Taming of the Shrew

In the Shakespearean play The Taming of the Shrew, Katherine is perceived to be a “shrew” because of her uncontrolled hostility and impudent behavior. Some believe at the end of the play Petrucchio tamed Katherine. However, she was not tamed. Katherine was rude to her father because he tried to control her life. Katherine so badly wanted to be in charge of her own decisions and for that reason she would not become tame for any man, even her father. Katherine also shows no sign of trying to make ends meet with Bianca throughout the whole course of the play. Katherine began to obey Petrucchio only because he took her needs away. When Petrucchio treated Katherine poorly, she changed because she had to; she never lost herself or her old ways completely. Katherine is both static and dynamic in the sense that she changed in some ways when the circumstances left her with no choice, but deep down she stayed true to herself. In the beginning of The Taming of the Shrew, Katherine asks her father, “Is it your will to make a stale of me amongst these mates?” (1.1.58). This quote makes it evident that Katherine feels like she is being treated like a prostitute when Baptista makes her available to Bianca’s suitors. Baptista wants to wed Katherine to the man who proves that he is richer than the other; any woman who is being auctioned off is going to act as a shrew. From the get-go, Katherine knows exactly what she wants and will let no one, especially no man, tell her what to do. This proves that Katherine will never be completely tamed, therefore, she will never completely change. Throughout the play, Petrucchio plans to tame Katherine by refusing to provide her with basic needs. Petrucchio also does this in the hope that Katherine will assume a role in his act of make-believe. The first time Vincentio – clearly an older man – is introduced to the audience, Katherine pretends he is a “young budding virgin, fair and fresh and sweet” (4.5.38) because Petrucchio tells her to