The Taming Of The Shrew

Shakespeare’s light-hearted play that got us into fits of laughter as children, only to fall prey to the Petruchios out there.

For those who don’t know, the main plot depicts the courtship of Petruchio and Katherina, the headstrong, obdurate shrew. Initially, Katherina is an unwilling participant in the relationship; however, Petruchio “tames” her with various psychological torments, such as keeping her from eating and drinking, until she becomes a desirable, compliant, and obedient bride.

Sadly, most men strongly believe in this culture. They fall in love with strong women and portray themselves as liberals and pretend to be someone who believes in equal rights only to later prove that they are, in fact pseudo liberals.

They believe being together with a woman means crushing her personal space, pride and most importantly her identity. They think the most amicable way of loving a headstrong woman is by moulding her according to their own desires.

It’s actually surprising that men get to prove their love by writing poetries and sonnets and women have to prove theirs by not talking to other guys and wearing “proper” clothes.

What they need to understand using the little brain of theirs is that women or any human in general is not their property and are capable of making their own decisions.

Why do these men fail to understand that women do have a life apart from them, and it is way more freeing? Is it so difficult to admit that you are a part of her universe and not the centre of it?

These are the people who sabotage years and years of efforts of a woman by not allowing them to work after marriage (it isn’t even their right in the first place!). They have a justification for this stupidity, and trust me it’s stupider. “I’ll earn enough for the both of us”, as if it wasn’t her passion she was chasing, as if all those sleepless nights would ever be compensated by the money “he(is going to) earn for the both of them”.

Dear men, I have some major questions for you. Why does she have to choose? Why choose between love and other things, which in case it failed your notice, are important to her as well? Tell me why do you have to put her through a dilemma for basic, basic things as if she wasn’t entitled to them already?

There is this little truth you need to accept — the Shrew today is not going to be tamed.