Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew

Back in Elizabethan times, it was considered funny to tell stories about how badly a man beat his disagreeable wife. However, Shakespeare turned this trope on its head. For years, people have been arguing about whether the play is feminist or antifeminist. (Kate is eventually “tamed.”) However, the moral of the story is clear: the best way to tame a shrew is through kindness. Yet there is another message. Kate is considered a shrew because she is a strong-willed person surrounded by weak-willed people. Petruchio is the first person she has ever met who is more than a match for her and thus worthy of her love!

The original text, along with a modern translation: The Taming of the Shrew Study Guide | Literature Guide | LitCharts

A stage production, with subtitles: The Taming of the Shrew. American Conservatory Theater. Subtitles: ENG. – YouTube

Note that Cole Porter’s musical Kiss Me, Kate was about a theater troupe that was performing The Taming of the Shrew.  Sparks fly because the lead actor and the lead actress are ex-spouses.  Cole Porter urges us all to Brush up your Shakespeare – Kiss Me Kate (1953) – Movie Version.

A discussion of the social context of the play, from the Folger Shakespeare Library: A Modern Perspective: The Taming of the Shrew | Folger Shakespeare Library