The differential treatment based on (perceived) social class, classism, is a pertinent theme in Shakespeare’s comedy The Taming of the Shrew. Classism is characterized by the power and control an individual of a higher class has over another. The comedy begins with the introduction of two major conflicts. The first conflict deals with inter-class relations and a cruel trick being played on Christopher Sly by a wealthy lord. The second conflict deals with the perceived roles of women in the Elizabethan era, with Baptista as a monocratic father who holds the key to the fate of his two daughters, Katherina and Bianca. Shakespeare uses the literary technique of nested stories to highlight the power imbalances and injustices brought upon lay people…show more content… Throughout the play on multiple occasions, women are considered by many as mere property and tools of entertainment. Moments after the wedding between Kate and Petruchio, when leaving, Petruchio equates Kate, his newly wed bride, to his property and possessions. He says, “She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house, My household stuff, my field, my barn, My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything…” (3.2.223-225) This is clear proof that in the Shakespearean era, women had no rights, instead, they were the property of their husbands. In some cases, they were dehumanized to the extent that they weren't given any names and were only called, “Madam and nothing else…” (Ind.ii.109) Being the property of their husbands, women were forced to be “obedient to his honest will” (5.2.159). Although this may seem redundant, it is important to note that the highly patriarchal classist society of the time stripped women of their fundamental freedoms and liberties. Due to the facts that classism tramples the civil liberties of women, this makes it not only a social issue but also a human rights issue. Being a woman or a part of the lower class meant you had no rights. This lead them to become the targets of the abuses, practical jokes, and mistreatment from the upper
