Theses and Dissertations

Emily Mills

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Anderson, Thomas

Committee Member

Claggett, Shalyn

Committee Member

Dodds, Lara

Date of Degree

8-6-2011

Original embargo terms

MSU Only Indefinitely

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Campus Access Only

Major

English

Degree Name

Master of Arts

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of English

Abstract

This thesis evaluates competition in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, particularly the female characters’ competition and how it differs from and relates to the competition between men. The first chapter focuses on Katharina’s outwardly submissive actions and pays special attention to her critically problematic speech in Act 5. By analyzing the play’s treatment of female relationships, the thesis proposes that Katharina acts competitively, rather than submissively. The second chapter addresses male competition, particularly how competition molds the males’ relationships with each other and with the females. Although they compete separately, the each gender needs the other to give their competition purpose. By viewing the play’s gendered relationships as a form of competition, the thesis argues that the females do not merely serve as objects to the males’ triangulated desire, and instead have agency within the play.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/19444

Comments

gender competition||Shakespeare||The Taming of the Shrew

Download

Share

COinS