Kate’s knowledge of all her sisters’ suitors runs her through complete jealousy. Like most women in society in Elizabethan times Kate’s main aim was to get married. Marriage at such a time gave a woman status and a meaning she was no longer a tenant in her father’s house. Women could not own property or have any say, to be married was the closest thing to any respect and authority they would get the chance to have. Tradition stated that if a woman were to marry after her younger sister apart from the embarrassment she would be put to humiliation at the occasion of the wedding itself and have to dance bare foot. Most people felt this is the reason for Kate’s behaviour but as I have said earlier this doesn’t make sense because the reason she’s in this situation is because of her behaviour. There seems to be a buried reason for her behaviour, which is not established. As her and Petrucio exchange words on there first meeting Petrucio calls Kate a wasp she replies “If I be waspish best beware my sting,” pointing out she knows how she behaves and warns Petrucio of it. Petrucio then says “my remedy is then to pluck it out” Kate replies “ay if the fool could find where it lies.” In this sentence she gives away a huge clue that people all think they know what is upsetting her but really have no idea at all. It is not simply the reason that she may be made a fool of in front of “friends” and family as she says her self this would be something she could overcome, as she says later she has the spirit to carry on, Act 3 scene 2, “Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner: I see a woman may be made a fool, If she had not a spirit to resist.”
However Bianca does try to steal her thunder, even after Kate’s wedding Lucentio says, “Shall sweet Bianca practise how to bride it?” Bianca knows how her sister is treated and has no sympathy she tries to play on it and anger her more; and as we further learn another one of Kate’s aims is to have revenge on all those people who have made her feel so miserable, and at this point can see why, all she wishes for is to be approved to her sister. Tired of being second best she wants to out shine her at least once.
Bianca is the superlative of woman hood, the way she is spoken to, spoken about and treated as a whole; is completely different compared with Kate’s treatment of disgust. Bianca’s superior reputation meant that she was the perfect woman for a wife and a daughter; people’s comments on Bianca are so complementary compared to those that Kate receives. Bianca is thought of as “goddess” “Minerva” well known for her “mild behaviour and sobriety.” Bianca loves the things that a well bought up young lady, she has interest in poetry music and language all things that were thought of as something a well educated person would know as they are associated with culture and understanding.
At the time status was very important to people to have any rights, learning about culture made people seem more attractive and superior. This meant people were more desirable to men for marriage. Many different perspectives on marriage are expressed throughout the play. At the beginning of the play there is an induction, which emphasises Elizabethan society. Sly and his wife act out the typical marriage of the times. After the man tricks Sly into believing he is rich he straightaway starts to treat his wife in a certain manor as if it’s a code of conduct of how a wife is treated. He treated her as if she were just there to serve and to sleep with. The wife who I really a servant is instructed to play a long with Sly, so once more she is being told to act like a proper wife, and the servant has no problem with it but in fact plays along.
Bianca and her suitors have a different sort of marriage. Most of her suitors want her because she makes a good example. She ahs a well known impeccable reputation of which, makes her the most perfect woman. The contrast between Bianca and Katherina also sets Bianca off because she seems so idyllic. Bianca does not love any of her suitors nor do they love her they may think she is beautiful but it is not because they love her. Marriage was not about spending the rest of your life with the person you are in love with it was a case of a woman being sold of to the man with the most money.
Until Lucentio comes along Bianca likes neither of her suitors, Lucentio is the youngest and claims to be the richest. People at the time who were in love and wanted to choose the person they marry would have to elope. This is what Lucentio and Bianca did because ironically the two people who would get married at the least amount of control over the marriage. Compared with our perspectives on marriage today which incorporate, taking your time; finding someone to love and getting married, whereas in Elizabethan times people could be wedded with in a few days.
An example of this is the widow and Hortensio, after Hortensio discovers that Bianca doesn’t want him he quickly moves on to the widow and marries her almost instantly. Hortensio once again expects his wife to be obedient and well distinguished, he expected the traditional obedient wife, who would do as he wished. Especially as she had had a husband before, Hortensio expects that she would have been moulded into a perfect wife. However as we see after the husbands place a bet on their wives the widow does not respond.
Petrucio and Kate however are an extremely unusual acquaintance. Petrucio says from the beginning that he has come to Padua to “I come to wife, it wealthily.” This is another marriage, which originates from money. Baptista, Kate’s father knows that Kate has no chance of getting a husband the fact that Petrucio wants to marry a person with such an obscene personality, and characteristics is a complete shock. Petrucio does not have to put up an offer for Kate like Bianca’s suitors have. Kate and Petrucio first appear to be an impossible match as Petrucio expected so much but Kate as far as we expect will not give it. Petrucio boasts huge confidence in the way he tackles Kate’s behaviour. The beginning of the marriage is not one of happy romance and honeymoon, but instead due to Petrucio’s tactics a matter of training and torture. Petrucio also expects that his wife is obedient and well profound.
Throughout the play Petrucio uses tactics to attempt to “train” his wife into being the perfect Elizabethan woman. Petrucio uses embarrassment and humiliation to his advantage in attempt to disgrace Kate in front of everyone that she knows including family and friends who already think so lowly of her. It appears that Petrucio is the only person who really understands why Kate behaves the ways he does. Even if he doesn’t make it clear to us, he knows which is why he is the most successful person in finding a common ground with Kate. Petrucio’s past is not clear and his personality shows no depth or reasoning. This is why he is so similar to Kate as their true character is hidden.
Different actors bring out Kate’s character in various ways; so many different interpretations are made of Kate’s personality. Some actresses have seen her as completely tamed that she completely agrees with Petrucio and that her speech is too long to be a piece of dramatic irony.
Some wrote her off as being sarcastic, just good enough to pretend she was tamed in order to reap the benefits of Petrucio giving Kate respect in his gullible character.
There are actresses who betrayed Kate as delusional, afraid, and overwhelmed by the whole situation that she might fall to her knees and beg to find a common ground.
However my interpretation of Kate is rather different. Kate’s behaviour at the beginning of the play is much more aggressive and vigorous. As I have said the earlier the reason for such behaviour is not clear.
Perhaps it was through lack of a motherly figure or intelligence that meant she saw fault that no other could. She didn’t appreciate the way women were second best and if they weren’t what the man expected then they were a disgrace. She believed the only person she needs answer is to herself and that is the only place the change will come from people insulting her or making her feel less of a woman. It has to be her when she is no longer happy with her life that is when she will change.
The difference between Kate’s family and friends compared with Petrucio is the main reason he helps to change her he can understand that she is grumpy and bad tempered for a reason not just because she takes joy in it.
Petrucio does indeed treat Kate as a pet something to train and to teach. It is questionable to whether or not she is a tamed. However when it is said that she has just given in because of the way she was treated seems unrealistic. After studying the play and learning as much as I have about Kate’s character I find it hard to believe that she ahs the character of a person who gives up and listens to other people. From the way she was with her family and friends who treated her badly because of the way she behaved, we know that this hadn’t changed her then and she kept on the way she was. Petrucio treating her badly wouldn’t have had more affect; it was because of the reasons he wanted to tame her. The sister spoke badly about Kate because they are sisters and that is the usual attitude that sisters have against each other. It appeared that Baptista wasn’t able to control Kate and didn’t even know where to start on helping her because she was so misunderstood. This is clear y the fact that’s he could not even stand up for his own daughter against his friends because he was so ashamed of her.
Bianca’s suitors and the general people who lived in Padua spoke of her badly because of what they had heard and did not know the real person. Because of the lack of relationship with Kate that they had they would have not been able to do anything. The difference is family and friends wanted her to stop being so horrid and fiendish but hey didn’t actually do anything about it.
Petrucio on the other hand had tactics and wanted to tae Kate because he liked her, and they were married. The fact that someone for once was taking interest in Kate and not Bianca made Kate feel special and as if she had something or someone to change for. The fact that Kate knew someone cared started to change her thinking. Kate’s character is one that would play along with a game, which was trying to trick her but be able to make him think that she was being real. However by the end Kate realises she likes Petrucio and wants to be a proper wife to him, because he’s the first person to have actually cared about her.
She has not just given up but she has actually found someone who cares for her that she actually likes. Some would say that this theory is not true because of her behaviour toward him on their first meeting but she behaved in the same manor she does to everyone as a result of the expectations upon her.. Petrucio however responds in a way that would only cause Kate more annoyance. Petrucio does not run off and cast Kate off as a helpless cause he notices something special about her.
Petrucio forces Kate to marry him but in all truthfulness Kate need not of married him as she could have just ran off, but instead it seems part of Kate wanted to marry Petrucio. Even when they are married Kate begins to listen to Petrucio more than she had done anyone else. She still argues but not in the same way. She doesn’t hold up as much of a fight against Petrucio she never does even when he says they are to be married.
At their own wedding reception she eventually gives in to him demanding they take their leave with minimal arguments. Even though her sister is left to show off in Kate’s embarrassment.
Kate is treated badly on the journey, even denied food and rest but because Petrucio reckons nothing to be good enough for Kate. Again this is Petrucio showing his caring attitude. Kate argues civilly as Petrucio throws her food on the floor. Although Kate is hungry she doesn’t want to show it to Petrucio. A true showing of her untouched spirit, as she begs Grumio for food, not wanting to appear weakened by the way he ahs treated her.
A battle is taking place in Kate’s mind since they met, Kate likes Petrucio but doesn’t want to give in to him. She wants to be civil and live a happy normal life but wants to do it in a way, which she still has, her pride. It is as Petrucio says to Kate’s family when he is forcing her into marriage,
“'Tis bargain'd 'twixt us twain, being alone,
that she shall still be curst in company.”
Although at the time they had not agreed it this is secretly what Kate wants. She has to find away that she will still appear strong to her family whilst at the same time she wants to show off to them. She’s a married woman and is expected to be dignified, but then it will just appear that Petrucio was right and that he can tame anything and that he has had his way with her.
Kate realises that to be happy she ahs to find a good balance between the two. She cant completely disregard the person that she is but she cant carry on the ways he is she needs to find a compromise.
The first time we see her psychological game plan come into action is on the road to Padua to visit her family. Petrucio starts to speak about the sun and the moon. Instead of arguing Kate does the complete opposite of what is expected, instead of gradually changing which would indeed make her look weak she jumps from one extreme to the other and agrees with whatever Petrucio thinks. However her manor is cleverly sarcastic, Petrucio cant believe it and tests Kate once more when Vincentio appears, asking her to say hello to the lady. Kate takes part in his game and Petrucio feels confident that his tactics are working whilst Kate slowly thinks my games working.
They are both playing each other at the same game. Kate eventually instead of becoming normal from being horrible goes form really nice to normal. She simply wants to show off to her parents and be happy with her marriage.
Kate has to let Petrucio know now that she can be nice and will be but he has to give a little back. Whilst Petrucio think she’s tamed she’s not she has just learnt to find a compromise after all its what she actually wants. Kate has been badly behaved and angry simply because no one cared enough for her.
Kate shows Petrucio in her speech and all her family just ho he is. People who have written it off as a piece of dramatic irony or her giving up were simply wrong and underestimating Kate’s intelligence and character. Her speech was to show to Petrucio that’s eh will find a compromise with him and that they will be all right. When Petrucio commands Kate to come, normally Kate would have flown in up in arms shouting and creaming but instead she came because that’s what no one expected she was proving them all wrong and putting them all to shame. She had the chance to show up her sister and to look better than her.
