I just watched some of the Elizabeth Taylor's 1967 film version of "The Taming Of The Shrew." . Just watching that, I couldn't help but think that wouldn't fly today. 

You have the antiquated dowrey crap where the father marries off the daughter. But on top of that the character Petruchio is a abusive ass who chases her, emprisions her, forces her to marry him.

Are you saying I should ask for the goats back?

Many old world concepts are ill fitted for the present.

(December 18, 2019 at 1:09 pm)no one Wrote: Many old world concepts are ill fitted for the present.

Times were really different back then.

I do wonder if Shakespeare was for his time, giving women more of a voice, even if only in marriage.

(December 18, 2019 at 1:02 pm)Brian37 Wrote: I just watched some of the Elizabeth Taylor's 1967 film version of "The Taming Of The Shrew." . Just watching that, I couldn't help but think that wouldn't fly today. 

You have the antiquated dowrey crap where the father marries off the daughter. But on top of that the character Petruchio is a abusive ass who chases her, emprisions her, forces her to marry him.

Yeah, some people think they're fit to rewrite (or at least bowdlerize) Shakespeare.

Boru

(December 18, 2019 at 1:14 pm)Brian37 Wrote:

(December 18, 2019 at 1:09 pm)no one Wrote: Many old world concepts are ill fitted for the present.

Times were really different back then.

I do wonder if Shakespeare was for his time, giving women more of a voice, even if only in marriage.

In his will, he left his wife his 'second best bed'.  Make of that what you will.

Boru

(December 18, 2019 at 3:05 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

(December 18, 2019 at 1:14 pm)Brian37 Wrote: Times were really different back then.

I do wonder if Shakespeare was for his time, giving women more of a voice, even if only in marriage.

In his will, he left his wife his 'second best bed'.  Make of that what you will.

Boru

He was even for his time, ahead of his time. Even the sitcom "Bewitched" had Sam constantently fixing things for Daron, even though she never got credit for it outside the house.

Kate and Petruchio learn from each other and grow as people, eventually finding common ground and beginning a fun life together.

Bianca turns out to be the shrew.  Those stories are still in play.

(December 18, 2019 at 3:13 pm)Ranjr Wrote: Kate and Petruchio learn from each other and grow as people, eventually finding common ground and beginning a fun life together.

Bianca turns out to be the shrew.  Those stories are still in play.

Not the version I saw.

In the version I saw, you still had the dowrey motif, and girls/women are not property to be bartered like back then. And Petruchio was a fucking stalker, assaulter and abuser in the version I saw. Since when is it ok to kidnap someone, force them to marry you, force them to move with you, then when you don't tidy the house you starve them? That is not love, that is abuse.

(December 18, 2019 at 3:20 pm)Brian37 Wrote:

(December 18, 2019 at 3:13 pm)Ranjr Wrote: Kate and Petruchio learn from each other and grow as people, eventually finding common ground and beginning a fun life together.

Bianca turns out to be the shrew.  Those stories are still in play.

Not the version I saw.

In the version I saw, you still had the dowrey motif, and girls/women are not property to be bartered like back then. And Petruchio was a fucking stalker, assaulter and abuser in the version I saw. Since when is it ok to kidnap someone, force them to marry you, force them to move with you, then when you don't tidy the house you starve them? That is not love, that is abuse.

If the play made you uncomfortable, then Shakespeare got what he wanted.  In the late 16th century, arranged marriages were beginning to fade out, and 'Taming of the Shrew' is (I think) at least partly a critical commentary on the old way of doing things.

Boru