What are your thoughts on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew?
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- Beaumont Todd
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What are your thoughts on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew?
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- DATo
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I think we have to stop reading politically correctness into everything we experience. Actually, it just occurred to me that a pretty good story could be written about The Taming Of The Politically Correct *LOL*.
― Steven Wright
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@DAToDATo wrote:I think the whole "misogynistic" thing where this play is concerned is overdone. First of all we have to keep in perspective that this play was written at the tail end of the 14th century and I'm sure the misogyny issue as well as all of the "politically correct" attitudes we have today would have been considered laughable by people living in that era. If we view the play with that in mind as well as within the context of the plot and not be so damn sensitive I think Shakespeare can be excused. Secondly, where does it say that a shrewish woman of the 14th century (or the 21st century for that matter) cannot be converted to a change of attitude as a plot conceit without it being a misogynistic story? I can easily conceive of a story written in our own times in which a pain-in-the-butt woman is "tamed" through various contrivances of the author. What if the shoe was on the other foot? What if the "shrew" was the male component of the story? We already have a very well known novel where something much like this happens - Darcy, in Pride And Prejudice ... OK, granted, not a perfect example but it will do. We don't hear any women complaining about the fact that Elizabeth "tames" Darcy.
I think we have to stop reading politically correctness into everything we experience. Actually, it just occurred to me that a pretty good story could be written about The Taming Of The Politically Correct *LOL*.
"tames" Mr Darcy - OMG I will never forgive you for just ruining my all time favourite book hero.
All Elizabeth does is reveal the totality of his character or perhaps she provides him with the security & the confidence to
be his true self. Hands off Mr Darcy (and Elizabeth) - you have been warned
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- gali
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Ditto!Fran wrote:@DAToDATo wrote:I think the whole "misogynistic" thing where this play is concerned is overdone. First of all we have to keep in perspective that this play was written at the tail end of the 14th century and I'm sure the misogyny issue as well as all of the "politically correct" attitudes we have today would have been considered laughable by people living in that era. If we view the play with that in mind as well as within the context of the plot and not be so damn sensitive I think Shakespeare can be excused. Secondly, where does it say that a shrewish woman of the 14th century (or the 21st century for that matter) cannot be converted to a change of attitude as a plot conceit without it being a misogynistic story? I can easily conceive of a story written in our own times in which a pain-in-the-butt woman is "tamed" through various contrivances of the author. What if the shoe was on the other foot? What if the "shrew" was the male component of the story? We already have a very well known novel where something much like this happens - Darcy, in Pride And Prejudice ... OK, granted, not a perfect example but it will do. We don't hear any women complaining about the fact that Elizabeth "tames" Darcy.
I think we have to stop reading politically correctness into everything we experience. Actually, it just occurred to me that a pretty good story could be written about The Taming Of The Politically Correct *LOL*.
"tames" Mr Darcy - OMG I will never forgive you for just ruining my all time favourite book hero.
All Elizabeth does is reveal the totality of his character or perhaps she provides him with the security & the confidence to
be his true self. Hands off Mr Darcy (and Elizabeth) - you have been warned
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― Steven Wright
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I'm tempted to insist you read 50 Shades as your punishment but maybe I'll let you off with The Wicked WivesDATo wrote:I HAVE SINNED ! *Throws himself to the floor and thrashes about violently in a state of penance.*
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Undoubtedly, the play was very different from Shakespeare's other works and is considered one of his most notable works. However, I feel that it is more relevant today than it was in the past. Not that men should always domesticate women, but women are more likely to behave this way than they used to in the past. Whatever the case, I really do enjoy it, most contrary to all the other comments here in this post. (But it's probably because I contextualise the story to our modern day now where women are climbing up the social ladders.. Haha!)
P.S. If anything, I feel like Shakespeare captured the the males POV very well but the females were rather... meh.
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DATo wrote:I think the whole "misogynistic" thing where this play is concerned is overdone. First of all we have to keep in perspective that this play was written at the tail end of the 14th century and I'm sure the misogyny issue as well as all of the "politically correct" attitudes we have today would have been considered laughable by people living in that era. If we view the play with that in mind as well as within the context of the plot and not be so damn sensitive I think Shakespeare can be excused. Secondly, where does it say that a shrewish woman of the 14th century (or the 21st century for that matter) cannot be converted to a change of attitude as a plot conceit without it being a misogynistic story? I can easily conceive of a story written in our own times in which a pain-in-the-butt woman is "tamed" through various contrivances of the author. What if the shoe was on the other foot? What if the "shrew" was the male component of the story? We already have a very well known novel where something much like this happens - Darcy, in Pride And Prejudice ... OK, granted, not a perfect example but it will do. We don't hear any women complaining about the fact that Elizabeth "tames" Darcy.
I think we have to stop reading politically correctness into everything we experience. Actually, it just occurred to me that a pretty good story could be written about The Taming Of The Politically Correct *LOL*.
I agree with this. It can be hard to forget that things written in another time period cover things and view them differently than we do now. It was not thought of as being misogynistic back then.
That being said, I enjoy the play.
I also love the modern adaptation: Ten Things I Hate About You.
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