The Taming of the Shrew 1.1 Word Nerd: “shrew”

The transcript explores the evolution of the word 'shrew' from its origins, where it described a fierce animal, to its application to people as a term for someone evil or wicked. By Shakespeare's time, it referred to a scolding woman, a usage that persists today in a pejorative sense. The adjective 'shrewd' evolved separately, initially describing cunning in evil deeds, but now is used positively to denote cleverness. The transcript questions whether Catherine, the 'shrew' in Shakespeare's play, is merely ill-tempered or also clever and perceptive.

What new insight or understanding did you gain from this video?