Shakespeare presentation of Katherina in Taming of the Shrew

An explanation of Shakespeare’s presentation of the taming of Katherina with reference to Shakespeare’s use of form, structure and language.

Shakespeare presents the taming of Katherina in a wide variety of ways through different aspects of the text, its language, structure and form. Katherina’s tamed nature at the closing of the play can be looked at from various points of views and angles, the various views might involve the decision to accept the fact that Katherina has been tamed by the very masculine Petruchio, while others might lean more to the view that she is putting on an act and manipulating him in order to get what she wants, which is a better life.

From all the meanings and connotations that can be gathered and assessed from various aspects of the text, I believe that Katherina is in fact putting on an act and hasn’t been tamed by Petruchio.

Shakespeare presentation of Katherina’s taming is done, through the language that is used in the play. The tone of the language enables the reader or audience to decipher various emotions in the character speech which allows them to understand better, the response that particular character is looking for, such as Petruchio’s repetitive use of the word “tush” in one sentence, which shows us his emphasis on the fact that he requires remorse from the audience he is scolding. Katherina’s language varies with the structure of the play, this plays a role because it shows her character development, which means the audience and readers can understand her more. For example when her character is first introduced into speech her language is monosyllabic and masculine, it is also harsh,

“ A pretty peat! It is best put finger in the eye and she knew why’’.

The alliteration of ‘’Pretty Peat’’ emphasises the force of her tone which can be said to be scathing, this enables the reader to understand Katherina’s meaning, and in this situation the reader or audience can tell she is annoyed or aggravated. This again reinforces her masculinity before Petruchio is introduced. Katherina can safely be assumed to be the ultimate play driver, due to how exertive and masculine she is. This dominates most of the other characters and the language used by Katherina underlines her control over all things surrounding her. An example of her controlling language is seen when she states;

“ of all thy suitors here I charge thee tell”.

Katherina’s use of the word charge shows her control over the character which she is communicating with. At this point Katherina’s language is wild and untamed.

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“ of all thy suitors here I charge thee tell”.

Katherina’s use of the word charge shows her control over the character which she is communicating with. At this point Katherina’s language is wild and untamed.

Shakespeare’s presentation of Katherina’s taming can once again be viewed again in multiple ways, this is because she still possesses some degree of control over Petruchio, and this is displayed in Act 4 scene 5 from lines 1 to 5, Katherina agrees with Petruchio in order to get her own way, it can be assumed that at that particular point in time she may have perfected a technique which would see her harness some power over Petruchio. In the same Act and scene there is further evidence of Katherina’s ‘’taming’’; Act 4 scene 5, from lines 36 to 37,

“Young budding virgin, fruit and fresh and sweet

Wither away or where is they abode”.

This particular type of language used by Katherina can only strengthen the belief in the view that Katherina has been tamed, but this can all be seen as an ironic depiction. Katherina is clever; this is shown in her speech type which is iambic/pentametre which is generally used by Shakespeare to display the mental capability of a character. With an idea of Katherina being intelligent her coerced and subdued behaviour can be seen as her adhering to what Petruchio wants her to be, hence giving her more control over her own life.

The overall structure of the play that is presented by Shakespeare displays Katherina in different ways at different times of the play. The structural presentation tends to lead the reader and audience to believe that Katherina is tamed, due to the chronological order of events. In Act 1 Katherina uses harsh and decisive language;

“A pretty Peat, it is best put finger in the eye, and she knew why’’.

This further shows the large link between language and structure, In further acts and scenes Katherina’s tone and language changes as the structure and plot develops, this can portrayed as how she advances in ways of dealing with different situations.

An example of her language is shown in Act 5 scene 2 line 100,

“What is your will sir that you send for me?’’

The visible change in Katherina’s language is obvious. This is a display of Katherina’s intelligence, to the extent that she uses manipulative language to get what she wants from Petruchio, her language can be seen as manipulative because it is totally out of her characteristic form to speak like that.

Shakespeare uses specific form in order to exploit and present various characters in various manners, in the situations involving Katherina; we can derive Katherina’s mental capacity due to the fact that she speaks in iambic/pentametre, instead of prose like lesser characters such as Grumio. This language specification means we know she has the ability to mentally manipulate Petruchio; which she does. This strengthens the view of –Katherina not being tamed.

Shakespeare’s structural writing in this play depicts the evolution of Katherina, this can be looked at as the evolution of Katherina from being a shrew to being tamed, for example in act 2 scene1, Katherina’s language shows her shrewdness, ‘’Asses are made to bear and so are you’’. In the following acts, as the structure progresses her language evolves and adapts depending on the situation, such as act 4 scene 3 line 44,

“I pray you let it stand’’

At this stage Katherina has no control over the situations at hand, due to Katherina’s mental strength she can be said to develop a technique to exert some degree of control over Petruchio, this is clearly visible in Act 4 scene 5, on the road to Padua, she agrees with Petruchio In order to achieve her specific aim of visiting her father,

“I know it is the moon’’

As the situation and structure evolve Katherina displays the ability to adapt, this leaves a standing though of the fact that Katherina hasn’t in fact been tamed but is being intelligent and manipulative.

Measuring Katherina’s speech in Act 5, serves as the audience’s measuring yardstick. The speech gives the audience the choice and the material needed in order to decide upon and decipher the speech and to see if Katherina has been tamed, Shakespeare does this through the language Katherina uses in the speech, this is because of the double meanings and ironies that can be attained from Katherina’s speech, for example;

“I am ashamed that women are so simple’’

This line can be said to coerce women into developing ways to manipulate their husbands in order to get what they need. Katherina offers women alternative ‘control; through her speech; during the course of her speech from lines 165 to 169 she says;

“Why are our bodies soft and week and smooth unapt to toil and trouble in the world, but that out soft conditions and our hearts should well agree with out external parts’’

The above extract from her speech can be taken to mean that Katherina seeks to coerce women into using physicals means, i.e. sex to attain a certain degree of control over their lives and husbands. In upholding this view it is obvious that Katherina has not been tamed but is using more refined techniques in order to educate other women.

Shakespeare uses a lot of imagery to present Katherina in the play, the dominant theme of Katherina’s image representation is mostly animalistic, Katherina is compared to animals by various characters in the play, Gremio the play’s pantaloon uses language related to animals to describe her,

‘’ To cart her rather! She’s too rough for me’’

The use of the word cart is associated with the transportation of wild animals and beasts in cages, most carted animals are wild and untamed. Katherina, being described as a wild and untamed animal is a possible technique used by Shakespeare to alert the audience to the beastly nature of Katherina.

Katherina is also represented using satanic imagery, this is a form of representation which underlines the extent of her shrewdness, and it also gives the audience or reader the ability to weigh up or measure the extent of Katherina’s untamed nature in comparison to the way her behaviour is in later stages of the play.

‘’For shame, thou hiding of a devilish spirit’’

The describing quote above which is in act 2, when compared with Katherina’s behaviour in later acts shows her refined form, and leaves the reader with no doubt of her refined techniques in shrewdness, in act 5 scene 2, Lucentio describes Katherina thus;

‘’There is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder’’

This shows how her behaviour and attitude have change with an advancement in structure, her language has changed, the form of words used in describing her have also changed, the words are free and flowing, which almost identically represents her new behavioural attributes.

To conclude, Shakespeare’s presentation of Katherina’s taming using form, language and structure, strongly lean over to the fact that she has not been tamed, but with the same use of writing techniques, Shakespeare was able to provide a system of double entendre which would show Katherina in a different light depending on how literal the play was taken by various audiences and readers.

WORD COUNT: 1,588.