Matthew+Rinaldi

Love Should Have An Instruction Booklet
Comparing "Taming of The Shrew" to the movie "Hitch"

In "The Taming of the Shrew" and "Hitch," characters from both productions succumb to the mystery of love. In "The Taming of the Shrew," Lucentio falls head-over-heels the first time he saw Bianca. In the movie "Hitch," Albert Brennamen falls madly in love with the famous Allegra Cole.

After they they have witnessed Bianca for the first time, Lucentio decides to aim his sights on Bianca in the name of love at first sight. Lucentio and Tranio then conjures up an elaborate plan in order to obtain Bianca. On the other hand, Alex "Hitch" Hitchens is a master pickup artist. He knows what women want and helps others who don't. He comes across a client, Albert Brennamen, who pleas for help to get Allegra Cole to fall in love with him. Using Hitch's vast knowledge of women, Albert sets out to steer Allegra into his arms. Both plot lines cause various, humorous occurrences to take place and show how society acts when it come to obtaining a woman. **There is a clear representation from both productions of how there is often thought to be a set "playbook" when it comes to chasing women.**

= **"You will be schoolmaster and undertake the** = = **teaching of the maid: that's your device."** = (Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 196-198)

This quote represents Tranio's plan for Lucentio, in order to get Bianca. He tells Lucentio to take a disguise as a schoolmaster so he would be able to get closer to Bianca. This plan is obviously ridiculous and non-practical. This just goes to show that men often resort to coming up with a plan in order for them to acquire a woman.

On the other side of the timeline, Hitch is prepping Albert for his upcoming date.



In this scene, Hitch teaches Albert the DOs and DON'Ts. Like in "The Taming of the Shrew," they are planning and prepping. In this case, Hitch is a lot like Tranio telling Albert (Lucentio) the DOs and DON'Ts. The most important thing he mentioned to Albert was about: dancing. "Generally I have a no dancing policy, but if she asks, you cannot say no." Unlike Lucentio, Albert doesn't stick to the plan. He defies everything Hitch told him, especially the dancing part. Instead of keeping it simple he dances like he usually does, which is bad, and almost ruins it for himself.

= **"Sir, my mistress sends you word that she** = = **is busy,** ** and she cannot come." **= (Act 5, Scene 2, Lines 87-89)

Even after Lucentio has married his love, he lost the bet on fetching his wife. Lucentio thought he knew for certain that Bianca would come when told, but it didn't turn out the way he thought it would. Even a certain thing like their love for one another, still isn't a dependable assurance that they understand each other. In this case, Lucentio still doesn't get Bianca.

While Lucentio lost the bet, Hitch almost lost the love of his life.



In this particular scene, Hitch is coming across a problem he has never come across for many years: talking to a woman. Hitch is a master pickup artist and know just the right things to say. Yet, int his scene, he doesn't know how to vent out his feelings and the words he wants to say. Even as a suave and clever guy, he has a hard time saying the thing he needs to say to get his girl back. This just shows how these "plans" that men come up with don't always work out since they don't know what woman want.

In both the movie and the play, the characters end up with the love of their lives. But it also answered the question that has been plaguing men for ages. IT answered that there is no "playbook" to go by. Lucentio's marriage with Bianca didn't give assurance that he knew her like he thought he did. He, for certain, thought that he was going to win the bet due to him knowing for a fact that Bianca would come when he beckons. Yet bianca didn't come and told him she was too busy. This shows how men often think they know women, yet they don't. In Hitch's case, he also had trouble figuring out what the love of his life wants. Even as a man experienced with women, he has a hard time talking to one in the end. This just proves how men really don't know women. These two characters proved that men go to great lengths in acquiring their love, even though there is no "playbook" to go by that men often think there is.