Petruchio plan for, or rather intent to, taming Katherina.
Throughout the interaction Shakespeare subty reveals Petruchio
intentions, which Petruchio has explained in the earlier scene to
Hortensio. He does so with Petruchio and Katherina's exchanges
of animal images, metaphors and similies, like the buzzar carrying
away turtle dove like a husband does to his bride, and when they
refer to the cock (Petruchio) taking a hen (Katherina). Katherina
as shows her intent to repel Petruchio by manipulation the animal
imagery, particularly during the excahnge of word play involving
the wasp.
" Well tane, and like a buzzard "
(Katherina) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 206
" O slow-wing'd turtle, shall a buzzard take thee ? "
(Petruchio) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 207
Exchange refering to Petruchio's intent to wed Katherina
" Come, come, you wasp ! I'faith you are too angry. "
(Petruchio) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 209
" If I be waspish, then beware my sting "
(Katherina) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 210
" My remedy is then to pluck it out "
(Petruchio) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 211
Exchange refering to Petruchio intention's to tame Katherina
" A combless cock, so Kate will be my hen "
(Petruchio) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 223
Exchange refering to Petruchio's intent to wed Katherina
The interaction is also a chance for both Petruchio and Katherina
to compete wits. They both seem very quick witted and are an
equal match for each other. Katherina will put forward an image,
such as the buzzard, and Petruchio will top it. There are instances
though when Petruchio is forced to change the subject. The
dialogue becomes broad, bawdy, and full of quibbles. This allows
the audience, through the dialogue, use of animal images, and use
of language, to realise the initial hopes of both Katherina and
Petruchio.
" If I be waspish, best beware my sting "
(Katherina) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 209
" Then my remedy is to pluck it out "
(Petruchio) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 210
" Ay, if the fool can find it where it lies "
(Katherina) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 211
" Who knows not where a wasp wears it's sting? In it's tail "
(Petruchio) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 212
" In his tongue "
(Katherina) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 213
" Whose tongue "
(Petruchio) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 214
" Yours, if you talk of tales, and so farewell "
(Katherina) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 215
In this Exchange Katherina is forced to change the subject.
" Well tane, and like a buzzard "
(Katherina) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 206
" O slow-wing'd turtle, shall a buzzard take thee ? "
(Petruchio) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 207
" Ay, for a turtle, as he takes the buzzard "
(Katherina) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 208
" Come, Come, you wasp "
(Petruchio) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 209
In this exchange Petruchio is forced to change the subject.
This interaction and use of animal images in the first scene of the
second is where Shakespeare illustrates the beggining of
Petruchio's plan for taming the shrew Katherina. He will make
constant quotations such as the one where he and Katherina make
references to the wasp, which reveal his initial hopes for taming
Katherina and acquiring the dowry. His intentions are made
obvious through his use of animal imagery, metaphors, and similies.
The same is obvious for Katherina, whilst her intent is to oppose
Petruchio, and keep up her fiery and aggressive fasard. Whilst he
uses imagery like the buzzard carrying away the turtle dove, she
use imagery like the wasps sting.
" Come, come, you wasp ! I'faith you are too angry. "
(Petruchio) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 209
" If I be waspish, then beware my sting "
(Katherina) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 210
" My remedy is then to pluck it out "
(Petruchio) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 211
Exchange refering to Petruchio intention's to tame Katherina, and
Katherina's fiery fasard.
" A combless cock, so Kate will be my hen "
(Petruchio) Act 2 Scene 1 Line 223
Exchange refering to Petruchio's intent to wed Katherina
Perhaps the greatest use of animal imagery to show human
characteristics in The Taming of the Shrew is in the interaction
between Petruchio and Katherina at the end of the first scene in
Act IV. Where Petruchio explains his methods, and motivations,
for taming Katherina.
In giving his explanation of his methods, Petruchio uses many
terms and analogies to the sport of Falconry. For instance, Kate,
the falcon, who has gone without food for over two days, until
she flies to the decoy, or in this case Petruchio's wishes, as a
trained falcon, or wife, should.
" My falcon now is sharp and passing empty; and till she stoop
she must not be full-gorged, for then she never looks upon her
lure. "
(Petruchio) Act 4 Scene 1 Line 171-174
" She eat no meat to-day, nor none shall eat; "
(Petruchio) Act 4 Scene 1 Line 179
In addition to using starvation as a training technique, Petruchio
decides to use another technique of obedience training, the
technique of forced sleep-less-ness. Young falcons that contiually
resist there resist their masters are kept awake and forced to
comply until their exhaustion caues their inevitable acceptance. So
after already having kept his falcon, Katherina, from eating
Petruchio keeps her from sleeping as well, and intends to
continuasly from night to night until she, like the obdient falcon,
accepts her master, and his wishes, completely.
" As with the meat, some undeserved fault I'll find about the
making of the bed; And here I'll fling the pillow, there the
bolster, This way the coverlet, another way the sheets:
Ay, and amid this hurly I intend that all is done in reverend care
of her; And in conclusion she shall watch all night:
And if she chance to nod I'll rail and brawl And with the clamour
keep her still awake. "
(Petruchio) Act 4 Scene 1 Line 180-189
One more important thing about the art of falconry is that the
bird must come to depend on it's master, and the master must
also come to trust the bird, because when it flies away for the
kill it is temporarily out of his control and will return only of its
own want. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, once
released from the falconer's control, the falcon flies high to kill,
and therefore takes more punishment and offers a greater
challenge to the falconer, as Kate does to Petruccio.
" To make her come and know her keeper's call, That is, to watch
her, as we watch these kites that bate and beat and will not be
obedient. "
(Petruchio) Act 4 Scene 1 Line 176-178
So through Shakespeare's poetic mastery and ability to use
animal images, metaphors, and similies, Petruchio is effectivly able
to illustrate his plans and methods for taming Katherina, by linking
them to the sportr/art of Falconry. Not only that, but it also gave
us an insight into the sport/art of Falconry, and into the
leisure/work activities of Elizabethian people, both peasant and
noble alike.
Sometimes the relationship of tamer to animal is a key male-
female image. Hortensio can't "break" Katherina to the lute,
referring to the breaking of a horse. Both Bianca and Katherina
are called "haggards": hawks caught in maturity and therefore
needing to be mastered. Petruchio's strategy with Katherina is
explicitly modeled on the "manning" or taming of a haggard.
" Why then, thou canst break her to the lute ? "
Act 2 Scene 1 Line 146
" Another way I have to man my haggard, to make her come and
know her keeper's call, "
(Petruchio) Act 4 Scene 1 Line 175-176
Petruchio; even in light of his treatment of Katherina, especially
during the period he is attempting to tame her; is a loving partner.
He seeks to bring out the real Katherina, he see past the
aggressive fasard. Nevertheless he does still treat her as one
would treat a family pet. In an anonymously-written play titled
The Taming of a Shrew that was penned during the same time as
William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew the treatment
of Katherina as an animal by her partner is even more apparent
and dramatic. Ferando, Katheriana's husband in A Shrew, tames
Katherina by teating her like a crazy wild animal. For example, he
offers her meat impaled on the end of a dagger. This is something
Shakespeares Petruchio would never have done. For even though
he uses animal references, images, metaphors, and similies to
refer to Kate, he still even admits to trying to "kill a wife with
kindness".
" This is a way to kill a wife with kindness; and thus I'll curb her
mad and headstrong humour. He that knows better how to tame a
shrew, "
(Petruchio) Act 4 Scene 1 Line 190-193
The simple interjections of animal images, metaphors, and similies
in a play that is about taming, or conquering the aggressive
nature, of a shrew are transformed into a looking glass thats
magnifies the intensity of, not only the relationship of Petruchio
and Katherina, but all the characters personalities though the
mastery of Shakespeares poetic hand.
As Nietzsche wrote "people are animals" and as Shakespeare
proved, through his wizardry of the written word, those animals
are sometimes the greatest illustration of our many actions, our
dreams, our aspirations, our believes, and most importantly, they
are a true reflection of ourselves, of human behaviour.
