Is the character of Katherina really ‘tamed’ at the end of the play ‘The Taming of the Shrew’?
According to dictionary.com the word tame means:
- changed from the wild or savage state; domesticated
- gentle, fearless, or without shyness, as if domesticated
- Submissive, as a person or the disposition
Wiki answers say that tame means to take something (person, animal) that is unconquerable or unbreakable and try and break their spirit until they are domineered into being tamed and pliable and follow orders or commands.
I looked through the internet and most meanings of tame refer to animals, such as to say that if someone or something in not tame it acts like a wild animal. So what does it mean to be tamed? Shakespeare decides the world needs to know how one is to be tamed. Petruchio is the man who takes up the task of the impossible, of taming the untamable Katherina. Petruchio takes Katherina as his wife without her even wanting it, and leaves with a large fortune. Petruchio takes Kate home and begins his lessons in making her a tamed shrew. Petruchio talks of how he is to tame her in act 4 scene 1 line 160 - 182. Line 180-182 Petruchio says “And thus I’ll curb her mad and headstrong humor. He that knows how to tame a shrew, now let him speak - ‘tis charity to show.” Petruchio speaks also of how he is to tame her. By starving her of food and of sleep, he decides this is the best way to tame her. Katherina says after long days with no food “why did he marry me to famish me?” she does not understand what he is doing. She is speaking to Petruchio’s friend Grumio and it shows how she is much better. She asks him for meat and Petruchio and Grumio go and get meat for her. Then Petruchio sees that his work may be done and tells her that it is time for to be shown to the family. “…And now, my honey love, will we return unto thy father’s house and revel it as bravely as the best with silken clothes and golden rings…” Petruchio and Katherina are now getting...