Jareese+Long

= Relationships And Expectations Over the Years =

// The focus for this paper will be male and female expectations in relationships //

= Relationships and Expectations = = // Comparison between Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew" and Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married" // =

In "Taming of the Shrew" Katherine who gets wedded by Petruchio, isn't the nicest and obedient wife Petruchio wishes for her to be. In "Why did I get Married" Angela, who is married to Marcus isn't as calm and sweet as Marcus thinks she should be. In both the book and the movie, the males both expect their wives to be calmer and gentler woman than of what they are now. However, there is much dispute and conflict when it comes to the males having things work out the way in which they want it to be. It takes a while until the women come to a realization of their behavior which leads to a change. "Taming of the Shrew" represents expectations of relationships which were much expected from centuries ago in which "Why Did I Get Married" gives a view point of modern day expectations in relationships.


 * "Quote from Taming of The Shrew" **

Act 2 Scene 1, lines 232-233

Direct quote from play
 * //Petruchio: "Nay come here Kate. I am a gentleman-"//**
 * //Katherine: "That I'll try." She strikes him//**

This is the section of the play where Petruchio is trying to get acquainted with Katherine yet control her in some way. Being as though Katherine is considered a shrew, she does go to Petruchio but she hits him. Petruchio had a plan to win Katherine over with kindness but all his attempts seems to fail because she isn't the calm and gentlewoman he expects her to be. This section of the play ties into my thesis because it demonstrates how Petruchio expects Katherine should act yet she does the complete opposite just like Angela in the movie "Why Did I Get Married".

Angela and Marcus is on the train on their way to their yearly vacation getaway.
 * "Scene from Why Did I Get Married" **

During this scene of //Why Did I Get Married// Marcus and Angela gets into a debate about the mother of Marcus's children (Keisha) and her attitude towards Angela. Throughout the movie, there are various things Angela decides to argue with Marcus about for example, there is a scene in the movie where she is arguing with him about not having a job of his own and not making an amount of money that satisfies her. Angela is a person who talks very loudly when she gets angry therefore the debate easily turned into an argument. Marcus who is very calm attempted to calm Angela down because they were on the train and others could here them yet he did not succeed. When passengers on the train confronted Angela about her loudness and rudeness, it only escalated into her arguing with the passengers next. Just like Petruchio, Marcus wants for his wife to be calm and both males in the story seem to have gained some control or gotten their wives to come to a realization that the expectations for them and their marriage needs to be met in order for their marriage to succeed.

**"Quote from Taming of The Shrew" **

(Act 4 Scene 5, lines 14-17) **// Katherine: "Forward, I pray, since we have come so far, //** **// And be it moon, or sun, or what you please. //**  **// And if you please to call it a rush candle, //**  **// Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me" //**

Here, Petruchio and Katherine are undergoing a debate as to whether the light from the sky is coming from the light of the moon or the light of the sun. At first, Katherine is up for debate and willing to argue back and forth with Petruchio about the light being the moonlight or the sun light but then it seems as if she undergoes a change. After a while, Katherine Katherine says the quote above which shows a difference in her character. In the quote, she is basically saying it is whatever you wish for it to be. In my thesis statement and opening paragraph, I mentioned how the males eventually do get their way with their wives and this part of the play demonstrates a turning point for Katherine and Petruchion's marriage. Katherine has decided to finally give into Petruchio and be less bitter in a sense which obviously means that she is starting to live up to the expectations Petruchio has for her in their marriage. In //Taming of the Shrew// Petruchio seems to have finally "tamed" Katherine as planned and Marcus seems to have done the same in //Why Did I Get Married// when Angela also makes a miraculous turn around in her attitude and changes her ways towards Marcus.

**"Scene from Why Did I Get Married" **

Marcus addresses the issue between Angela and the mother of his children



In this scene of the movie, Marcus and Angela takes a trip to Keisha's house to pick up Marcus's children and Keisha and Angela seems to get into a big argument. Marcus steps up and tells them both about their bad ways but mostly tells Keisha she needs to show much more respect to Angela because she is his wife. He does also tell Angela she should respect Keisha for the simple fact that she is his kids mother. From there, Marcus leaves the scene and tells Angela to take the kids home and he'll be home later. Marcus went to go vent and free his mind from all of the drama he seemed to be apart of because of the two and other issues with Angela. About a day after Angela realizes that she could change her ways and has a long serious talk with Marcus. She agrees to calm her behavior and be more of a gentle wife which later on makes their marriage stronger and better. In //Taming of the Shrew// and //Why Did I Get Married//, the marriages seems to have become stronger and the males eventually have their ways with their wives.

**Conclusion ** //Comparison between Taming of the Shrew and Why Did I Get Married// //Taming of the Shrew// is a old fashioned play which gives an older view of what a relationship shall consist of and //Why Did I Get Married// is a more modern view. Although they are both from different time periods, they both have the same expectations. In both, all the men want is for their wives to be calm and gentle. At first, they do not get what they want but eventually, they seem to have gotten their wives to be calm. Also, you can see that both females came to some sort of realization that in order for their marriage to be successful, they would have to change their bitter ways. Therefore, they somehow came into an agreement that they could be much calmer and the way they seemed to act was not the way a wife should.