Taming a Woman: The Real Mysterious Wonder?

Dear Readers, I apologize for the temporary death. I assure you all that life has been restored to myself and, hopefully, my brain. 


I read The Taming  of the Shrew as one of the comedies this last week. We discussed in class some of the elements that constitute a Shakespearean comedy. I tried to relate those elements to the play I read, instead of just blandly listening to our dear professor. I came up with some interesting conclusions.


The characters go from city to nature, where chaos happens, and then everyone returns home changed, or having learned something, or found someone.
In this play, Petruchio and Kate leave the city and go out on a trip to go back to Petruchio's home after the wedding. When they return to the city for her sister's wedding, Kate the Shrew is not only not screaming and throwing things, she is so good at being a wife that she lectures two other women on the duties of an obedient wife.

What the heck happened?

Petruchio goes to "wive it wealthily in Padua; If wealthily, then happily in Padua" (I.ii.75-76). He gets a wench with a penchant for loud shrieks, throwing things, and a sharp tongue. He plains to break her in, like you would with a horse, and turn her into a "real" and docile woman. 


He uses a variety of mental anguishes that would plague a well-born woman to bits. He ruins her wedding. He publicly embarrasses her. He doesn't let her eat. He doesn't let her get cute new clothes. He doesn't let her sleep. 


All of these torments start at the wedding, when they leave, and ends when they return. So, if  magical things are supposed to happen out in the forest, where there are fairies, crazinesses, and enchantments... Is taming a woman the magical event of this play?


The dialogue is quick and witty, and involves a large amount of puns.
The characters, ESPECIALLY Petruchio and Kate, use each other to build up momentum. In the "courting" scene, Kate and Petruchio have a fun round of words that change meanings and ideas faster than you can read the last line. The effect is that they build up a kinetic energy that is continually fueled by each line, and the bouncing produced bounces more, and then more bouncing, until there is a frenzy.

Something INTERESTING that I found while researching:

So we all know that the dialogue is important in a comedy, but what about the idea that LANGUAGE ITSELF IS A THEME? I found that idea fascinating, and I'm going into that one further. For now, here are some little tidbits that I found.

• Language is what classifies Kate as a shrew. She has a sharp tongue and a ready wit that she delights in using to cut others down. She also likes dissing men.
• Language is one of the ways that Petruchio plans to tame Kate. Petruchio purposefully misinterprets what Kate says so that there is a disconnect of meaning between the two. This causes confusion, and throws off her ability to attack him. He cuts off her arsenal.

Say that she rail, why then I'll tell her plain
She sings as sweetly as a nightingale.
Say that she frown, I'll say that she looks as clear
As morning roses newly washed with dew.
Say she be mute and will not speak a word,
Then I'll commend her volubility
And say she uttereth piercing eloquence.
If she do bid me pack, I'll give her thanks,
As though she bid me stay by her a week.
If she deny to wed, I'll crave the day
When I shall ask the banns, and when be marri'd.

(2.1.169–179)

These are two ideas that came to my attention when I was perusing online for some different ideas. I want to further delve into these concepts, and find some articles that flesh out these ideas. (Just so you know, these ideas are NOT actually mine. I'm not that smart. I found them on wiki, and I want to expand upon them.)


Well, that's all for now. If anyone knows of a good way to go about starting my research into rhetoric and dialogue, let me know.