Is Katherine Really Tamed
Imagine marrying an uncontrollable woman and receiving the challenge to tame her. How strenuous would that be? As difficult as it sounds, it became reality in Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." The notorious shrew changes her behavior from being the rude and unmanageable Katherine to the obedient wife Kate! Katherine's unexpected and sincere transformation was the result of her heart's desire to be loved and respected by Petruchio. Katherine is called the "shrew" by many, including her father. Being the ultimate uncontrollable woman, she fits that description very well. Constantly responding with rejection and violence, she is rude to anyone and everyone. Katherine is filled with words of violence in the first act. "To comb your noddle with three-legged stool/And paint your face, and use you like a fool (Shrew I.i.64:65)." After being scolded by Hortensio for her temper, Katherine defends herself and threatens to hit him on the head with a stool. Katherine's temper continues through the following act. She binds her sister's hands and torments her. Accused of jesting, Katherine strikes Bianca. "If that be jest, then all the rest was so. Strikes her (Shrew II.i.22)." Later, she becomes irritate
d during music lessons and strikes Licio with the lute, "breaking his head." Katherine is clearly a total shrew, as violent as can be, and very not lady-like. She has to have her way, doing whatever she needs to get what it is that she wants. At this point, it does not seem that even God can control her. The final speech Katherine gives proves her ultimate obedience and love for Petruchio. When told, she announces the role of a woman to other wives around her. "Thy husband is they lord, they life, they keeper, they head, they sovereign, one that cares for thee (Shrew.V.ii.150-151)." Katherine not only praises her husband, she worships him. She is truly sincere and speaks from her heart. The old Katherine would not even make this speech, and if she were forced to, would not have praised Petruchio as much as she did. But Katherine loves Petruchio and not only wanted to express how she felt, but wanted to teach the other wives how they can love and obey their husbands so that they may be as happy as her. Katherine is satisfied because she is now loved and respected by Petruchio. Petruchio feels that he has won Kate over by taming her to be the obedient wife he wants her to be when really it is Kate that has won Petruchio's love and respect for her. By the end of the fourth act, Katherine has completely turned around. She accepts and agrees on anything and everything Petruchio tells her. Petruchio remarks how bright the moon is, and Katherine corrects him that it is the sun, not the moon. He replies that it will be what he says it is. Katherine obeys and calls the sun the moon. "And be it m
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Approximate Word count = 1091
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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