Is it really as bad as it seems?

The Taming of the Shrew...not the biggest fan. 
A big problem that I had with it was idea of controlling women. 
Now I know it's a comedy, and I'm sure it was amusing back then. And during the time period, arranged marriages and all that jazz were acceptable, but I can't quite accept that and look past it. 


So I looked a little online to see articles that have been written on theme of feminism in the play, and there were some interesting ideas that made me think better of the play.


Arguments have risen stating that "his behavior is a mirror to hers, simply reflecting back her own demeanor so that, in turn, she understands how she’s treated others."(http://www2.cedarcrest.edu/academic/eng/lfletcher/shrew/efurstnau.htm)
 This thought made me think better of Petruchio and his behavior towards Katherina. Katherina isn't really that pleasant of a person, and so Petruchio's behavior is more acceptable if I think of it as him just showing Katherina how she acts and how unpleasant it really is. 
Another idea in the article linked above states again that it was acceptable during the time period. Men wrote the play, men acted out the play, and were just generally more dominant. And because of that, it's easier to understand the point of view that people these days might seem as sexist.


Another thing that made me think better of the play was that it got me thinking about how I treat people. Katherina is rude and inconsiderate of those around her in the beginning before she is "tamed." But it got me thinking, why is she like that? In the play, her father, Baptista, doesn't think too highly of Katherina.He wants her to be happy but doesn't pay too much attention to her views and how she feels. 
And that got me thinking that maybe she is a shrew because she feels like her father cares more for Bianca than actually her. And attitude is everything, so maybe instead of choosing to be optimistic, she chose to see the negative.
And eventually at the end of the play, with her long speech about how she is grateful for her husband and the opportunity to serve him and help him, she is happier and more content with life.