Kate

1
Kate Petruchio

• Who tames whom?

2
Understanding Characters

• According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary , a
  shrew is defined as
• A scolding woman
• A small long-snouted mammal, like a mouse, mainly
  feeding on insects

3
Characteristics of the small long-snouted
mammal

• Active, solitary, surface dwellers
• Voracious and suffer from lack of food very
  quickly
• Aggressive behavior at all times
• Fighting does not involve actual physical
  contact, but consists of high-pitched screaming
  contests

4
Katherine a shrew?

• Believes she will remain unmarried and die an old
  maid
• Sees Bianca as daddys favorite
• Her own marriage is unimportant who will take
  her?
• First come, first serve!
• Father will pay to take her off his hands
  handsome reward!
• In Biancas way how long has this been going
  on?
• Recycled suitors?
• Defense mechanism?

5
Petruchio

• Materialistic Greedy
• Sees Katherine as a source of wealth
• Comes from a wealthy family, but wants more!
• Romantic?
• Hints that he wants more than orderliness and
  domesticity
• Talks of her beauty, seems to flirt with her,
  deeply flatters her

6
Petruchios Strategy

• 2 strategies
• To befuddle or bewilder Kate
• Keep reinforcing in her mind the ideal of
  womanhood he believes she is capable of seeing in
  herself

7
Katherines intrigue

• We can presume no-one has ever flattered her
  before
• Petruchio holds his own in their verbal banter
• Again, we can presume no-one has been able to
  that before
• Katherines protests weaken, until she says
  nothing
• The only time she seems afraid is when she
  doesnt think Petruchio will show up for the
  wedding
• She may see Petruchio as a way of escaping her
  home the only way out!
• Is she quite ready and happy to be tamed?
• Does she keep up her act as a shrew to save face?
• Petruchio appears as an attractive suitor
• Energetic, experienced, and sexy
• Very different than those who pursue Bianca
  (likely Kates previous suitors)

8
Petruchios Taming Process

• Delaying his arrival at the wedding
• Arriving to be married in ludicrously
  inappropriate clothing
• Cuffing the priest
• Carrying the bride off and denying her any
  partaking of the wedding feast
• Refusing her food on the pretext that it is of
  inferior quality
• Lecturing her on restraint and moderation when
  his own behavior has been almost insane
• Depriving her of sleep with the excuse that the
  bed is not properly made
• Denying her proper clothing to wear when visiting
  her father

9
What is his point?

• Disarray prevents caring and wellbeing
• Long for the ideal a quiet domesticity and
  peaceful marriage through orderliness and unity
• Hold up a mirror to Kate, distort her perception
• Prompt her to desire convention or order

10
Falconer Falcon

• man my haggard tame my wild hawk
• A falcon in training is deprived of food
• Not allowed to eat until it proves obedient
• Then, not allowed to consume prey, but must be
  fed by the falconer
• Kate endures forced fasting until Petruchio
  permits her to eat
• Note that Petruchio fasts with Kate not
  really cruel action as it first appears.tamed
  together?

11
Falconer Falcon contd

• After training, a falcon must be tested with the
  falconer present
• Kate is tested on the way to her fathers house
  
• she must agree with whatever Petruchio has to
  say, even if he is wrong

12
Falconer Falcon contd

• The real test comes when the falconer is not
  present will the falcon return to his master?
• Kate is put to test by Petruchio, which she
  passes
• She comes to him when he commands her to do so
• She fetches the other two women (Bianca and the
  Widow) who refuse when their husbands bid or
  entreat them
• She delivers a chastisement and a call of duty to
  them

13
Who is really tamed?

• Petruchio appears outwardly manic, but is
  inwardly controlled
• During the wooing initial taming does Kate
  keep her outwardly furious act to save face,
  but is really inwardly smitten?
• Petruchio married for money, yet the closing
  scene shows his tenderness for Kate
• Has he fallen in love with Kate?
• He responds to her unsolicited act of love
  generosity (the speech) by kissing her
• This went above and beyond his expectations of a
  general statement
• Kate shows Petruchio her submissiveness
• But is she also playing him at his own game?
• Showing him she is ready for a peaceful domestic
  life