Kate’s view has become radically changed from her previous actions, however she could be acting and have surrendered to the pressure of a male dominated society. Even though she does say “…to bandy words for words and frown for frown...” admitting that she use to be like every other bad wife her last speech maybe to please husband Petruchio, due to one sentence in her last speech that mirrors a view earlier said by Petruchio “…and craves no other tribute at thy hands but love fair looks and true obedience…” while in act 4 Petruchio says “…that bate and beat and will not be obedient…” Kate’s view on how men should be treated by women is very similar to that earlier stated by Petruchio. Shakespeare created Kate’s fiery character and throughout the Taming of the Shrew has slowly to the end shown her transform into the perfect Elizabethan wife. Kate’s transformation throughout the play shows how Shakespeare uses the idea of disguise, such as when Lucentio turns into Cambio to get close to Bianca, Kate could be fooling all the characters by pretending to be tame, while really she wishes to be how she is but realizes that it would never be accepted by the male society. Kate seemingly hides her tamed self inside a fiery exterior, while Bianca hides a shrewish interior inside a seemingly perfect exterior. “Fie, what a foolish duty call you this?” Bianca questions her husbands command to come to him, which was considered a shrewish act. Bianca also has slight outbursts that foreshadows she might be hiding a fiery interior “…presume not…despair not…” when Lucentio tells Bianca of his real identity she is intrigued into this mysterious figure, showing she maybe not all a good women and is hiding a fiery interior.
The audience who viewed the Taming of the Shrew would have been mainly poor however some would have been well off and the play was written for every type of class. A play about the taming of a fiery tempered woman who resists conforming to the wishes of men would have gone down well with the audience and made it clear to the audience who was the good wife and the bad wife. The comical and real life aspects within the play would appeal to the audience viewing the play, especially the men, who if at all educated unlike the women who were never educated unless very wealthy, would see the play as an presentation of what a good wife should be like. The audience from the start has been exposed to Kate’s shrew ness and would have probably disliked her character. Shakespeare creates Kate as a untameable person however foreshadows she might be hiding a more acceptable interior. “if you strike me you are no gentleman…” she knows how men should act towards women so does understand how society should work. Bianca to the audience would be the complete opposite to the audience as already mentioned she would be the Elizabethan idea of a good wife and the audience would have preferred her. However Shakespeare reverses the roles of these two characters at the end of the play creating a surprise twist and building on the idea of transformation.
Shakespeare also uses many different types of imagery in Taming of the Shrew to present women. Shakespeare like whit.
“…what, with my tongue in your tail/“That I’ll try…”
Petruchio uses this imagery from a fiery conversation between him and Kate. Shakespeare also uses lots of one line phrases to create a feeling of fast whit between Kate and Petruchio. However this rude imagery interests Kate, she dares him to put it to the test showing that maybe she is interested in this man. Later when Petruchio shows up late for his own wedding Kate is actually disappointed and saddened by this. Shakespeare also uses the idea of deception, throughout the entire play actors play other characters and the play is set within anther play possibly to deceive viewers from a deeper meaning to the play. In Elizabethan time women were expected to act properly sorting out affairs at home with servants and children, they were in effect an extension of the servants. Shakespeare uses the idea in Bianca that just because women have to act tamed doesn’t mean they want to, with Bianca she answers back to Lucentio in scene five calling him stupid for placing a bet.
Just because women are expected to act proper it does not mean they want to. In the sub plot involving Tranio, Lucentio and Bianca, Lucentio in disguise as Cambio infiltrates Baptista’s strict ruling that no man may have Bianca’s hand in marriage till Kate is married off, through teaching the poetry of Ovid’s Lucentio announces his love for Bianca, Bianca is obviously intrigued by this bold move. “…I trust you not…take heed he hear use not…despair not…” she does not know Lucentio however she says not all is lost and she is intrigued and wants to discover more about this man showing that she maybe desires excitement and dose not mind disobeying her fathers commands . Unlike Kate who changes into a good wife. Bianca seems to be putting on a performance till the end of the play. “…Sir to your pleasure I subscribe my books and instruments shall be my company…” Bianca at the beginning of the play is considered to be the Elizabethan ideal women, however maybe only this imagery is only skin deep. Throughout the play Shakespeare gradually leaks evidence that maybe Bianca isn’t showing her true character, therefore she is deceiving all while playing herself. “…she is busy and can not come…” attentiveness was considered a virtue among good wives. However Bianca has just displayed that maybe she isn’t as tame as she first appeared. She refuses Lucentio’s command to come to him and embraces him by disobeying him. Shakespeare presents Bianca in act one as the perfect women however in scene five we see Bianca role reverse into the shrew. This role reverse builds on Shakespeare’s imagery of transformation.
Petruchio deceives Kate as part of the taming process by being seemingly kind, however his intentions are cruel. “…this is the way to kill a wife with kindness…” Petruchio denies Kate a proper wedding feast and food, all in an attempt to shape her into a good wife. Originally Petruchio married to expand his own fortune, he did not care who his wife was “…that all is done in reverend care of her…”, yet however in this quotation we see the first evidence that maybe Petruchio wants to care for Kate. As the play progresses Kate’s attitude to marriage and Petruchio changed quite rapidly. “…no sir, god forbid but ashamed to kiss…” (act 5 scene 1 line 124) Kate refuses initially to kiss Petruchio, only after mentioning returning back home without staying to the feast does Kate do as her husband pleases. However later and only one scene on Kate kisses Petruchio after her long speech without question. “…and craves no other tribute at thy hands but love fair looks and true obedience…” Kate copies her husbands words in her final speech, this questions whether the views expressed within her final speech are truly all hers. Petruchio and Kate could be deceiving society together however I believe Kate has become tamed on her own.”…Our strength is weak our weakness past compare..” she has possibly realized what the point of fighting is. The society in which the play is set deeply favours men and women have only one place, at home looking after all domestic affairs.
Through the play we see the main women characters transform. Kate becomes tamed and turns into what the society at the time would consider a good wife. However Bianca does the complete opposite, managing to deceive everyone while playing herself. Throughout the play only Tranio and Bianca have been able to deceive the rest of the cast. Kate’s finally speech maybe convincing to the men present in scene due to the content of the speech and the encouragement of good wifehood, however due to the repetition of some of Petruchio’s words and the quickness of Kate’s transformation I believe Kate’s change from the shrew to a good wife is falsified as her transformation into a perfect wife is too quick
Throughout the Taming of the Shrew women are perceived as second class citizens, constantly talked down to by men and in the case of Petruchio only married because of the dowry. Shakespeare presents women as both of the above, but I believe he is intentions was to demonstrate how women were treated in Elizabethan society. Shakespeare uses imagery to show how misunderstood women were by men and disguise as an idea of how real life marriage. Throughout the play we believe Kate to be the shrew however with her last speech it leaves the audience’s opinion changed and possibly favouring Kate but ridiculing Bianca, due the use of disguise. Shakespeare’s use of these two forms of imagery presents women in a realistic way which is hidden with the many plays in the Taming of the Shrew.
