Kate (The Taming of the Shrew)
Encyclopedia
Katherina Minola is a fictional character and the female romantic lead in the comedy The Taming of the Shrew
by William Shakespeare
. Kate is the elder outspoken daughter of Baptista Minola and the sister of apparently sweet-tempered Bianca. Kate's headstrong ways and sharp tongue initially make her poor material for a wife but Baptista refuses to allow his younger daughter to marry until Kate has a husband. Bianca's suitors find a fortune seeker called Petruchio willing to take the shrew in marriage. Once the two are wed, the comedy follows the couple as Kate's antagonistic behaviour (and latent kindness) is "tamed" by her husband. The play, character, Petruchio's methods and Kate's fifth act soliloquy have caused considerable controversy among feminists and modern critics. The role of Kate has been interpreted by notable actresses, including Elizabeth Taylor
in a 1967 film
directed by Franco Zeffirelli
, with Taylor's then husband Richard Burton opposite her as Petruchio.
, Kate's character is a rebellious high school student named Katarina Stratford (the last name is a reference to Shakespeare's home of Stratford-upon-Avon) and is played by Julia Stiles
.
In the movie it is established that Kat abandoned a popular and sociable lifestyle similar to that of Bianca to adopt a headstrong outsider nature, because (according to her sister) she suddenly "got bored of it or something"; however it is later revealed that after a scarring peer pressure-motivated sexual experience, she decided to do things for herself and not because other people wanted her to. In the ABC Family
television series 10 Things I Hate About You
, Katarina is played by Lindsay Shaw.
The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself...
by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. Kate is the elder outspoken daughter of Baptista Minola and the sister of apparently sweet-tempered Bianca. Kate's headstrong ways and sharp tongue initially make her poor material for a wife but Baptista refuses to allow his younger daughter to marry until Kate has a husband. Bianca's suitors find a fortune seeker called Petruchio willing to take the shrew in marriage. Once the two are wed, the comedy follows the couple as Kate's antagonistic behaviour (and latent kindness) is "tamed" by her husband. The play, character, Petruchio's methods and Kate's fifth act soliloquy have caused considerable controversy among feminists and modern critics. The role of Kate has been interpreted by notable actresses, including Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
in a 1967 film
The Taming of the Shrew (1967 film)
The Taming of the Shrew is a 1967 film based on the play of the same name by William Shakespeare about a courtship between two strong-willed people...
directed by Franco Zeffirelli
Franco Zeffirelli
Franco Zeffirelli KBE is an Italian director and producer of films and television. He is also a director and designer of operas and a former senator for the Italian center-right Forza Italia party....
, with Taylor's then husband Richard Burton opposite her as Petruchio.
In 10 Things I Hate About You
In the modern movie 10 Things I Hate About You10 Things I Hate about You
10 Things I Hate About You is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film. It is directed by Gil Junger and stars Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, David Krumholtz, and Larry Miller...
, Kate's character is a rebellious high school student named Katarina Stratford (the last name is a reference to Shakespeare's home of Stratford-upon-Avon) and is played by Julia Stiles
Julia Stiles
Julia O'Hara Stiles is an American actress.After beginning her career in small parts in a New York City theatre troupe, she has moved on to leading roles in plays by writers as diverse as William Shakespeare and David Mamet...
.
In the movie it is established that Kat abandoned a popular and sociable lifestyle similar to that of Bianca to adopt a headstrong outsider nature, because (according to her sister) she suddenly "got bored of it or something"; however it is later revealed that after a scarring peer pressure-motivated sexual experience, she decided to do things for herself and not because other people wanted her to. In the ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
television series 10 Things I Hate About You
10 Things I Hate About You (TV series)
10 Things I Hate About You is an American television situation comedy broadcast on ABC Family beginning in 2009. Developed by Carter Covington, the show is a half-hour, single camera series based on the 1999 film of the same name...
, Katarina is played by Lindsay Shaw.