The Taming of the Shrew as keeping her from eating and drinking, until she becomes a desirable, compliant, and obedient bride. The subplot features a competition between the suitors of Katherina's younger sister, Bianca, who is seen as the "ideal" woman. The question of whether the play is misogynistic or not has become the subject of considerable controversy, particularly among modern scholars, audiences, and readers. "The Taming of the Shrew" has been adapted numerous times for stage, screen, opera, ballet, and musical theatre; perhaps the most famous adaptations being Cole Porter's "Kiss Me, Kate" and the 1967 film of the play, starring Elizabeth Taylor and
The Taming of the Shrew suggesting that whatever the relationship between the two plays, "The Shrew" was most likely written somewhere between 1590 (roughly when Shakespeare arrived in London) and 1594 (registration of "A Shrew"). However, it is possible to narrow the date further. A "terminus ante quem" for "A Shrew" seems to be August 1592, as a stage direction at 3.21 mentions "Simon," which probably refers to the actor Simon Jewell, who was buried on 21 August 1592. Furthermore, "The Shrew" must have been written earlier than 1593, as Anthony Chute's "Beauty Dishonoured, written under the title of Shore's wife" (published in June 1593)