The Undoing of the Shrew

Intending to craft a milder woman He counters her word, negates her actions Reduces her to the shell of what has been

With her comfort in mind, he scorns them Breaking her down with a distraction, Intending to craft a milder woman

Riles her up, creates the illusion Of love, of kindness, all in good fashion Reduces her to the shell of what has been

Presenting himself a worthy husband He controls all of her, not a fraction Intending to craft a milder woman

Small changes he makes and shouldn’t Depriving her of pleasant interactions Reduces her to the shell of what has been

Succeeding at last, he wears her quite thin Succeeding at last, without attraction Intending to craft a milder woman Reduces her to the shell of what has been

Petruchio in Love:

Love is not violent It is not a game or joke. There is no love here.

A reflection on a “Feminist Text”

The wild Katherine, the untamable Shrew Tortured by a man to prove he can. This “feminist text” makes a comedy Of a story about domestic abuse.

There is no consent in this “feminist text”. There is no love in the family. Neither sister is offered humanity. One is animal, the other a doll/ The animal is traded and tamed By means of psychological torment-- Quick witty Shakespeare banters that pokes fun At a toxic portrayal of what love is.

While the charming Petruchio feigned love And the tamed Katherine “feigned” her servitude The man never forfeited his power But the woman was forced to yield her’s. The Taming of The Shrew is no feminist text.

The first two poems reflect on Petruchio’s treatment of Kate, shamelessly breaking her down to nothing. “The Undoing of the Shrew” refers to the beginning of Kate’s taming, with Petruchio doing everything in his power to weaken Katherine’s strong will. The following haiku is meant to illustrate the faults in their relationship. Their marriage is void of love because of Petruchio’s desire to create the perfect wife. His version of a happy marriage is skewed: a life unbothered is better than a positive relationship to Petruchio. The final poem reflects the interpretations of Petruchio’s actions. Within the play he’s regarded as brilliant for taming Katherine. This only furthers and reinforces the expectation that a women must remain submissive, with the sole intent of pleasing their husband. Phoebe John and Sofia Zarzuela

After traveling from their wedding, Petruchio and Katherine arrive home, met by the servants of the household. Upon entrance Petruchio is dissatisfied with the work of his servants, despite them being attentive and willing. His incessant nagging mimics the actions of a stereotypical shrewish woman, clearly projecting to Katherine how he views her. He displays that he can counter her rebellious nature and make her suffer with his actions. In this line, Petruchio’s harping on his servants is contrasted by an ornamented kindness towards Katherine. He has begun the process of taming, breaking her down to produce a submissive, doting wife. Petruchio’s process however, incorporates the illusion of him caring for Katherine. His use of endearing words, calling her “good sweet Kate”, and trying to lift her spirits are a justification for his inappropriate actions, excusing his behavior. Regardless of this being an attempt to wear Katherine out, as a man he remains held unaccountable and justified because he supposedly has her comfort in mind. Because he is a man, regardless of whether he’s a gentleman, he is entitled to a devoted, mild wife. This idea is completely representative of the time period, where women were regarded as objects to carry on a bloodline and take care of a man. It can be regarded as an engaging narrative for the people of this time because the traditional process of courting and marriage has been disturbed. Petruchio has achieved a system in which he both gets a tamer wife and is regarded as a clever and cunning.