Taming of the Shrew: Critical Review
The Taming of the Shrew
Some would agree that since the first chronicle of time, men have felt, in fact embraced their illusion of dominance over their women. This is distinguished constantly throughout history in many forms; through spoken word, imagery, and literature. The character Petruccio, from William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, is one such example. As referred to in his soliloquy at the end of Act IV scene I, Petruccio speaks on his method towards taming young Katherine into submission of proper authority. He also briefly examines his task and compares it to the taming of the symbolic animal, the hawk. Petruccio, however, reveals himself to be a vile, grasping, delusional character lost in the clamour for his own gratification. His intentions, while perceived as good, compare finding favour in his wife to animal domestication, and ridicules female independence while eulogizing domestic abuse. Petruccio’s speech reveals his physical intentions toward taming Katherine, while deducing his reasoning behind his approach and his self-reconciliation toward said physical intentions, and thus, revealing a deeper understanding of the true nature his character as duplicitous.
Petruccio first comments on his task by using a metaphor of a hawk, “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.” (4.1.170-172). The falcon itself is a bird of prey with great destructive power (OED), and as such Petruccio remarks on the behaviour of Katherine as strong-willed and powerful, but destructive in nature. Petruccio reiterates her nature by his description of the hawk as “sharp”. Sharp is a term used to describe a bird of prey’s craving for food, or hunger (OED). When a hawk is hungry, it is brash and irrational and will be looking desperately around for some animal to devour. Much in the same way, Katherine is said to be constantly trying to “devour” the suitors who come to woo her
Some would agree that since the first chronicle of time, men have felt, in fact embraced their illusion of dominance over their women. This is distinguished constantly throughout history in many forms; through spoken word, imagery, and literature. The character Petruccio, from William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, is one such example. As referred to in his soliloquy at the end of Act IV scene I, Petruccio speaks on his method towards taming young Katherine into submission of proper authority. He also briefly examines his task and compares it to the taming of the symbolic animal, the hawk. Petruccio, however, reveals himself to be a vile, grasping, delusional character lost in the clamour for his own gratification. His intentions, while perceived as good, compare finding favour in his wife to animal domestication, and ridicules female independence while eulogizing domestic abuse. Petruccio’s speech reveals his physical intentions toward taming Katherine, while deducing his reasoning behind his approach and his self-reconciliation toward said physical intentions, and thus, revealing a deeper understanding of the true nature his character as duplicitous.
Petruccio first comments on his task by using a metaphor of a hawk, “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.” (4.1.170-172). The falcon itself is a bird of prey with great destructive power (OED), and as such Petruccio remarks on the behaviour of Katherine as strong-willed and powerful, but destructive in nature. Petruccio reiterates her nature by his description of the hawk as “sharp”. Sharp is a term used to describe a bird of prey’s craving for food, or hunger (OED). When a hawk is hungry, it is brash and irrational and will be looking desperately around for some animal to devour. Much in the same way, Katherine is said to be constantly trying to “devour” the suitors who come to woo her