# Shakespeare... no, really, Shakespeare. (sexist?)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-no-really-shakespeare-sexist/260964>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 22, 2004, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-no-really-shakespeare-sexist/260964 "2004-08-22T12:38:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-no-really-shakespeare-sexist/260964/21 "2004-08-24T00:50:57Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Giving myself a voluntary wound.

And SiXSwordS says “Except for the fact that she says the wound is self-inflicted.”

Going back to Chronos’ idea that the wound she speaks of is her maidenhead, could “voluntary” mean _freely accepted_ rather than _self-inflicted_? I don’t have access to an OED, but most of the choices under [voluntary](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=voluntary%20) seem to fit this idea.

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-no-really-shakespeare-sexist/260964/22 "2004-08-24T02:51:32Z")

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I’m not sure how that interpretation fits into the rest of the speech, though.

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**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-no-really-shakespeare-sexist/260964/23 "2004-08-24T12:51:10Z")

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Not to mention: **Giving _myself_**

I appreciate the interpretation, and it may hold as a double meaning, but reading Plutarch as APB suggests, I’d have to admit that the obvious reading makes the most sense. Portia (Porcia) went to extremes to prove herself worthy of full disclosure.

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**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-no-really-shakespeare-sexist/260964/24 "2004-08-24T13:33:46Z")

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> [@Finagle](#):
>
> I just recently saw “Taming of the Shrew” and \* there’s \* a play that doesn’t pass muster with modern eyes. Funny play, but the modern eye sees Petruccio’s treatement of Katherine as brainwashing and spousal abuse. Kate’s last speech describing the duties of a wife to her spouse was probably wildly applauded as late as the 1950’s, but merits a “who are you kidding” nowadays.

What is so wonderful is that today the actress can look at the audience and wink.

I’m not sure if you can justly lable William as a sexist.

But,

His ‘mother’ characters leave a lot to be desired.

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