Society ebbs and flows, and the literature of the time often reflects those changes. The relationships and comedy that were depicted in play’s 400 years ago is completely different then what is shown today. This is especially true in Gil Junger’s modern adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You. While the film is the closest adaptation to Shakespeare’s play, it is only the same in plot points. Since society’s viewpoint on issues such as marriage and comedy have changed, the film works to reflect those changes and try to get the same point across to a new audience.
Petruchio
Personally, I find Petruchio’s new character Patrick Verona to have made the biggest change in the play. Petruchio in the play is a very cold hearted man that treats Katherine like property and is in the relationship only for the large dowry he gets from being with her. He doesn’t mind starving her of food when she isn’t properly obedient, or making her go along with his opinion even when it is wrong. This is especially true in the sun and moon scene.
However this appalling behavior wasn’t out of the ordinary in the late 1500’s. In fact there were laws that allowed men to beat their wives and parents to inflict corporal punishment on their children and servants ( Kemp 29.) So the fact that Petruchio was such a terrible man to the people around him didn’t make him an anomaly, but someone that was reeducating his property.
Because Society has changed to find the act of beating your spouse a crime, Junger adjusted Petruchio to reflect that change. This meant making Petruchio and Katherine peers. Neither one tries to oppress or control the other, which helps reflect societies view of relationships at the time. Now Katherine can voice her own opinion, say no if she doesn’t agree, and isn’t forced to do anything she doesn’t want to do.
Katherine
Katherine didn’t change that much from the play to the modern adaptation. Now instead of expressing herself through physical actions, she chooses to do so through words.
I think that the main reason Katherine chose to be violent was that she wanted people to pay attention to her. In the past women were more easily looked over. This meant she couldn’t express any idea’s that she had and was meant to sit quietly in the corner when she wanted to be doing something. This coupled with the fact that her younger sister was like the perfect daughter and potential wife only caused Katherine to be more angry. As a result, Katherine saw that the only way she could get anyone to pay attention to her was is she was violent and made people pay attention to her. This speculation about the reason behind Katherine acting out is what causes her to be called a “shrew”.
Since in modern society women do have a voice that can be heard, Junger has to develop a modern day shrew that audiences can accept (Friedman 1). Now Kate can express her feelings, but still be ostracized by her clear intelligence difference. She is frustrated by being surrounded by people that don’t share the same view point and don’t care about the issues with schooling and society as much as she does. Kat’s frustration and ability to be unfiltered when speaking her mind contributes to a modern view of a shrew.
Another difference between the play and the movie is the way the movie approaches Katherine’s journey into becoming a shrew. In the play it is up to speculation why Katherine ended up the way that she did. However, Junger decided to provide more backstory. In a conversation between Katherine and Bianca, Katherine talked about how she used to be popular but she decided to stop and give it up after a bad sexual experience with Joey. She chose to not conform to the pressures of high school and be her own person after that experience (Pittman 1).This was what sparked her new attitude and label of a shrew.
Katherine’s Last speech
Katherine’s last speech in the play shows the change that she made from a “shrew” that couldn’t control her emotions to a woman that was willing to follow her man. In the play Katherine has a completely altered view than she did in the beginning. At the end of the play she see’s her husband as her everything. She views him as her lord, life and keeper (Shakespeare 5.2. 143-180). So the speech works as her effort to convey how great it is to be subservient to Petruchio.
However today the more popular opinion is to view your husband as your equal and partner. So the idea of Petruchio being Katherine’s life and keeper had to change to a situation where Katherine and Petruchio would be equals. In this case Junger chose to use the last speech to address how Kat is upset with Patrick. The problem at the end of the movie was that Katherine found out how Patrick lied to her about accepting money to go out with her. Afterwards Kat storms off angry and hurt at what happens. Through the poem that she recites to her class she talks about how she is upset that he didn’t contact her, that she has forgiven him, and that she loves him.
Junger’s change in the speech made sense because the speech served as Katherine’s way of showing that she wanted to still have a relationship with him. In today’s world most relationships are consensual. So Patrick going and telling a strong willed person like Kat that she better obey and listen to him wouldn’t work. Katherine made her speech a signal to him that she still wanted to be together. This change address’s the change in societies opinion on relationships.
So There's That... 
