This is reflective of the marriage regime at the time of Shakespeare. Petruchio’s tardiness to his own wedding makes Katherine go into a fit of both anger and sadness, as she mourns the fact that she is being forced by her father to marry a man that she does not have romantic feelings for. This line comes from Katherine on the day of her wedding, shortly before Petruchio’s arrival. Unlike the play, the film does not celebrate taming, but rather it seeks to put the lead male character and lead female character on a more equal level of control. This major difference reflects a more modernized perception of how women should be treated-with unwavering respect as a peer and not property. Viewers of the film can see that Barack has is doing his best to understand Michelle’s point of view, though he may not agree with it. Barack is silent the whole time Michelle is talking, carefully listening to her without trying to shoot her down, as Petruchio does to Katherine. In this scene, Michelle, maddened by the fear that the date will cost her her job, fires up at Barack, saying that he should have been more respectful of her request to keep everything professional. One of the main differences between the two is how their willfulness is perceived. In Southside with You, Michelle Obama is depicted as a strong-willed woman, similar to Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew. Many modern romance movies are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

Women were scorned and punished for trying to declare any type of control, just as Katherine is here. This scene is a key example of the overbearing tendencies of men at the time of Shakespeare. This is because it was normal for men at the time to assert conjugal control, even if that meant threatening violence to their partner. In all likelihood, Shakespearean audiences would have laughed heartily at this scene, and it would not have offended many or garnered much controversy. This is Petruchio’s way of asserting that Katherine is powerless against him because he will always find ways to control her and stifle her disobedience. In response, Katherine says that Petruchio should then fear her sting, and Petruchio says that he will pluck her stinger out. He tells Katherine that she is too angry and compares her to a wasp. In this scene, Petruchio and Katherine are arguing somewhat comically as Petruchio plots his “taming” of her. Petruchio: My remedy is then, to pluck it out. Katherine: If I be waspish, best beware my sting. Petruchio: Come, come, you wasp i' faith, you are too angry. This shows that though the concept of male pursuit is still very much alive, coercion is now generally looked down upon while the personal freedom of romantic partners is championed. He is understanding of her reluctance and acknowledges that it would be abusive to use coercion tactics to achieve his end goal. They both want to win over a woman’s heart, but while Petruchio finds it perfectly fine to force Katherine into showing him affection through inhumane means, Barack is much more respectful of Michelle’s discretionary freedom. Though Barack and Petruchio may have similar goals in mind, their tactics are markedly different, and that is indicative of a major shift in worldview. Though Michelle is also rather resistant to Barack’s advances, his charisma and ebullient personality eventually win her over by the end of the date.

In the movie, a 28 year-old Barack Obama attempts to woo his colleague, Michelle Robinson, on an innocent summer date in the South Side of Chicago.

The 2016 drama film Southside With You displays a more modern and reformed idea of courtship. Though Katherine is rather resistant to Petruchio’s efforts, he eventually converts Katherine from a headstrong and asocial woman to a overly obedient housewife by depriving her of necessities, such as food and sleep. In the play, a man named Petruchio tries to win both the heart and submission of his romantic partner, Katherine, the titular “shrew” of the play. Though William Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew has been celebrated as an early example of romantic comedy, it has also garnered plenty of criticism from literary scholars and modern audiences for its seemingly misogynistic politics with women and courtship. How Michelle in Southside with You and Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew show a major shift in relationship and gender dynamics

Dark and light taming longhorn