Taming of the Shrew

In Act IV, scene iii it is evidently seen that Kate who now had become Petruchio’s wife had little siesta and food for quite some days. This makes Katherine to plead Grumio to get her some food to eat who in return refuses and claims that she was deprived for her personal advantage. In the scene it is later seen that Hortenisio and Petruchio brought her a meal although she had little time allotted to eat. She was supposed to check the clothes that Petruchio’s tailor had made for her. Katherine concluded that the tailor had done a perfect job but Petruchio on the other hand found faults on everything that she liked and blamed the tailor for his meager craft. Petruchio then notified Katherine that they had to leave for Padua immediately in the clothes that they were dressed on so that they can be able to arrive before noon. Kate told Petruchio that noon had already passed an action that made him angry and declared that they will not leave that day (IV.iii.179-197).

In this scene, we clearly see that Kate is actually beginning to be tamed by Petruchio. This is evidently seen when Petruchio began to deprive her from taking meals. She is subjected to strictly abide by the orders of her husband. It also seen that Hortensio had came to Petruchio’s home to educate himself on the taming school revealing  that Petruchio’s taming skills had been known allover. Petruchio’s angry response and decision that they were not to travel in that day also disclose that Kate had no freedom to defy the orders of his husband.

In Act IV, scene v,it is seen that Hortensio, Katherine and Petruchio travel back to Padua. Petruchio constantly proceeds to persuade Kate to adhere to his commands because he was her husband. As they traveled Petruchio remarked on how the moon was shinning and as soon as Kate reacted that the sun was the one that shone brighter he refused to carry on with the journey until she admitted that it was the moon. Kate eventually conceded because she had no enough patience and energy to accommodate the resistance of his husband. Petruchio later invalidated his claim and said that truly the sun was the one that shone.  Hortenesio convinced Petruchio that he actually tamed Kate, and they proceeded with their journey.

 The above scene undoubtedly proves that the shrew was in reality tamed. After both dispute on the shinning of the moon and the sun Kate concedes and gives his husband absolute power (IV.v.207–209). Kate is made to agree on what is not true which signifies that she is purely tamed and fully admits the authority of his husband. Petruchio is geared at ensuring that she cannot defy his orders in whatever grounds and to completely accept him as her husband.  

In Act V, scene I Lucentio and Bianca are taken to the church in Padua by Biondello where the priest marries them. Vincentio claimed that he was the father of Lucentio but the pedant also argued that he was the real father and ordered him to be arrested. The whole crowd reacts against Vincentio and accompanied him to penitentiary. Pertruchio and Kate stood in astonishment because of the events that were taking place.  They both followed the crowd to see what was to happen but before that Petruchio demanded for a kiss from her wife while they were still on the street. Kate refuses as she was ashamed to do it publicly but as soon as Petruchio threatened that he was to return home she quickly admitted (V.i.228–229). This actually confirms that Katherine who was the shrew in this play was solely tamed by his husband. She is forced by his husband to kiss him in the middle of the street under the condition that they would get back home if she refused to do it. Kate admits to the authority of Petruchio and begins to call him husband. In conclusion, throughout the Shakespeare’s play we are able to see that the shrew eventually became tamed. Kate is made to obey to the authorities of her husband.