Father daughter relationships are displayed all throughout history, some more prominent than others. Some father daughter relationships become stronger from the lack of a mother figure in the picture, other’s weaken from the female influence being a strong one. The Taming of the Shrew portrays father daughter relationships well. Baptista, a wealthy man of Padua, has two daughters; Katherina and Bianca. Bianca, who is beautiful and fair, as well as kind and gentle falls prey to the eyes of many men throughout the city. Yet Katherina does not, for she is wild and untamed, rude and often obnoxious. Therefore, Katherine does not acquire the attention of men, she merely scares them away. In order to ensure both of his daughters marry, he makes a rule.
“Gentlemen, importune me no farther,
For how I firmly am resolved you know—
That is, not to bestow my youngest daughter
Before I have a husband for the elder.
If either of you both love Katherina,
Because I know you well and love you well
Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.”
He directs this statement to Lucentio and Tranio. Baptista is obviously desperate to have a suitor for his older daughter, wanting to make her happy. By this Baptista may be hampering his youngest daughters chances at marrying. It makes me speculate if he was truly thought through what the best for his daughters would be. By setting this limitation for his youngest daughter, in order for his oldest daughter to be happy, he may hurt Bianca. Although his knowledge of the dowry men will receive if they marry Katarina may influence his decision.
Baptista is obviously dealing with raising two daughters without the help of a dominant female influence. Lacking this female influence makes his decision making process one-sided and therefore he has no one to argue on whether or not his decisions are just. The lack of a mother figure for the girls must be difficult and may influence their choices in men as well. Katherina asks:
“Why, and I trust I may go too, may I not? What, shall I be appointed hours as though, belike, I knew not what to take and what to leave, ha?”
This could give us insight into how Baptista raised his daughters. Perhaps he did not have a firm hand with his daughter’s upbringing. She obviously has become accustomed to coming and going from their house as she pleases, with no reprimand from her father. This makes me wonder if she was spoiled as a child, but then also makes me wonder why Bianca turned out as sweet and kind-natured as she did. You could speculate as far as to say that perhaps Katherina and Bianca’s mother was only in the picture to assist Baptista with Katherina, and perhaps then she was a bad mother anyways, and Baptista ended up doing a good job with his girls in spite of the lack of her in the picture.
"No Fear Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew." No Fear Shakespeare: Shakespeare's Plays plus a Modern Translation You Can Understand. Web. 03 Nov. 2010. <http://nfs.sparknotes.com/shrew/>.
