shakespeare’s play, but Shakespeare upturns the typical designation and portrays male characters as more shrewish than his female protagonist. Examine the inverting and critiquing of gender norms in the play, showing that Katherine far surpasses the men in rationality, self-control, and strength of character and does not need to be “tamed.” Prove that she is mislabelled a shrew and uses her intellect to contend with the true shrew(s).
