need help asap

[dannii]

hiya :wave:
i have to write an essay for english and would really appreciate all your help.
the task is (i will just write exactly what is on the task sheet for you)

Our notions of femininity and musculinity are social and cultural constructs. Analyse how the contemporary film versions construct gender differently from shakespeare.

Refer to either Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet or Gil Junger's 10 things i hate about you as modern representation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and The Taming of the shrew.
(i chose 10 things i hate about you)

In your analysis, you must compare the film with Shakespeare's original text. You should refer to setting, characters, visual elements, music and language in your response.

so any help you can offer i will greatly appreciate
thanks a bunch,
Danielle

[Rosalind]

Ok, 10 Things vs Taming of the Shrew. 10 Things took its basic story outline from TotS, but virtually none of the gender roles remain the same. Kat has a bad attitude, but she's still a sympathetic character. Her aversion to dating comes from bad experiences and social statements (an a lack of any inclination to associate with moronic high school guys). Kat's Shakespearian counterpart, on the other hand, is neither well developed nor particularly appealing. The reason for her aversion to marriage is never explicitly discussed. It can be played in different ways, including from a liberated standpoint, but it's also reasonable to assume she's just a pain.
Then, the relationships between the two couples are completely different. They both have elements of opportunism and deceit, but Heath Ledger woos; Petruchio bullies.

And then there's the stories' endings. Kate in Taming of the Shrew ends up putting up with all of her husband's nonsense, completely obedient and subservient. She even gives a nice little speech encouraging other women to be subservient, too. Of course, this wouldn't be politically correct or at all audience pleasing in a modern film, but 10 Things doesn't even have a softened up version of Shrew's ending. Kat ends up with the guy, sure, but she also goes off to the university of her choice, achieving the position of an independent adult woman.

Hope that's helpful. I'd try to figure some points on the other stuff (language, visuals, etc), but it's been a few years since I've seen that movie. Good luck!