The Shrew’s Illusion
HORTENSIO: Now go thy ways, thou hast tam’d a curst shrow.
LUCENTIO: ‘Tis a wonder, by your leave, she will be tam’d so.
Indeed, Hortentio’s assurance in the taming of the “curst shrow” Katerina seems a wonder to all the audience in the final scene of “The Taming of the Shrew.” After hurling furniture, pitching fits and assaulting her sister, Katerina delivers a speech that lauds obedience and censures rough behavior. Allegedly, this speech demonstrates Katerina’s obedience to her husband, Petruchio, who has forced her to realize the error of her former behavior. Genuine submission, however, is an unlikely disposition for Katerina to adopt. A complete reformation becomes more improbable after an examination of the scenes surrounding her “taming.” Several of these episodes attest to excellence of her acting ability. This evidence suggests her ability to impersonate the character of a tamed shrew. Her dialogue during these moments of obedience seems to mirror the language Petruchio uses earlier to tame her, suggesting that Katerina employs Petruchio’s own dissembling devices against him. Even the nuances of her language, filled with double meanings, belie her supposed transformation.
Katerina first reveals her aptitude for deception as she and Petruchio head toward Padua for her sister’s wedding. When her husband falsely labels the daylight as the “bright and goodly shining” of the moon, she immediately protests (4.5.2). However, the moment Petruchio threatens her journey home, she begins to act. In order that she fulfill her desire to return home, she pleads that they continue and vows that “be it moon, or sun, or what you please; / And if you please it be a rush-candle, / Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me” (4.5.13-15). In saying this, Katerina promises to “vow,” or claim to believe, the truth of anything Petruchio alleges. However, she never promises to actually believe him. Instead, she agrees to act according to his game, a game that he himself qualifies. When contented by Katerina’s yielding, Petruchio declares “thus the bowl shall run,” invoking the image of a ball in the game of bowling (4.5.24). This image parallels to the game he stages in which Katerina is played toward at target of a woman tamed. However, she does not submit blindly to his intentions; she plays toward achieving her own goal of returning home.
Continuing to prove her aptitude for dissembling, Katerina plays along with Petruchio’s labeling of Vincentio as a maid in the following scene.
Different Interpretations of the Relationship Between Kate and Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew
“Then God be blessed, it is the blessed sun, But sun it is not when you say it is not, And the moon changes even as your mind. What you will have it named, even that it is,And so it shall be still for Katherine. (IV.vi.19–23) The relationship of Katherine and Petruchio has changed throughout the various adaptations of the Taming of the Shrew. Things such as the motives to the interaction, even the role of love has changed. These differences between these adaptations were not a mistake but made to appeal to a variety of audiences.
Kate and The Taming of the Shrew describes the progression of the outspoken and headstrong Kate, wife of Petruchio, as she gradually transitions into an almost perfect example of an archetypal loyal wife. This classic female archetype can be expressed through blind and ignorant support of their husband without any personal opinion or any priorities and objectives other than to satisfy the needs and desires of their husbands. While Kate begins possessing traits that oppose the loyal wife archetype due to her strong willed personality, her shift to obedience. However she continues to think with cunning strategy throughout the entire play, regardless of her weakened mental state caused by Petruchio limiting her food and sleep.
In the play, Taming of the Shrew, this character is known as Petruchio. In act 1 scene 2, Petruchio insists on meeting Kat no matter who tells her of his behavior, for he was only looking at one factor – that she had a rich father. Upon meeting Baptista, Petruchio insists on meeting Katherine. “Lucentio” and Petruchio battle, promising this and that to Katherine until Baptista finally chooses Petruchio. Upon meeting Katherine, she immediately is biting at his heels. With his quick wit he is responding with equal amounts of insults which frustrates Katherine. Every insult Katherine throws at Petruchio he manages to throw back a sexual innuendo. further along into the story with Kate and Petruchio. Petruchio
Over the past weeks we have learned a lot of new things. I learned about different races, ethnicities, and cultures. The world would not be the same if everyone was the same race and it is a great thing to learn about everyone and where they are from, and where they have come from. Everyone is different in their own way and it is our duty to accept everyone as a whole. I am going to talk about the social construct of race today, some of our readings, and a lot of our discussions that are always fun.
.... She now obeys what is asked of her by Petruchio like such as when she is told to lecture the other wives about how to be a good wife, “Katherina, I charge thee, tell these headstrong women, what duty they do owe their lords and husbands.” Without arguing and saying a word against what is asked of her she gives her advice, “Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee.”
Petrucio enjoys verbal sport and a non-conventional sense of humor. Petrucio surrounds himself with neither tame nor conforming people. You can even see this in his servants. His servants like him very much and enjoy his entertainments. An example of this is when Petrucio and his servant man Grumio get into a disagreement about knocking on the gate. Reflective of this is Petrucio’s methods to “woo” Katherine. His methods are game like and outrageous. Such as when he beats up Grumio because Kate’s horse stumbles, or showing up late to the wedding. While showing Katherine how ridiculous she is about things, he is also making her feel special, which is something she never felt in life. He also says that “This is the way to kill a wife with kindness.” (IV,i 211) This is his courting method of when he makes the wife feel to good for everything surrounding her. When they eat dinner once he complains “Endanger choler planteth anger…. since of ourselves are choleric”. (IV, I 177) While Petrucio may not agree with what society has determined to be proper, he is aware of the importance to conform. He knows the ways of society and that he must demonstrate this to Katherine, who has no regard for public presentation.
Petruciho uses the beautiful gown to show Kate that she will no longer have her way. Petruicho also uses several other instances to tame Kate. Petruicho is "fashionably late" to his wedding with Katharine and upon arrival is dresed as a jester. Petruciho "kidnaps" Kate from her wedding reception, and upon arrival to his home only allows Kate to smell the delicious food. Petruicho conduct himself in this manner to show Kate how she looks and behaves.
The servants prepare a meal for them. When it arrives, he claims that the food lacks sufficient quality and throws it around the room. Katharina protests that “the meat was well.” However, Petruchio counters “for this night, we'll fast for company.” Then, he proceeds to find fault in the bed and removes the pillow, sheets and covers. He claims he does this “in reverend care of her.” In fact, his goal is “to kill a wife with kindness.” When Petruchio arranges for a tailor and haberdasher to outfit Katharina for her sister's wedding, Petruchio argues that the cap is “a cockle or a walnut-shell, a knack, a toy, a trick, a baby's cap” and insists on a bigger one. Katharina responds that “gentlewomen wear such caps.” Petruchio retorts “When you are gentle, you shall have one too.” They have a further disagreement about the gown. Katharina states “ I never saw a better-fashion'd gown” while Petruchio protests “he means to make a puppet of thee.” Because Katharina persistently opposes Petruchio, he deprives her of food, sleep and clothing while claiming these items are not prepared well enough for
In Act III, after the wedding, Petruchio wants to leave the feast, Kate firsts asks him to stay, then begs by saying, "Now, if you love me, stay" (Shakespeare 1570), then ranting and being defiant after that doesn't work. In this instance, Kate's first response was to ask politely. When that doesn't work, she then begs or bargains by saying Petruchio should stay, if he loves her. This demonstrates a change in Kate, as her initial response was not in anger or malice, nor was it her second, but it was in respect and politeness. Of course, she doesn't automatically change her ways because she gets married, so the shrewish behavior still makes an appearance when she doesn't get her way.
William Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew, has often been accused of being a farce and farce, for those of you who don’t know is a subgenre of comedy that chooses to entertain through the use of verbal humor both low-brow and witty, as well as improbable and exaggerated situations (“Farce.”). The male lead Petruccio openly declares to the audience; “Thus have I politically begun my reign, and ‘tis my hope to end successfully. My falcon now is sharp and passing empty, and till she stoop she must not be full-gorged, for then she never looks upon her lure...” his plan to train his wife Kate, the shrew of Padua, as if she were some sort of animal (4.1. 169-72). Petruccio’s success in wooing and taming Kate through the use of ludicrous and absurd techniques such as killing Kate’s shrewdness with kindness, word play, and public embarrassment are what lead the play to be considered a farce.
Called "cursed Kate" throughout the play, Katherine is openly jealous of the attention he sister is receiving, whereas she, because she speaks her mind, is being bypassed and even avoided in the wooing process. Katherine reveals this attitude in act 2 scene1, lines 31-35, "nay, now i see she is your treasure, she must have a husband; i must dance barefoot on my wedding day, and for your love to her, lead the apes to hell. Talk not to me i will sit and weep!...." This anger is not concealed, it serves to provide motivation as to why a rational person would rebuke petrucchio so rudely upon first encountering him. Katherine surely realizes that petruchio is interested in her for ulterior motives other than love. Be it purse that the dowry will bring or the actions of an...
Petruchio could possibly just be trying to get his woman the best food possible, or in the case of his wedding, the best tailored clothes for Kate. Petruchio brings in a tailor for his wedding, and when the dress doesn’t live up to his expectations, he lets the tailor know (IV.iii.113-121) “O monstrous arrogance!... that thou hast marred her gown.” Petruchio cares so much about getting everything for his wife to be perfect that he does not let one thing fall out of line for his wedding preparations. These things could be taken as sexist acts; however they were just acts... ...
By charming her with kind words, Petruchio is able to manipulate Katherine into marriage and woo her, but in an unaccustomed way, as Kate is not used to men being so nice and direct with her. Petruchio is able to achieve this end by manipulating Katherine’s words. He twists what Kate says and makes it seem as if she is coming on to him sexually, while in reality he is the one implying the sexual innuendo. This manipulation can be seen when they have an argument about whether or not the wasp carries his sting on his tail or tongue, and Petruchio says “What, with my tongue in your tail? Nay, come again, good Kate. I am a gentleman—” (II, 1; 230-231). By contorting the words he ...
Patrick and Petruchio’s desire to date Kat or Katerina is influenced by money. In Taming of the Shrew Hortensio mentions that Katerina is a shrew, but Petruchio does not care because she is wealthy. Petruchio could have easily found another woman, but with money involved, Petruchio does what he can to “win” her love by attempting to talk with Katerina and eventually takes his time to try and tame Katerina. “When Petruchio first meets Baptista, Petruchio inquires about the dowry, once Baptista replies, Petruchio immediately demands to sign the contract.