From Shrew to Sock Puppet

Last night my husband and I watched the BBC production of "Taming of the Shrew" which stars John Cleese as Petruchio. When I read the play, I thought Petruchio seemed like a simple man, only looking for money. But Shakespeare is meant to be seen, and that's how his characters really come to life and develop. Petruchio's character is well educated, witty, and funny, but also mean spirited and manipulative.

It's true that Kate definitely needed to learn how to calm down and stop hating everyone and their dog. The first scene she's in, she pushes down a  midget and throws and apple at some men. Not the friendliest of people for sure. The way Kate is "tamed" is essentially abuse though. She is not allowed to eat or to sleep, and if Petruchio says the sun is the moon, or an old man is a young maid, than Kate must agree or she'll be deprived of more. He swears to Kate that everything he does is just because he loves her.

But by the end of the play she is a hollow shell of a character, with no personality other than that of a robotic, brainwashed Stepford wife. She's not at all the person she was in the beginning (which is the point of the play, yes), but if you really love someone, shouldn't you love them the way the are, and encourage them to change their flaws, not completely destroy who they are in a matter of weeks?


Another thing I thought a lot about while watching and reading this play is how painful it can be to have a seemingly perfect sister whom everyone loves and adores, while you feel like a mere side note in the shadows. I wonder when Bianca started being praised more than Kate, and if that is what started Kate's acting out in the first place, possibly at a very young age. It is very common for people to seek negative attention if they feel like it's the only kind they can get. And after acting in such a way for what could have been quite a few years, it would be a hard habit to change. Maybe Petruchio gave her the chance she needed to be able to make that change without people doubting her motives and thinking she was up to no good.