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gsteadyy's review against another edition
2.0
Yeah it was alright lol- I usually dont like Shakespeare’s comedies as much as his I like his tragedies (apart from much ado, ily) but it was ok
soooo many characters in sooo many disguises tho, it was hard to keep track and my brain was whizzing 100000 miles per hour
Im one of those Kate performance truthers because there is no way my girl was so slay and feisty and opinionated only to be completely changed by one man who tried to convince her it was 7pm when it was 2pm just for lols. Kate is the real mastermind, prove me wrong. Willy knew it was too dangerous to give little ol Katherine that much power
Everyone was gaslight gatekeep girlbossing in this (looking at you, Tranio) and honestly it was great
Bianca was a little hidden firecracker as well i love her
soooo many characters in sooo many disguises tho, it was hard to keep track and my brain was whizzing 100000 miles per hour
Im one of those Kate performance truthers because there is no way my girl was so slay and feisty and opinionated only to be completely changed by one man who tried to convince her it was 7pm when it was 2pm just for lols. Kate is the real mastermind, prove me wrong. Willy knew it was too dangerous to give little ol Katherine that much power
Everyone was gaslight gatekeep girlbossing in this (looking at you, Tranio) and honestly it was great
Bianca was a little hidden firecracker as well i love her
brisingr's review against another edition
5.0
1st read: 29th April 2018.
2nd read: 27th of September 2019 (Patricia Ionescu & Mihai Nițu)
3nd read: 22nd of November 2020 (audio drama, 2007, Gavriil Pinte)
4th read: 5th of March 2021 (1988 ft. Colm Feore and Goldie Semple)
5th read: 17th of June 2021 (1976 by the American Conservatory Theater, ft. Fredi Olster and Marc Singer).
Me, seeking comfort: okay, another adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew it is!
This is my favourite Shakespeare play: both the original and its cultural intersections have deeply shaped my personality, my academic pursues (to the point I wrote a thesis on it) and just my general appreciation of Shakespeare and playwriting as a whole. It's always a delight to revisit this story and I remain deeply dedicated to a feminist interpretation of it.
Katarina and Petruchio are just *heart eyes*.
2nd read: 27th of September 2019 (Patricia Ionescu & Mihai Nițu)
3nd read: 22nd of November 2020 (audio drama, 2007, Gavriil Pinte)
4th read: 5th of March 2021 (1988 ft. Colm Feore and Goldie Semple)
5th read: 17th of June 2021 (1976 by the American Conservatory Theater, ft. Fredi Olster and Marc Singer).
Me, seeking comfort: okay, another adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew it is!
This is my favourite Shakespeare play: both the original and its cultural intersections have deeply shaped my personality, my academic pursues (to the point I wrote a thesis on it) and just my general appreciation of Shakespeare and playwriting as a whole. It's always a delight to revisit this story and I remain deeply dedicated to a feminist interpretation of it.
Katarina and Petruchio are just *heart eyes*.
sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
2.0
The feminist issues can be answered with the simplest argument that there is no knowing Shakespeare's intentions. The best of his characters are always doing most villianious things - Shylock Othello, Caliban, Brutus, Iago etc. The fact that they come to a bad end might only show Shakespeare's realism. But amid all prejudice that other characters show to them, the dislikable things they do and bad end they meet; they are still the ones that one feels most attracted towards. Kate is no different in that when she says “I see a woman may be made a fool,
If she had not a spirit to resist.” she forecasts her tragedy. I don't think anyone will claim to like Petruchio - and yet he is the most liked character in the play. I think one can thus argue that Shakespeare was questioning the very prejudice that he is accused of having.
My problem is different - Kate seemly badly characterized. One doesn't expect complex characters in a comedy but this one just didn't make sense to me. She is unnecessarily arrogant in the beginning - she might be saying something powerfully feminist when she says, “My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, or else my heart concealing it will break.” - it might show that her shrewdness is nothing more than a free spirit if she was angry for a reason, But then again for what exactly is she angry about?
And then again, marries Petruchio for a silly reason and, despite knowing the very nature of tricks that her husband is playing on her, doesn't show resistance. She had enough money and independent spirit in her to simply walk out on him and yet.
The prank played on beggar in frame story is taken from Arabian Nights. And tricks of play within a play or making a submissive person saying stupid and contradictory things are used by Shakespeare in Hamlet too. And so, there is not much to recommend the play except a few witticism. And witticisms, not being wisdom, can not claim more than one additional star from me.
On a side note, Kate's speech on why wives should be submissive is added in Goodreads quotes and I am deeply interested in 67 people who have liked it.
If she had not a spirit to resist.” she forecasts her tragedy. I don't think anyone will claim to like Petruchio - and yet he is the most liked character in the play. I think one can thus argue that Shakespeare was questioning the very prejudice that he is accused of having.
My problem is different - Kate seemly badly characterized. One doesn't expect complex characters in a comedy but this one just didn't make sense to me. She is unnecessarily arrogant in the beginning - she might be saying something powerfully feminist when she says, “My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, or else my heart concealing it will break.” - it might show that her shrewdness is nothing more than a free spirit if she was angry for a reason, But then again for what exactly is she angry about?
And then again, marries Petruchio for a silly reason and, despite knowing the very nature of tricks that her husband is playing on her, doesn't show resistance. She had enough money and independent spirit in her to simply walk out on him and yet.
The prank played on beggar in frame story is taken from Arabian Nights. And tricks of play within a play or making a submissive person saying stupid and contradictory things are used by Shakespeare in Hamlet too. And so, there is not much to recommend the play except a few witticism. And witticisms, not being wisdom, can not claim more than one additional star from me.
On a side note, Kate's speech on why wives should be submissive is added in Goodreads quotes and I am deeply interested in 67 people who have liked it.
carolinekysela's review against another edition
3.0
kiss me kate adapted this show very well and for that i am grateful. but i was disappointed by katherina's writing in this!! she was more likable as a "shrew" before she was manipulated by petruchio to be "obedient".
charlieanne_l's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
frankenchrist's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
singingsfun's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Favorite Quote:
“My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, or else my heart concealing it will break.”
“I see a woman may be made a fool, If she had not a spirit to resist.”
“My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, or else my heart concealing it will break.”
“I see a woman may be made a fool, If she had not a spirit to resist.”
“Petruchio - First kiss me, Kate, and we will. Katherina - What! In the midst of the street? Petruchio - What! art thou ashamed of me? Katerina- No, sir; God forbid; but I seem to kiss. Petruchio - why, then, let’s home again. Come, sirrah, let away. Katherina- Nay, I will give thee a kiss; now pray thee, love, stay. Petruchio- Is not this well? Come, my sweet Kate; better once than never, for never too late.”
meganbyrne14's review
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
staciloverock's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship