Shakespear Litateure

"The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare though written in sexist time frame is in opinion the most offensive piece of literature I have ever read. I find it derogatory and sickening. I am one of few teenagers who actually appreciate the work's the famous playwright wrote, but when I read this particular story I tossed the entire collection across the room and spit upon it.

If it is legal I shall go and find his grave and spit upon that as well. My friend Miranda has recently informed me her high school class is putting on this production and I am highly angered. If something like grease isn't permitted because of content such as sex and pregnancy I see no reason why "The Taming of the Shrew" should be allowed. It makes a very offensive statement about women compared to men and I am set out to voice my opinion.

"The Taming of the Shrew" is a play about a girl who has a sister who is the most beautiful in the land. All men wish to woo her. Alas, the "shrew" by order of her father must be married off first and n man wishes to wed her. The "shrew" is merely an opinionated and independent girl who despises being looked down upon for being a lady. But one day a man comes to wed her. He takes her home despite her reluctance and starves and sleep depraves the poor girl claiming it's out of his love for her and that no food or bed is good enough for her.

Eventually he puts her on donkey back and they head through the dessert back to her father .Along the way they run into a poor old man who he forces the "shrew" to call a beautiful young lady until she appears to be a nut case. Upon arriving back at her home the girl is broken in spirit, mind, body and pride. Her father and this man get drunk and they decide to make a little bet.

The bet is on their wives, of which one is most obedient. Each man calls his wife to the room, each man commands that of his wife he bring her a beer with no delay just the way he wants it. The girl's father's wife dallies and meanders. The poor broken girl, who used to be an individual, does her abusive husband's will and he goes home rich. The supposedly happy ending is that the most independent women in the world has been tamed to be the most obedient wife in all the land and her sister is finally allowed her marriage which as opposed to her sisters goes well.

The moral of this story is a sickening one that says women shall obedient of men. True this fits the time period, but I find the way he goes about stating and setting the matter to be sexist even for his generation. Let's not forget also that Shakespeare performed mostly for the Queen, yes Queen, of England at this time. This detests me all the more that her highness and royal majesty had nothing done about such a derogatory play. It shames me and humiliates me.

"The Taming of the Shrew" should not be recognized as a classic and should be banned from schools. It sends out a very inappropriate message about the place of women in the world, says that abuse is right, and furthermore has a moral of evil. Girls should not be forced to put on such a play in high school that mocks and sucks pride from their gender. Nor should they have to watch boy's put on such a play. Women have earned their place and respect on this earth as well as any person of a different religion or race has and should not be subjected to such.

"The Taming of the Shrew" should be removed from circular activities. I do not propose an all out ban as am against such things, but it should not be forced to be read and preformed at the risk of a child's grade.