People have always gone to great lengths to get what they want in their lives. Whether this obsession is due to greed or true necessity, a person will do anything to achieve it. In the novel The Taming of the Shrew, written by William Shakespeare, we find this trait present in the characters: Lucentio, Hortensio, Gremio, Petruchio and Katherine. Each of these characters has their own motivation behind their actions in this story. Hortensio and Lucentio each wish to woo Bianca and take her as their bride. Hortensio, in an attempt to secretly pursue the young woman, takes the form of a music teacher named Litio. After sharing information about Catherine with Petruchio, he asks Petruchio to “offer me disguised in sober robes/to old Baptista as a schoolmaster” (1.2.133-134). By following this method, he hopes to win Bianca's affections, presumably without competition or pressure from other suitors. Unfortunately for Hortensio, Lucentio, another suitor with the intention of marrying Bianca, has the same mentality. He asks his servant Tranio to “Climb you. Take my colored hat and cloak” (1.1.213). Lucentio also then disguises himself and becomes another guardian named Cambio. He entrusts his identity to his faithful servant Tranio who promptly becomes the new Lucentio. Not knowing the identity or true motives of the other supposed teacher, Hortensio and Lucentio immediately encounter obstacles in each other's attempts to win over Bianca. The example these two suitors set just shows the ability that desire has to push people to extreme measures. Petruchio serves as another example. In her case, while she also plans to marry one of Baptista's daughters... middle of paper... Petruchio, he instead ridicules her for being foolish enough to think the man was a young woman. Katherine is the representation of another reason why desire can override a person's judgment. Some characters in the story in fact make their wishes come true. However, they may not look as we imagined them. Lucentio marries Bianca and Hortensio to a widow, but both their wives are revealed to be shrews. Petruchio still doesn't seem to treat Katherine with the respect she deserves, yet they have shared a gentle moment once or twice. It does not matter the outcome of each individual pursuing their desire. Each of their judgments was overwhelmed and clouded by the force of desire. Sources Cited Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York, Washington Square Press, 1992. Print.