Petruchio likes the sound of the challenge to turn Kat into a stereotypical woman. Petruchio would be seen by a 16th century audience as a “hero” like figure whereas a 21st century audience would see Petruchio attitude to women as disgraceful.
Petruchio becomes more determined to tame Kat, he becomes more dominant and uses reverse physcology on Kat. He does this as he says how he longs to wed her which he expresses this in a soliloquy. Petruchio sound very educated and uses articulate and quick-witted language. Petruchio calls Katherinha “Kate” to show that he is superior, he is her “Master” and he may call her whatever he wants. This also gives her no identity.
After his soliloquy Petruchio puts Kat back down in her place. Kat says, “Asses are made to bear and so are you,” which Petruchio responds with saying, “ Women are made to bear and so are you”. Yet again Petruchio shows how he is “quick-witted”. Kat is confident that Petruchio will give in to wooing her but Petruchio is too strong-minded to let Kat win.
Shakespeare uses food imagery to describe Kate. “He is having a cake and eating it” Kat is shown as a cake to show her unimportance although the cake could be seen as a metaphor for the wedding. Shakespeare uses lots of wordplay throughout the play so then it can be interpreted in many ways. Mostly wordplay is used to put a humorous side to things.
During Kat and Petruchio’s verbal fight Shakespeare uses lots of sexual innuendo. In this verbal fight Kat decides to hit Petrucio out of pure frustration and the desire to see Petrucio’s reaction. Petrucio reacts back violently “ I swear I’ll cuff you, if you strike again”. This shows that although he is in control of her, she has angered him. Shakespeare uses the physical act of Kate just like the beginning of the play when she hits Bianca so when she changes it is very noticeable.
Petrucio gives a speech of how women should be as in like Bianca. But he then uses animal imagery saying how he will turn her from a wild cat to a house cat. Petrucio says they will marry on Sunday but Kat replies how she would rather be hanged on Sunday first. Kat is unwilling to marry as she is not decided and she tries to put up a fight.
Petrucio talks to Babtista about how Kate has won him over. “She hung about my neck and kiss on kiss”. Kat is waiting for Petrucio and is kept waiting. Kat feels rejected and feels worse even though she is used to feeling rejected and unimportant and the fact she is angry. This shows how the wooing is working and Kat has allowed herself to ruin her message of being strong against Petrucio and she therefore feels humiliated.
21st Century audiences feel sorry for her and are angry towards Petrucio although a 16th Century audience feel she is getting what she deserves. It’s hard to tell whether the fact that if she is humiliated or the fact she loves Petrucio and he has hurt her. The gut feeling is though that she loves him. This is an act of control by Petrucio and the torturing her mentally is a part of the act of taming her. No one will speak to Kat, as she is unopinionated and submissive.
Kat is fed up and lonely, she wants to marry and conform as this will mean she has more chance of being accepted in society. Petrucio hits the vicar to show off by being rude. He wants to go immediately. Petrucio’s very odd behavior is allowed and gets away with it. Although Kat has done nothing wrong her behavior is seen just as bad as his. A 16th Century would have accepted this although a 21st Century would have found this ludicrous and totally unacceptable. Petrucio is allowed to speak his mind and hit people, which she is not. This is another act of Petrucio’s power.
In Act Four Petrucio shows his power again by the treatment of his services. He mistreats the servants as an example to Kat. He shows his power and control by using physical actions. This is because as it’s a play and it needs audience’s reactions. He mentally tortures her and physically now he verbally tortures her to make the taming complete and to make her crack.
In Act four Shakespeare uses animal imagery. Petrucio says, “ My falcon now is hang and passing employ.” A falcon is a predator and wild. If they are well trained it reflects well on their falconer (tamer) this animal imagery of Kat describes her very well and how if she is well trained it reflects well on Petrucio. Petrucio gives trust and loyalty a reward. He looks for the respect and when Kat is good he gives her freedom. He takes things away from her, which she needs to survive.
Kat gives a large speech and begs to Grumio for something to eat. She doesn’t want to walk out and can’t give in. She has strong stamina and inner strength. Kat wants to conform and wants to be like other women. Petrucio doesn’t let her do it because he doesn’t see her tamed. This is shown when he says, “When you are gentle, you shall have one too “. Petrucio takes Kat to his mother’s house to conform. Petrucio is trying to make her something in time and because of the treatment she has received she gives in.
Kat though pretends and plays the game to get her own way. You can tell this by her sarcastic over the top language she uses. Kat is seen as strong as it took long tom tame her, which appeals to the female audience. The big question though is if she is silenced or has she transformed, but for her to be transformed this would be too hard a possibility but there is no real answer. The audience therefore has to make their own mind up.
Kat uses hyperbolic language as she has been with Petrucio for a long time and she sounds like him because he uses hyperbolic language. Katerinha also lectures Bianca and the widow saying they should give in to their men. At the end of play Kat gives an exaggerated speech, which is in verse as it is more formal. She states how women need to obey men and women are weak and feeble towards men. She speaks ironically similar to sarcasm.
A 21st Century audience thinks she is playing the game and she has learnt to do so, so she can get what she wants. She has been accepted which is more than being independent to her. Also being accepted means she not only gets the basics but luxuries as well. She has lossed her old self and her aggression. She also now uses much better language in her speech. Her controlled speech shows her control over herself and her controlled developed manner.
