Ten Things I Hate About You Essay Questions

Who is the protagonist of the film?

What is notable about the film is that there are multiple protagonists, due in large part to the fact that the film is based on a Shakespearean comedy. Audiences will likely root for Kat, Bianca, Patrick, and Cameron at different points in the film. However, the central protagonist – and here the film departs from its source material – is Kat, who is both entertaining and admirable in her convictions throughout the movie.

What role does feminism play in the narrative?

Feminism is important to the film in two major ways: first, it helps shape Kat's character, as she is a proud and vocal feminist whose intensity is often mocked by her peers. Second, the film itself is a rather feminist take on the Shakespearean original: whereas Katherina in The Taming of the Shrew transforms into an obedient wife, Kat transforms into a more complex character who can be critical of teenaged sociality at the same time she takes part in it.

How does the film acknowledge itself as an adaptation?

For those unfamiliar with Shakespeare's play, it may difficult to discern that 10 Things I Hate About You is an adaptation, given how thoroughly it subscribes to the genre of teen romantic comedy. However, certain elements of the film nod toward the original play, including direct quotations lifted from The Taming of the Shrew script and a subplot in which Mandella attends prom with William Shakespeare (Michael in 16th-century garb). Finally, the assignment given by Mr. Morgan in which students must write their own sonnet is part of the class's lesson on Shakespeare's poetry.

Why is Mr. Stratford so overprotective of his daughters?

While there is no direct explanation given as to why Walter Stratford enforces such rigid rules with his daughters' social lives, the film does explain that he is an obstetrician, meaning his patients are pregnant women. At one point in the film he describes having delivered twins to a 15-year-old girl. Though his daughters ultimately prove to him that they are both responsible enough to have new experiences, the movie suggests that Mr. Stratford's work has made him anxious about how his daughters' futures might be affected if they start dating.

How does Kat and Bianca's relationship evolve over the course of the film?

Though the film is primarily about romantic love between Kat and Patrick, the relationship between sisters Kat and Bianca also changes significantly over the course of the narrative. Once the sisters both start dating, they come to understand each other more: Kat explains to Bianca what happened to make her so antisocial, and Bianca defends her sister by beating up Joey at the prom. At the beginning of the movie, Kat and Bianca are polar opposites who constantly express their distaste for one another. At the end of the film, Bianca has taken on some of Kat's traits while Kat has also taken on some of Bianca's.