Shakespeare’s Treatment of Love in Romeo and Juliet and The Taming of the Shrew

William Shakespeare chose to write concerning specific topics in sometimes significantly diverse ways. A few of these topics that can be compared and contrasted consist of the plot, characters, and themes of certain plays written by Shakespeare. Throughout The Taming of the Shrew, love as well as other aspects of the play, have been treated comically; giving the reader reason to laugh. In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, such aspects are taken more seriously, and love is treated with more respect. Weddings in The Shrew are based more often than not by how large the dowry is, and how much collateral can be offered, rather than true love, as seen in Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare has treated the concept of love in two dramatically different ways in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, and The Taming of the Shrew.
Shakespeare’s treatment of love throughout the themes of the two plays is clearly visible if searched for. In the period of time in which The Shrew was written, late 16th, early 17th century, it was not uncommon for many marriages not to be based solely on love, but rather the amount of money was to be made from it. The Shrew illustrates how money was of great importance to the upper class families in Shakespeare’s time. Fathers in that time had a social duty to marry of their daughters to wealthy gentlemen, that way they were assured a good lifestyle. The father usually negotiated the terms of a possible marriage without the daughter present. This was seen in both of the plays being examined; Juliet’s father negotiated with Paris, and Kate and Bianca’s father consulted with Petruchio, and Lucentio and Gremio respectively. “Content you, gentlemen. I will compound this strife/ ‘Tis deeds must win the prize, and he of both/ That can assure my daughter greatest dower/ Shall have my Bianca’s love…” (The Taming of the Shrew, II, i, 361-365). This would be Baptista speaking to Gremio and Tranio (as Lucentio) that whoever can produce the most dowries for his daughter Bianca, shall have her hand in marriage. This is showing how the marriages weren’t about love, but money. Although Juliet’s father arranged for her marriage to Paris, a rich citizen of the town, Juliet refused to be caught up in the tradition of marrying a noble gentleman. Juliet was in love with Romeo, despite the fact that Romeo was poor, and had no way of guaranteeing a secured financial future. This was, or course, uncommon for the time, but Juliet followed her true feelings, and wasn’t wed to anyone for their money. This contradicts Petruchio’s views on marriage. Petruchio was all about the dowry, and how much he was going to make out with in the end. “I come to wive it wealthily in Padua/ If wealthily, then happily in Padua…” (TTotS, I, ii, 76-77). This is Petruchio expressing his main rationale for coming to Padua in the first place; to marry a rich woman and get her money. The theme of marrying for money has been illustrated by Petruchio, and the theme of marrying because of true love, has been demonstrated by the marriage between Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet experienced love at first sight, and married because of their feelings for each other. A similar occurrence took place in The Shrew between Lucentio and Bianca, as they married out of love for each other. Although it was not love at first sight for both of them, as in Romeo and Juliet’s case, Lucentio did experience love at first sight for Bianca. Obviously, there is a correlation between the two plays on the theme of love at first sight. The numerous themes throughout The Shrew and Romeo and Juliet are all either very closely related or exact opposites, as exploring a few of those themes has shown.
Through the characters in The Shrew and Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare treats love in different ways. In The Shrew, love is treated as a sort of confusing expression, as well as comical relief for its audience. The play begins slightly confusing as far as trying to determine whether Kate or Petruchio really love each other in the first place. Over time though, it becomes more evident that the two did not particularly like each other in beginning, although the two adverse personalities made them perfect for each other. After conferring with Baptista about the amount the dowry was going to be, Petruchio informed Kate of the marriage plans, and less than a week later the two were married. After marrying Kate, Petruchio knew that he could now put his ‘Taming’ plan into effect. Seeing Kate being tamed the way she was, provided great comical relief for the audience. This comedy came from Petruchio’s determination to subdue the ill-tempered Kate and make her love him. Petruchio’s love for Kate forced her to love him, for eventually, Kate gave into the taming because she really wanted a husband, and she loved Petruchio. Unlike in Romeo and Juliet, the two gradually learned to love each other. In Romeo and Juliet, the two lovers fall passionately in love at first sight of each other. “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!/ For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night” (The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, I, v, 53-54). This would be Romeo’s proclamation of his love at first sight for Juliet. What Romeo and Juliet feel for each other is true love from the start; they don’t gradually begin to love each other, as in the case with Kate and Petruchio. Romeo’s true love is expressed: “My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself/ Because it is an enemy to thee” (R+J, II, ii, 56-57). It is clear that love is treated differently through the characters, as love is treated as comic relief in The Shrew, and as true love, a complete devotion on behalf of both partners, in Romeo and Juliet.
The plot in both the plays being compared run entirely different, though one theme, love, has had a great impact on the events that have occurred in each. Shakespeare has chosen to treat love entirely different ways throughout each plot. In both The Shrew and Romeo and Juliet, when love is treated different ways, the outcome of that treatment will always be different. In The Shrew, love was treated comically, with humor added to the plot. Such a handling of love led Petruchio to tame Kate, and in the end, one spouse held superiority over the other. “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” (TTotS, IV, v, 4-17). Kate says here how she is willing to agree to anything Petruchio says; it is obvious who is the superior individual is in this situation. As for in Romeo and Juliet though, both Romeo and Juliet loved each other to the greatest extent. As the story played out for the two, they both ended up committing suicide because they thought the other was dead. Love, in this plot, took control of its victims, led Romeo and Juliet to perform the actions they did because they couldn’t bear the thought of having to live without the other. “And Romeo dead; and Juliet, dead before” (R+J, V, iii, 196). For these two to die for each other very accurately depicts the foundation of true love. The treatment Shakespeare chose to give love in the plots of these plays has been significantly different.
Throughout The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, and The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare has treated the notion of love in two considerably dissimilar ways. The concept of love in relation to the themes of the two plays in question yields several differences between how certain characters fell in love. In Romeo and Juliet, it was love at first sight, and in The Shrew, it was marry for the money first, love later. Through the characters of both the plays, Shakespeare illustrates love differently. In The Shrew, love is treated through the characters as comic relief; Petruchio’s taming of Kate. As for Romeo and Juliet, love is presented through the characters as being true; Romeo and Juliet have both found true love in each other. Finally, the plots are composed differently as well, for the outcomes of each story are considerably unlike. True love for Romeo and Juliet has led the two to commit suicide for each other, and the comical love presented by Petruchio has led Kate to become the “best Elizabethan wife”. Although the concept of love is presented in a number of different ways by Shakespeare, the basis behind love will always remain the same.