Taming of the Shrew and Ten Things I Hate About You

      The modernized movie Ten Things I Hate About You has similar characters and story line as the play Taming of the Shrew by William Shakesphere, however the movie has an indefinite number of differences that separate the two. To begin with, numerous characters share similar personalities and roles played in the movie and the play, for example, in the play Bianca, one of the protagonists is portrayed as a beautiful, soft-spoken and unassuming young lady whom everyone is fond of. However, at the end of the play she is shown as an independent and stubborn when she is called upon by her husband and refuses to come. In the movie, Bianca is a beautiful teenager who is popular amongst the students in her school but in the end, she proves herself as a better person who doesn't care about popularity, while defending her older sister, Kat. Katherine's character in the play and Kat's character in the movie are also similar, Katherine impersonates to be an ugly shrew because she does not want to "get married off", to please her father and the society so that her father can allow suitors to "woe Bianca." Kat also puts up an act, pretending not to express and emotions or feelings that will hurt her again by anyone. she also refuses to date and even go to prom for which she goes against the rules of society. Looking depth into the themes of the play and the movie, for example legitimacy of love at first sight. In the play, Lucentio falls in love, the moment he sees Bianca, noticing only her beauty and hearing praises about her from the people in the society. In the end, Lucentio wins, being the richest suitors to win Bianca's hand for marriage, he learns that she is not simple as she appeared to be at first and starts to doubt if she is marriage material. In the movie, Cameron falls in love the second he sets his eyes on her, exactly the way Lucentio fell in love but, he falls in love with her even more when she displays her true, independent personality. However, Lucentio feels the opposite about Bianca when she shows her true colors. More differences are noticeable when looking at changes that are overcome by the character Katerine and Kat. Katherine's personality completely changes "for she is changed, as she had never been" (5.2.7) Whether she undergoes this change due to the Pertuchio taming her or for show, she is committed to obeying her husband Pertuchio. Kat on the hand does not change physically but allows her feeling towards Patrick to expose, she falls in love with Patrick and Patrick falls in love with her too. In conclusion, the movie portrays many obvious similarities, while deeper understanding of themes differ completely changing the essence of the play, therefore the movie is unsuccessful in capturing the subtle aspects of the play.