‘Of all thy suitors here I charge thee tell whom thou lov’st best. See thou dissemble not’. (Act 2, scene 1, lines 8 to 9).
This suggests that Katherina is jealous of all the attention that Bianca gets from her suitors and her father Baptista, as Katherina wants this attention for herself. This shows that Katherina just wants to be loved.
This brings out an envy in Katherina as Bianca has her choice of suitors and will most certainly be married soon or later, Katherina on the other hand, only wishes she was to be married as she does not have a suitor who would be willing to take up the challenge and pursue her.
This shows that Katherina just wants what Bianca has and this is the cause of her frustration.
‘Enter Hortensio with his head broke’
BAPTISTA: How now, my friend, why dost thou look so pale?
HORTENSIO: For fear, I promise you, if I look pale’. ( Act 2, scene 1, lines 142 to 143).
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Katherina breaking the lute over Hortensio’s head encourages the audience to sympathise with her because of the humour derived from how Hortensio looks.
This reverses the traditional punishment for a scold as they used to use the stocks or a scold’s bridle to punish disobedient or nagging women, and the lute over Hortensio’s head looks as though he is in the stocks:
‘ And through the instrument my pate made way, and there I stood amazed for a while, as on a pillary, looking through the lute’. ( Act 2, scene 1, lines 154 to 159.)
This shows that Katherina is independent and stubborn, as she wants to do things for herself. The audience would see that she would not appreciate a man trying to teach her how to play an instrument, which is what Hortensio is trying to do.
When Petruchio first meets Katherina the audience see that she is very defensive:
KATHERINA: ‘ well have you heard, but something hard of hearing;
They call me Katherina that do talk of me’. (Act 2, scene 1, lines 183 to 184.)
This suggests that Katherina is not used to a man’s attention as her father Baptista does not acknowledge her and Bianca’s suitors criticise her every time they see her. As they get further into the chat Katherina realises that this is a wooing and this shocks her, as she has never been led to believe that anybody would marry her, but Katherina does not show her disbelief as she starts to banter with Petruchio:
KATHERINA: ‘A joint-stool.
PETRUCHIO: Thou hast hit it. Come, sit on me.
KATHERINA: Asses are made to bear, and so are you.
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PETRUCHIO: Women are made to bear, and so are you’. (Act 2, scene 1, lines 199 to 202.)
This shows that Katherina is starting to enjoy the conversation as she plays off Petruchio’s words, this also shows Katherina is very skilled with language as she compares him to an ‘ass’ which is a donkey, this brings humour to the play and the situation that Katherina and Petruchio are in. This scene makes the audience identify with Katherina and Petruchio as they may know people like this or they may themselves be like them so they can relate to them.
The bantering continues but then Petruchio takes it too far as he makes a sexual innuendo towards her that is referring to oral sex:
‘What, with my tongue in your tail? Nay, come again’. (Act 2, scene 1, line 216.)
This appalled Katherina as she can take most rude comments but Petruchio’s was one step too far and she strikes him. This is the first clue that Katherina’s behaviour is ironically a plea for dignity, as she does not have that much dignity left because everybody constantly puts her down.
This also shows that Katherina is trying to see how much of a gentleman Petruchio is, as she is not used to the attention so she is automatically pushing Petruchio as far as she can:
‘So may you loose your arms.
If you strike me, you are no gentleman, and if no gentleman, why then no arms’. (Act 2, scene 1, lines 219 to 221.)
Katherina’s shrewishness is a role she has adopted in self-defence, this shows when she is talking to Petruchio as she constantly insults him:
KATHERINA: Where did you study all this goodly speech?
PETRUCHIO: It is extempore, from my mother-wit.
KATHERINA: A witty mother, witless else her son.
PETRUCHIO: Am I not wise?
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KATHERINA: Yes, keep you warm’. (Act 2, scene 1, lines 256 to 260.)
The reason why Katherina does this is because she is trying to protect herself from the pain and the insults she has become used to from the society she lives in.
But the audience see the first signs of Katherina being realigned with the community when on Katherina’s wedding day Petruchio does not turn up. This humiliation causes the people of Padua to sympathize with her, even her father Baptista pays attention and feels sorry for her:
‘Go, girl, I cannot blame thee now to weep, for such an injury would vex a saint.’(Act 3, scene 2, lines 27 to 28.)
This causes the audience to see that Katherina does have a feminine nature and compassion for others as she leaves ‘weeping’ because she is enraged and upset as she thinks she is finally going to get married and her wish is ruined because Petruchio doesn’t even show up.
The taming of Katherina starts when Petruchio doesn’t even allow her to stay for her own wedding feast:
‘Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your pains.
I know you think to dine with me today,
And have prepared great store of wedding cheer,
But so it is, my haste doth call me hence,
And therefore here I mean to take my leave’. (Act 3, scene 2, lines 183 to 187.)
This shows that Petruchio wants to isolate Katherina from the rest of society by taking her to his home were the taming could continue, but Katherina rebels from this as she wants to stay this is another indication that Katherina is not a typical Elizabethan woman as they do what they are told to do and not ask questions.
More indication of Katherina rebelling is when Petruchio is talking about her:
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‘She is my goods, my chattels, she is my house
My household stuff, field, my barn,
My horse, my ox, my ass, my any thing,
And here she stands.’ (Act 3, scene 2, lines 229 to 231.)
Here he is referring to Katherina as an object that is his to keep, but Katherina does not want to be his object she wants to be his equal and be loved by him.
When Petruchio and Katherina return to Petruchio’s home the audience see that Katherina sticks up for a servant when Petruchio strikes him:
‘ Patience, I pray you, ’twas a fault unwilling.’ (Act 4, scene 1, line 142.)
This suggests that Katherina feels guilty as the reason why the servant is hit is because of her. This is also another indication that Katherina does have compassion and feelings for others.
The audience see that the taming continues when Petruchio deprives Katherina of food by pretending it is not good enough for her:
‘I tell tee, Kate, ’twas burnt and dried away,
And I expressly am forbid to touch it’. (Act 4, scene 1, lines 156 to 157.)
Petruchio here is trying to make Katherina appreciate the little things in life that she takes for granted, he is also showing Katherina that he is in control and he has power over her life.
Further on in the play the audience see a development in Katherina’s character as when she’s talking to Grumio she shows her confusion, as she does not know what she has done to deserve the kind of treatment she is receiving from Petruchio:
‘Am starved for meat, giddy for lack of sleep,
With oaths kept waking, and with brawling fed.’ (Act 4, scene 3, lines 9 to 10.)
This also shows that Katherina is a lot calmer than she once was and she now thinks things through before she acts and does not lash out.
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This makes the audience sympathise with Katherina as they can see the distress she is in about her situation.
Later on in the play the audience see how much Katherina has grown as a person, as her language in this speech, which is almost like a poem, is very elevated:
‘Fie, fie, unknit that threatening unkind brow,
And dart not scornful glances from those eyes
To wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor.’ (Act 5, scene 2, lines 135 to 136.)
Compared with that of Katherina’s speeches at the beginning of the play which were short and sharp, also most of her speeches were arguments with other people:
‘A pretty peat! It is best
Put finger in the eye, an she knew why.’(Act 1, scene 1, lines 78 to 79.)
These short speeches show Katherina’s anger at the start of the play.
In this end speech Katherina even used the rule of three and also rhyme:
‘Or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway,
When they are bound to serve, love, and obey.’(Act 5, scene 2, lines 162 to 163.)
The rhyme and rule of three in this speech makes it flow and makes it stick in the audiences minds, this shows Katherina’s intelligence as she uses literary devices to make every body remember her speech.
This speech is also very disappointing as it shows Katherina has been tamed and has given up the fight at being her own person, which now shows that she is no longer unique and therefore does not stand out.
Katherina used to be a feminist believer but now she’s just like any other Elizabethan woman, she has also accepted the ways of the Elizabethan times as she is now preaching about how a woman should behave.
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But in the end Katherina does still rebel, as she does not live up to Padua’s expectation because at the beginning of the play she is expected to be obedient and not answer back but she does the complete opposite as
she is very shrewish, by the end of the play the people of Padua expect Katherina to be the shrew that she once was but are all taken back by the transformation that has taken place, as Katherina is now a loving wife.
In conclusion I would say that Katherina was bad-tempered and wild because she was imprisoned by society all through the play, in the beginning she is imprisoned by her father in the sense that he does not allow Katherina out of the house, then Petruchio imprisons her at his home and restricts her of food and drink.
But she was also imprisoned by society as they either ignored Katherina or insulted her every time they saw her, which made her feel isolated, which also angered her.