All the bloody Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew

Behold the shrew in all its wildness!

Shakespeare follows up his sloppy first outing into comedy by attempting a cross-genre comedy horror. 

The play opens with a framing device that, in a step up from Comedy of Errors, has jokes in it.  Granted, they haven't aged well.  The funny bit here is that a bunch of nobles meet a salesman called Christopher Sly. 

For shits and giggles, they get him wasted. Then humiliate him by convincing him that he's a lord.  To facilitate this, they force a young boy to wear drag and flirt with him.

Yeah. You're right, I agree. It hasn't aged well.

Christopher Sly does throw out a few good one-liners and one very artful monologue that make this whole section, not just tolerable but somewhat entertaining. 

The nobles put on a play to distract Sly; namely, The Taming of the Shrew.  None of this first section is related to the rest of the narrative in any meaningful manner, and it all seems a bit pointless. However, as the plot progresses, you get the feeling that Shakespeare did this to try to distance himself from the script: the 'Norman Mailer attributing his sexism to his characters' approach.

The main story centres around Katherina, a strong, independent and attractive woman who for some reason (that no one can fathom) takes exception to being treated like property.

Along comes Petruchio.  A devil may care out of towner who doesn't care if Katherina is a bit brusk or has no interest in getting married.  So long as he can get his hands on a tasty dowry and some sweet inheritance rights.

The play keeps its humorous tone with one-liners, quick-fire banter and servant beatings aplenty.  But, it is at this point that it begins to take on elements of psychological horror.

Despite rejecting him, Katherina is forced to marry him anyway. 

He doesn't even wait to get the ring on her before he starts in on his creepy mind control bullshit, and he turns up dressed like one of the Power Rangers, or something to that effect.

Immediately after she marries him, Petruchio takes her out of town and isolates her from her friends and family.  He then starves her, humiliates her, refuses to call her by her proper name and deprives her of sleep.  All the while, gaslighting her into thinking that it's for her benefit.

Eventually, Petruchio forces her to accept that the sun is the moon, that some old bloke is a young woman and that he is a passable human being.  Now that she can no longer function as a human within her own right, Petruchio demands and receives sexual favours in return for allowing her to occasionally see her father.

Meanwhile, Katherina has a sister called Bianca, who is well fit and doesn't ever stand up for herself.  So, you know she's going to get got too.

There are two main suitors.  They're pretty forgettable characters, so (for the sake of this review) we'll call them Larry and Geoff.  They both want to marry her, but rather than just asking they launch elaborate schemes full of lies, misdirection and actual disguises.

Geoff's plan, which involves having a teacher dress up as her dad to forge legal documents, is the one that works.  So Bianca marries Geoff and Larry settles for a rich widow (because God forbid a man not get want he wants).

Geoff is quite smug about marrying the more obedient wife.  Prompting Petruchio to show how much he has broken Katherina.  They both send for their wives, to see who will arrive first.

Bianca is way past giving a toss about Geoff at this point and can't be arsed showing up.  Katherina, however, shows up immediately.  She then gives her sister a (pages long) lecture on being a good and obedient wife.

"I am asham'd that women are so simple

To offer war where they should kneel for peace,

Or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway,

When they are bound to serve, love, and obey."

The effect of this speech is like the end scene of 1984 when Winston Smith realises he loves Big Brother.  It's chilling stuff.

And that's the end of the play.

I was kind of hoping Christopher Sly to show up again and give an Orco style moral message.  But Shakespeare seems to have forgotten about him, so that's that.

However, if there is a moral to the play, it is this: don't be born a woman if you can help it.

2/5 only slightly better than Boxing Helena.