The first meeting between the two central characters includes the use of quick-witted responses and puns within the dialogue. In a recent film “Ten things I hate about you” this scene was set in a paintball arena comparing shots and reflexes to the ability to out wit the opponent. Katherina asks, “What is your crest?” Petruchio responds “A combless cock, so Kate will be my hen”. Petruchio quickly reverses the question implying a sexual tone in doing so adopting a flirtatious nature. Some people in a modern day audience may feel that Petruchio is perhaps moving too fast as they have just met and should wait a bit before revealing his feelings in such a manner. Katherina asks the question in an insulting tone: claiming that Petruchio’s crest is a “coxcomb”. She is obviously repelled by his over confident mood. Petruchio orders Katherina to “sit on” him. Katherina replies by stating that “Asses are made to bear and so are you”, Petruchio adds that “women are made to bear and so are you”. Already, Petruchio is making his intentions clear and wastes no time in doing so. An Elizabethan audience wouldn’t mind such body action as the wife’s role was to please the man and it’s only fair considering he sustains the family economically. Having said this, women were almost always confined to the domestic sphere and it was almost impossible for them to go out and get a job in the public sector, women were even played by young boys in theater.
By the end of the first meeting, the wedding date is already set, Baptista is happy to ignore his daughter’s feelings of dislike towards her future husband. Petruchio states that he and Kate will “be married o’Sunday” Katherina expresses her rage by threatening to “see thee hanged first”. Previous to them each setting eyes on each other this wedding had been mutually agreed between Baptista and Petruchio regarding a financial backing for decision and Katherinas needs inevitably wouldn’t matter anyway. An arranged marriage is something which an Elizabethan audience and all the characters in the play would expect as they understood that love didn’t need to be present in order for a marriage to occur. A modern audience would argue that marriage has no meaning without love and the object is clearly defeated. A rhyming couplet ends the exchange thus implying fait accompli, a done deal. Petruchio already steaks his claim on her by ordering her to do things with the use of “must” and “will”.
The wedding day is used for Petruchio to make clear his intentions by showing a clear lack or respect towards Katherina and the church. He turns up “late” showing a lack of commitment wearing an “old jerkin”, “old breeches” and a “broken hilt” among other things. His entrance grabs everyone’s attention and gathers the attention he thrives on. This selfish statement amuses surrounding characters; Katherina on the other hand is appalled and disgraced. Modern audiences would feel sorry for her, as no one deserves to put up with such a despondent attitude, an Elizabethan audience may even feel sympathy for her, especially seen as though it was the wedding day. Afterwards, Petruchio refers to his and Katherinas relationship as his, using words such as “I” and “me “ not the plural. On stage, Petruchio delivers these lines with a sense of swiftness so that Katherina doesn’t get a chance to argue. It was accepted in the Elizabethan era that the male had much more power in the marriage and Petruchio wastes no time in clarifying this; women couldn’t even inherit estates. Katherina doesn’t want to obey, however it was legal for a man to chastise his wife. Today, a marriage provides equal status for both participants, both of which carry equal responsibility and it is acceptable for a women (or man) to request a divorce if needed.
Now the wedding ceremony is over, Petruchio can begin the task of taming the shrew. To be able to achieve this, Petruchio prepares various strategies in order to brainwash Katherina. Petruchio denies Katherina her feelings by offering her nice things that she is used to and then refusing her of them adding that she can have them when she is “gentle”. Petruchio is trying to force Katherina to change her attitude by inferring that she would have a better life if she did. Along with sleep deprivation and refusal of food, Katherina will be weaker and feel more persuaded to fit in with her husband’s way of thinking. It was accepted that Wives in Elizabethan times were unhappy, oppressed and abused so an audience back then would probably expect Katherina to eventually collapse and give in. A modern audience may indicate disappointment as Katherina is beginning to give in and would urge her to fight the battle until its ultimate conclusion.
To confirm early suggestions that women were treated as property, a group of men including Petruchio waged bets on which woman is the most loyal. Petruchio seems confident that Katherina will respond to his call and increases the wager to 100 crowns adding that a “match tis done”. After early attempts by husbands fail, Katherina comes with a sense of urgency about her. This signals the end of the play as a seemingly impossible task is achieved. Petruchio’s attitude is purely selfish and shows no respect for Katherina while participating in such an event. An Elizabethan audience wouldn’t be bothered by such degrading of women as they were seen as a distraction to men anyway especially at university. A lot of women became nuns and looked forward to a rewarding life in Abbeys instead.
After responding to her husbands call, Katherina makes a speech, in the process shocking just about everyone as a new, submissive Katherina is born. The speech focuses on praise for men admitting that they are “thy keeper” and “lord”. She is in debt for what husbands do and argues that “fair looks” and “obedience” are little payment for such security. On stage, Katherina would deliver this speech filled with emotion, adopting a sense of her eyes being opened. A modern audience would dislike the outcome, especially when comparing her present state to what she once was. She has been crushed down to a humble and submissive wife while all fire and character have been destroyed. Petruchio’s spitefulness and arrogance seems cruel to the majority of us today, however the Elizabethan era presented many other characters with similar attributes and they were often a favoured section of society. The use of the words “lord” and “keeper” imply that Petruchio owns Katherina, which she has learned to accept and respect over time. She also agrees with other people in the same era that women should do whatever it takes to please the man, implying that it is the least they can do. Today, this sentiment has been abolished with the replacement of equality in most marriages.
Petruchio is the victor while Katherina is left to be appreciative and satisfied after eventually collapsing to Petruchios strategy. Mixed and varied reactions emerge from on lookers about the situation. Characters in the play especially Baptista and Bianca, represent feelings of shock and disbelief as their relative has become a new woman almost over night. They find it hard to believe that she has been tamed considering what she was previously like. An Elizabethan audience may accept the outcome as Katherina fits the bill of an Elizabethan wife. And a modern audience would carry thoughts of regret that Katherina should not have given in and lost her fire and aggression so easily and early. The early promise for a conclusive and surprising end has been fulfilled.
