The Taming of The Shrew

The Taming of The Shrew is a one of Shakespeare's many loved comedies, that has been adapted many times through the centuries. However the BBC rewrites this Shakespearian play to create a new, modern version set in this century, which makes it more realistic for our times. This was part of a series of Shakespeare retold in 2005, and stars the likes of Shirley Henderson, Rufus Sewell, Jamie Murray, Steven Tompkinson and Twiggy. It follows the story of Katherine Minola, who is a successful politician who is tipped to be leader of her party. However as an individual she has a very short temper and is still single at the age of 38, so many are pushing her to get married. When she meets Petruchio, all becomes possible. 

I feel that this show and its characters has many links to the Elizabethans. Katherine being one of the main characters in the show has many connections to Queen Elizabeth herself. Even in the opening sequence when she is walking past the politicians, her pace and stance shows power much like Cate Blanchett at the end of the film Elizabeth. Her style also replicates the queen in certain aspects, in particular her middle parting and bun and her pale complexion which were popular during the Elizabethan Era. 

The story line for Katherine also significantly links to Queen Elizabeth as they suggest that to be in leadership she should change her lifestyle and find a man to become more popular with her people, something the Queen had always battled during her reign. There is a common theme of how she is a virgin even at the age of 30, Elizabeth was known as the "Virgin Queen". Even at the end of The Taming of The Shrew she never admits wether she is a virgin although its hinted that she isn't, this was always an un known fact as Queen Elizabeths love affairs were always kept very secret, so as to show her love for her country was stronger than her love for men. In The Taming of The Shrew Katherine also marries an Earl, and although we are not certain on Queen Elizabeths love life in that much detail, she is linked to Earls throughout her reign. 

On her wedding day Katherine wears a dress that is synched at the waist and flows outwards, a look that is popular in that Era, she also wears white which is a sign of purity on your wedding day. 

I also feel Petruchio is a new Elizabethan in the Taming of the Shrew. For one, he is an Earl, and Queen Elizabeth was thought to have many love affairs with Earls during her reign. His clothing during the wedding looked very much like the clothing the Tudors wore, with rich colours and materials such as velvet. He also wears fur during the show, which was a costly fabric that only the rich, such as Earls, could afford during the Elizabethan Era. His hair was curly, which was what many of the men fashioned in that Era. 

Wainwright, S. (2005). The Taming of The Shrew. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/shakespeare/tamingoftheshrew/. Last accessed 5/12/14.

To me, Bianca is very similar to Queen Elizabeths sister Mary. For one the character Harry (Biancas agent) questions whether they are real sisters, this could be a reference to the fact that they are half sisters, and that Mary denies any link to her "Bastard" sister Elizabeth. Within Bianca's house she also has portraits of herself, and her clothing is black with jewels, which was a popular fashion in her era. Harry also reminds me of an Elizabethan as he is an eccentric aristocrat, and I feel that him being Northern shows him to be of a lower status. 

Wikipedia. (). The Taming of The Shrew. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Taming_of_the_Shrew. Last accessed 5/12/14.