The Taming of the Shrew

On Wednesday after my EU class Lauren, Alyssa, Megan and I took the train to Stratford-upon-Avon to see the Taming of the Shrew. I saw it two weeks ago, but I loved it both times. The Royal Shakespeare Company really is exceptional! As we were walking to the theatre I saw the actor who plays Petruchio walking down the street. I wanted to tell him what a good job I thought he was doing, but I didn't want to be creepy, so I left him alone. As we were discussing where to go to dinner, we had one of those happy moments where we realized we were all craving Thai. We were directed to two Thai restaurants. The first was closed, but I'm really glad it was, because the second was absolutely awesome! It was right on the water, the rooms were beautiful, and the food was amazing! From now on, I'm going there before any play I see in Stratford-upon-Avon, and I'm planning on seeing at least two more: Twelfth Night and The Tempest.

Look at that view! 

Here's a silly bit of trivia about the river Avon: When the Romans came to Britain they pointed to the river and asked the locals what it was called. The locals said Avon. In the next town they asked the same question and the locals said Avon. The Romans named a lot of rivers Avon before they finally figured out that was just the local word for river!

We also took all the necessary photos in front of the many Shakespeare statues and memorials:

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre at night

I think my favorite lines of the play are these:

BAPTISTA

Good morrow, neighbour Gremio.
God save you, gentlemen!

PETRUCHIO

And you, good sir! Pray, have you not a daughter
Call'd Katharina, fair and virtuous?

BAPTISTA

I have a daughter, sir, called Katharina.

Wow! You know that you're pretty wild when even your own father says something like that about you!

After the play, we had a lively discussion on the way back to the train station. My friends and I are all ardent feminists, but we reacted differently to the play, and especially to Katerina's final speech,. which can definitely be interpreted several ways. It is possible to interpret it as a sign that Katerina is actually "tamed" and means what she says, but I chose to interpret it as pure silliness. I prefer to think that Katerina is getting the last laugh against the other women by pretending to be tamed, when in fact she is making fun of societal norms with her outrageous speech: 

"Fie, fie! unknit that threatening unkind brow,

And dart not scornful glances from those eyes,
To wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor:
It blots thy beauty as frosts do bite the meads,
Confounds thy fame as whirlwinds shake fair buds,
And in no sense is meet or amiable.
A woman moved is like a fountain troubled,
Muddy, ill-seeming, thick, bereft of beauty;
And while it is so, none so dry or thirsty
Will deign to sip or touch one drop of it.
Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper,
Thy head, thy sovereign; one that cares for thee,
And for thy maintenance commits his body
To painful labour both by sea and land,
To watch the night in storms, the day in cold,
Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe;
And craves no other tribute at thy hands
But love, fair looks and true obedience;
Too little payment for so great a debt.
Such duty as the subject owes the prince
Even such a woman oweth to her husband;
And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour,
And not obedient to his honest will,
What is she but a foul contending rebel
And graceless traitor to her loving lord?
I am ashamed that women are so simple
To offer war where they should kneel for peace;
Or seek for rule, supremacy and sway,
When they are bound to serve, love and obey.
Why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth,
Unapt to toil and trouble in the world,
But that our soft conditions and our hearts
Should well agree with our external parts?
Come, come, you froward and unable worms!
My mind hath been as big as one of yours,
My heart as great, my reason haply more,
To bandy word for word and frown for frown;
But now I see our lances are but straws,
Our strength as weak, our weakness past compare,
That seeming to be most which we indeed least are.
Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot,
And place your hands below your husband's foot:
In token of which duty, if he please,
My hand is ready; may it do him ease." 

This speech is just so plainly ridiculous that I find it funny rather than offensive. If I ever refer to a man as "my lord, my king, my governor" you'd better bet I'm kidding!