The Taming of the Shrew - Blog #6

"I tell thee, Kate, 'twas burnt and dried away.
And I expressly am forbid to touch it,
For it engenders choler, planteth anger;
And better 'twhere that both of us did fast,
Since of ourselves, ourselves are choleric,
Than feed it with such over-roasted flesh.
Be patient, tomorrow 't shall be mended,
And, for this night, we'll fast for company."
4.1.147-154

This quote is spoken by Petruchio, reveals much about his character and shows how he is trying to "tame" Kate. When the servants serve the two of them overcooked mutton, Petruchio throws the meat because (according to a footnote) overcooked meat was thought to cause anger, and neither Kate nor himself needed any extra anger. In this scene, the meat is a symbol of anger and Petruchio is seemingly trying to prevent any extra anger by throwing the meat. However, Petruchio's actions are ironic because he's really trying to make Kate even more angry by forcing her to go without food for the night. Petruchio's trying to "tame" Kate by being much more vile than Kate ever was. He's making her suffer with the expectation that this will humble her. Petruchio's treatment of Kate is pretty horrible, and it shows that he cares more about having money and a submissive wife than he does about love and commitment.

The Taming of the Shrew - Blog #5

"No shame but mine. I must, forsooth, be forced
To give my hand, opposed against my heart,
Unto a mad-brain rudesby, full of spleen,
Who wooed in haste and means to wed at leisure.
I told you, I, he was a frantic fool,
Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behavior,
And, to be noted for a merry man,
He'll woo a thousand, 'point the day of marriage,
Make friends, invite, and proclaim the banns,
Yet never means to wed where he hath wooed.
Now must the world point at poor Katherine
And say 'Lo, there is mad Petruchio's wife,
If it would please him come and marry her!'"
3.2.8-20

This quote is spoken by Kate because it is her wedding day, but Petruchio has not yet arrived. The way Kate speaks highlights her cynicism and hatred towards Petruchio. Her diction is very harsh and hateful--she calls Petruchio a "mad-brained rudesby" and "full of spleen," both of which convey hatred in her speech. Kate also makes use of harsh sounding alliterations (like "frantic fool" and "blunt behavior") to further emphasize her anger. Additionally, Kate's descriptions of Petruchio as a man who'll woo any woman and then let her down in the end reveals how cynical she is, not just toward Petruchio but men in general. The way she's acted towards Petruchio from the start, along with the words she speaks in this scene highlight Kate's cynicism and distrust for men. The last three lines of this passage kind of led me to feel bad for Kate. She's extremely embarassed because Petruchio's absence is making her look stupid. When Kate laments in her self-pity (saying "poor Katherine" and expressing her embarassment), I feel like she is softening a little because she's not trying to put up her whole tough front. Seeing that hurt instead of her usual anger leads me to sympathize with her a bit.

The Taming of the Shrew - Blog #4

"Marry, so I mean, sweet Katherine, in thy bed.
And therefore, setting all this chat aside,
Thus in plain terms: your father hath consented
That you shall be my wife, your dowry 'greed on,
And, will you, nill you, I will marry you.
Now, Kate, I am a husband for your turn,
For, by this light, whereby I see thy beauty,
Thy beauty that doth make me like thee well,
Thou must be married to no man but me.
For I am he am born to tame you, Kate,
And bring you from a wild Kate to a Kate
Conformable as other household Kates."
2.1.263-274

This quote, spoken by Petruchio, reveals a good deal about his character. After engaging in a witty argument with Katherine, Petruchio finally speaks plainly and basically says "You're getting married to me, whether you like it or not, and there's nothing you can do about it!" Petruchio is determined to marry Kate and tame her fiery character, and he's very confident that he can do this. Additionally, the diction Petruchio uses is very commanding and shows he is decided in his actions and that he is establishing authority over Kate, saying things like "you SHALL be my wife," "I WILL marry you," "thou MUST be married to no man but me." Petruchio is very set on his actions and will not let Kate's difficult personality get in the way, and his determination is especially highlighted through the use of his definitive language.