Shakespearean game

Shakespeare clearly understood asshole game. He had it down cold (as he did so many other social roles and situations). But it’s important to remember in this Youtube clip–as well as in other modern re-enactments of historic social relations–that what we’re seeing is not 16th century game per se. What we’re seeing instead is some modern, Hollywood-influenced writer’s INTERPRETATION or spin on those historic social relations. What we often see is a characterization of historic game–washed through an (often unconscious) lens of modern social agenda. And there’s no guarantee that agenda matched Shakespeare’s. (This comes out most apparently when one sees a clip of some obviously feminist-motivated historic re-enactment.)

Nevertheless, Richard Burton here appears to be perfect for the role. He plays it to the hilt. The guy (Burton) was alpha in real life.

So, to make sure you’re not being spoon-fed some agenda, it helps to keep the original in mind below. In fact, you’ve gotta love, where Katherina bitches that Petruchio just wants to play the field: “He’ll woo a thousand, ‘point the day of marriage”

Says Katharina:
No shame but mine: I must, forsooth, be forced
To give my hand opposed against my heart
Unto a mad-brain rudesby full of spleen;
Who woo’d in haste and means to wed at leisure.
I told you, I, he was a frantic fool,
Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behavior:
And, to be noted for a merry man,
He’ll woo a thousand, ‘point the day of marriage,
Make feasts, invite friends, and proclaim the banns;
Yet never means to wed where he hath woo’d.
Now must the world point at poor Katharina,
And say, ‘Lo, there is mad Petruchio’s wife,
If it would please him come and marry her!’

Shakespeare = uber alpha.