The Taming of the Shrew Did Not Tame Me

I had my first encounter with The Taming of the Shrew this week. I had high hopes as I began to watch the 1967 version, as I have a great appreciation for William Shakespeare. I also realized early on that What I Hate About You is a loose adaptation of this play, containing the same basic story-line, which made me even more excited about the film. However, by the end of the movie I was left severely disappointed.

While The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare is a comedy, it comes across as extremely misogynistic, especially when not done correctly. In the 1967 film adaptation, Petruchio (portrayed by Richard Burton), is portrayed as a witless drunkard, which not only creates a strong dislike for his character, but for the play overall. While I realize that the text in and of itself is aimed at making fun of strong headed women, the actor's character choices detract from what could be a delightful comedy.

In the play, Petruchio seeks to wed Katherine in order to have access to her immense wealth. Throughout the play, he uses various methods and tactics to "tame" his wife and make her fulfill her roles as a woman. Instead of portraying a strong and cunning character attempting to change his wife, Burton comes off as cold-hearted and out of his mind. While the text remains largely true to the original, Burton's crazed laughter as he tortures Katherine through food and sleep deprivation (among other methods), make him appear as a unthinking maniac, intent on hurting his wife. He is often waltzing about the set as though he were drunk and enjoys making a spectacle of himself. Burton's acting creates an extremely off balanced effect in which Shakespeare's classic banter and wittiness that we so love is lost, and the audience is coerced into watching a man physically and verbally abuse his spouse, simply for the pleasure of it. The character falls flat and is unrelatable.