Katharines Transformation in Taming of the Shrew
Katharines Transformation From Shrew To Contented Housewife - Taming Of The Shrew
Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy, which traces the transformation of Katharina, an ill-tempered shrew to a contented housewife. Katharina has long been overshadowed in beauty by her younger sister Bianca, and has developed a deep resentment for her and for society as a whole. Petruchio, by no means a normal suitor is able to transform her by persisting, as no man has yet to do for her. Finally Katharina is realizes that she would be happiest being subservient to her husband. Petruchio is able to transform Katharina from an irritable shrew, to a satisfied housewife.
Katharina develops into a shrew because of her deep resentment for her sister. Bianca is well known across Padua for her beauty, while Katharina is famous for her bad-temper,
Hortensio: Her name is Katharina Minola,
Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue (P.22)
This resentment grows deeper, as evident in the play that Bianca has three suitors, all of whom are very rich; while Katharina has only one suitor (who is paid to court her). Katharina feels as though she will never marry, and must therefore be strong and self-reliant. In addition to her resentment for her sister, comes her resentment for her father. Baptista seems to be very partial towards Bianca; Baptista treats her like a prize while he treats Katharina like a burden. Katharina becomes a shrew due to her jealousy of her sister, and the neglect of her father.
Petruchio reforms Katharina by using self-assured persistence. Gremio and Hortensio promise to pay the cost of Petruchio's wooing and Petruchio promises that he will wed Katharina. When Katharina first meets Petruchio, she yells and curses him. However Petruchio persists, and eventually wins her over by demonstrating his carefree nature. He shows up to his own wedding in rags,
Biondello: Why, Petruchio is coming in a new hat and
an old jerkin, a pair of breeches thrice turned,
one buckled, another laced, an old rusty sword ta'en out of the
town-armoury, with a broken hilt, and chapless . . . . . . (P.46)
His technique has to be different from other suitors, most suitors woo by demonstrating courage, or by compassion. If Petruchio had shown these qualities to Katharina, they would have been thrown into a marriage where Petruchio would have to constantly endue Katharina's tongue-lashings. Therefore Petruchio shows her that he loves her by...