In this space, post a response to your reading. You may choose what you address, but I want you to push yourself to analyze the text closely. Therefore, your response needs to include at least one direct reference to the text, complete with citations. Excellent responses will probably include more than one direct reference.
Try to teach us something about this section of the play. Draw some conclusions, make us think, challenge us to argue with you. Whatever you do, don't summarize the plot.
Responses should be a thoughtful, well-developed paragraph. Shoot for at least 8 sentences.
I look forward to hearing what you have to say about your reading. See you whenever the roads are clear!
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ReplyDeleteBy Sarah Douglas
ReplyDeleteKate is a realist. She knows that she has more to offer a marriage than just “being there”. Frankly, I think Petruchio bothers her because he just shows up out of the blue and says, “Myself am moved to woo thee for my wife” (2.1.202). It would seem that Kate is ahead of her time because she has the boldness to speak her mind and share her opinions and simply not be nice all the time. Because of this I get the feeling that she would want a man to meet her then want to woo her because he likes her, as opposed to wanting her father’s money and settling for her. Petruchio greets her saying, “you are called plain Kate, and bonny Kate…my super-dainty Kate…Kate of my consolation” (2.1.193-198). This does not amuse Kate nor is she moved to like him at all because of his pretty words. She simply responds by saying, “’Moved,’ in good time! Let him that moved you hither remove you hence,” basically saying “Seriously? Get out of here” (2.1.203-205).
Part of the reason she might be so verbally abusive of Petruchio is because she wants to see if he can handle it. Maybe, if he can see past how headstrong she is and her quick tongue, and realize she has worth, he would be a man that she could let in.
Until reading this act, I believed Kate was as rude and bitter as she seems because it was just her personality. I didn't think she acted the way she does because of anyone else. However, as I read this, I began to notice that perhaps she acts as she does because of her father, Baptista. When Baptista sees the brawl between his daughters, he immediately protects Bianca without even hearing Kate's explanation of what was going on. He even says, "For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit! Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee?" (2.1.26-30.) This shows that he immediately assumes that Bianca could have done no wrong to Kate and begins calling Kate names, like "devilish spirit." He even continues to put her down in front of others, such as Petruchio, who says to Baptista, "Pray, have you not a daughter called Katherina, fair and virtuous?" (2.1.45-46.) Baptista replies by saying, "I have a daughter, sir, called Katherina" (2.1.47-48.) This response means that his daughter is named Katherina, but he does not agree that she is fair and virtuous. It may be her personality to be strong and blunt, but this does not mean she isn't a "virtuous" person. I think it's very possible that she may be so bitter and rude to some people because of the way her father has treated her and has seemed to favor Bianca over her.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started reading The Taming of the Shrew, I was determined to believe that the reason that Kate acts the way she does is simply because she is a strong, confident woman who does not want to be held back by marriage or a man. However at the beginning of Act 2, I realized that Kate’s viciousness is truly unnecessary. I would have to disagree with Natalie’s statement that Kate acts bitter and rude because her father favors her younger sister Bianca. It is true that when Baptista enters at the beginning of Act 2 he says,
ReplyDeleteWhy, how now, dame, whence grows this
insolence?—
Bianca, stand aside.—Poor girl, she weeps! …
(to KATHERINE) For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit!
Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong
thee?
When did she cross thee with a bitter word? (2.1.23-31)
But, just because Baptista says these things to Kate and sympathizes with Bianca does not mean that he favors Bianca in any way. I can guarantee you that if I tied my sister up and slapped her around, my father would probably react in a similar way. I think that Baptista loves both of his daughters equally, but he is just forced to put up with more from Kate.
Katherine’s argument with Petruchio shows that she just wants to be treated nicely. When Katherine and Petruchio meet, he says “Good morrow, Kate, for that’s your name, I hear.” (2.1.190), to which Katherine replies that “People call me Katherine, that do talk of me.” (2.1.193). Petruchio obnoxiously refers to her as Kate for the rest of their argument. By not bothering to call Katherine by her name, Petruchio immediately puts a wall between them. I think Katherine was justified when she tells Petruchio that “I knew you at the first you were a movable.” (2.1.205-206), because she is telling him that he is expendable since he didn’t care to learn her name, nor did he correct himself. The ensuing argument between Katherine and Petruchio shows that Katherine is intelligent, since she can come up with witty insults, and that she is evenly matched with Petruchio, since he has comebacks for everything she says. I can’t help but wonder if it might have worked out if Petruchio had called Katherine her right name?
ReplyDeleteIn Act II, the mysteries of each character begin to fade away. While in Act I the interactions between Katherine, Bianca, and Baptista could be interpreted many different ways, Act II presents a more clearly defined relationship between this family. In Act I, the reader can either interpret Katherine as a jealous sister or a misunderstood woman; however, as the reader continues to immerse himself in the play, he sees an inarguably jealous side of Kate. The reader is introduced to the violent Kate as she abuses her helpless sister who pleads for Kate to “unbind [her] hands” (2.1.4). Fear can be detected in her voice as she begs Kate to stop this abuse saying, “What [Kate] commands [her] will [she] do” (2.1.6). As their banter begins we sense a sibling rivalry as Kate calls Bianca “minion” and Bianca claims that Kate “env[ies] [her] so” (2.1.13, 2.1.18). This is not a misunderstood woman that the reader sees before him. It is a violent, jealous woman looking for revenge. Shakespeare does not try to hide this freshly exposed Kate as she cries out, “I’ll be revenged” (2.1.32). However, the play could not continue if the reader found everything out about Kate in Act II. The reader is still left with the question why is she the way she is? Is it because she is jealous of her sister? Because she doesn’t conform to society? Or is it because there is some influence in her life reminding her that she is not perfect like her sister? In Act II, Shakespeare hints that it is because of the relationship she has with her family. The reader sees Kate abuse her sister for what seems to be “envy” as Bianca claims (2.1.18). Also, Baptista intervenes to save his precious daughter. The reader can sense the affection he feels towards Bianca with his kind words, “poor girl,” and protective manner, “Bianca, get thee in” (2.1.25, 2.1.33). Kate even sees this favoritism and bluntly points it out to her father saying, “She is your treasure” (2.1.35). The same kindness is not displayed towards Kate as he lashes out at her: “though hilding of a devilish spirit” (2.1.27-28). She constantly experiences this reprimand from not only her father but also others such as Bianca’s suitors seen in Act I.
ReplyDeleteThe reader becomes more knowledgeable of Kate in Act II because Shakespeare unveils some of the secrets behind her vague introduction in Act I. It is now much harder for the reader to see Kate as misunderstood. Rather, there is something behind her violence. Whether it is jealousy or a previous tragedy such as the loss of a mother, Shakespeare has yet to inform the reader.
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ReplyDeleteIn Act Two a lot is revealed about the personalities of Kate, Petruchio, and Baptista.
ReplyDeleteKate doesn't appear to be the shrew everyone thinks that she is, merely intelligent with a quick, biting wit and a sense of humor that can be self-deprecating. In response to Petruchio calling her a turtle-dove in line 220, she responds that only a buzzard would think her a turtledove, which indicates that she believes that she is as ugly as men say she is. So maybe her snark is a defense mechanism?
Petruchio is as crafty and intelligent as Kate, returning her snarky puns with witty remarks of his own: "KATHERINE: If I be waspish, best beware my sting. PETRUCHIO: My remedy is then to pluck it out" (2.1.204, 205). And instead of heading for the hills after hearing that she beat her tutor over the head with a lute, his only response is to want her more: "Now, by the world, it is a lusty wench. I love her ten times more than e'er I did" (2.1.68, 69). He even went so far as to confront her father:
PETRUCHIO
Father, ’tis thus: yourself and all the world
That talked of her have talked amiss of her.
If she be curst, it is for policy,
For she’s not froward, but modest as the dove.(2.1. 80-83)
This speech to her father was vastly different from anything else we've heard about her. This leads me to believe that he is either very good at sweet talking or he sees a side of her that no one else does. Not even us.
Baptista seems to clearly favor Bianca over Katherine, calling her a "hiding (beast) of a devilish spirit" (2.1.27,28) when she hits Bianca for teasing her without ever listening to her side of the story. And while it did seem overly violent, if your sister was taunting you, wouldn't you retaliate? Baptista also seems to want nothing more than to get Katherine married, even believing the lies Petruchio fed him about her loving him after only a few hours without even questioning his daughter after she says she'd "see thee (Petruchio) hanged on Sunday first" (2.1.316) rather than marry him.
What really stuck out to me in this Act was the use of words that have multiple meanings and spellings. The entire banter between Katherine and Petruchio is filled with these words. Petruchio took words from what Katherine insulted him with and used another meaning to turn around and insult her back and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteKatherine
Asses are made to bear, and so are you.
Petruchio
Women are made to bear, and so are you.
2.1.210
Although they used the same wording and the word bear, the meaning is totally different. Katherine was using the word in the way of bearing a load or working hard while Petruchio meant bearing children.
Petruchio
Who knows not where a wasp does wear his sting? In his tail.
Katherine In his tongue.
Petruchio Whose tongue?
Katherine
Yours, if you talk of tales, and so farewell.
2.1.227
In this case they are using differing spellings of the word tail. Petruchio is referring to the location of a stinger of a wasp while Katherine is referring to a story tale. When I was reading, I was blown away by all of the double meanings that Shakespeare fit into this one passage.
After having read the first two acts of “The Taming of the Shrew” I was, scene after scene, struck by how insensitive the characters are towards one another. Baptista is oblivious to his daughters feelings. When Hortensio and Gremio insult Kate in her father’s presence, Baptista does nothing. He doesn’t stand up for her or defend her image as a eligible young woman. Baptista does care for his daughters and their well-being. He does say, “I will be very kind, and liberal to mine own children in good bringing-up” (1.1.98-99). But I think that Baptista’s failure to recognize his daughters feelings has made each of them off putting in their own way. Kate is prude and speaks defensively towards men, especially when Petruchio tries to court her in scene 2. When Petruchio speaks kind words to her she is shocked by this and says “Where did you study all this goodly speech?”. As for Bianca, she just doesn’t react to others words. “But in the other’s [Bianca] silence do I see maid’s mild behavior and sobriety” (1.1.70-71). Her quite manor makes her the perfect “good” wife role, especially during the time in which the play is set. The suitors in the play are all insensitive to the feelings of Bianca and Kate. The fact that Lucentio thinks that by disguising himself, he can win the heart of Bianca, when being yourself it always the best thing to do. Petruchio is stern with Kate and even says, “Women are made to bear, and so are you” (2.1.203). He is directly addressing his dominance over Kate which does not agree with her strong and independent state of mind. Every character thus far doesn’t seem grasp the feelings of people around them therefore causing more and more drama. Everyone is so self-minded.
ReplyDeleteIn reading Act II, I was struck by how oblivious Babtista is to Kate's feelings. In fact, he seems uncaring and, to use Eller's word, insensitive to her disdain for a marriage to Petruchio. It is obvious that she does not wish to marry Petruchio when she calls him a "half-lunatic, A madcapman ruffian and a swearing Jack, That thinks with oaths to face the matter out" (2.1.304-306). Petruchio claims that he and Kate bargained "that she shall still be curst in company" (2.1.324), but I see no reason for that bargain to be made. Kate never expresses the wish to be thought of by society as a shrew and kin to the devil. No loving father would take the word of a suitor over that of his daughter, especially when the suitor's claim is as suspicious as Petruchio's. In addition, Babtista's wish to have Kate married by Sunday and "on the Sunday following, [have] Bianca be bride to [Tranio, as Lucentio]" (2.1.417-419) is shockingly hasty. His actions make me question whether he is a father wishing to be rid of his charges or a man trying to provide for his daughters because his death is imminent. As much as I would like to believe that Babtista is a caring father, I am forced to come to conclude that he is unconcerned with his daughters' welfare.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Kristen, Natalie and Sarah Douglas in that Kate seems to be the way she is because of the way others treat her. I also have to say that she seemed to be picking a fight with Bianca in the opening scene of Act II. No matter what Bianca said to Katherine, Katherine got upset about it. "Bianca: I never yet beheld that special face which I could fancy more than any other. Katherine: Minion, thou liest. Is't not Hortensio? Bianca: If you affect him, sister, here I swear, I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him" (2.1.11-15). Bianca seems to be trying to appease Katherine and calm her down. Bianca tries to tell Katherine that she doesn't like any one suitor more than the others, and Katherine just won't listen to her. I believe Katherine is jealous of her sister. I think this could be because of what Kristen said about how Katherine believes what everyone is saying about her is true, that she is an unpleasant shrew. It also doesn't help that her sister has 3 suitors and she has one. Her father also doesn't help by showing favortism towards Katherine in the opening scene and calling her a "devilish spirit"(2.1.27). I would be the same way. It would be like living in the shadow of someone "greater" than yourself. In this case, Bianca is more dainty and quiet and beautiful and so she is looked upon more by men and Katherine, being less dainty, quiet, and beautiful, gets shunned, even by their father.
ReplyDeleteI believe Katherine is smart, witty, brutally honest, and outgoing. I also believe that due to the way others treat her and her sister, she tries to defend herself against everything, including suitors,her father, and her sister. She isn't trusting of the world.
I think that Kate accepts Petruchio because she realizes that he is very similar to her when it comes to their willpower. She is not frustrated and enraged by him like she is the other suitors because his wit is so sharp and strong. They somewhat match each other.
ReplyDelete(2.1.207-211)
P: Why, what’s a moveable?
K: a joint stool.
P: Thou hast hit it. Come, sit on me.
K: Asses are made to bear, and so are you.
P: Women are made to bear, and so are you.
Petruchio can keep up with Kate. It is like she has met someone to meet her challenge. (Her literally being the challenge.) I think her silence at the end of the scene is her way of finally giving in. I think that she is realizing that Petruchio is going to be as close as she will ever come to someone who won’t frustrate her as much as other men do. However, I think she does recognize the level of disrespect that he has for her. I just think that she is dismissing it because she is immune to it because every man has so much disrespect for her and Kate knows that.
At the beginning of Act II, I had no sympathy for Katherine. Why were Bianca's hands tied? Did Katherine tie them? If so, why? Like Jordan said earlier, I felt like Katherine was trying to pick a fight. No matter what Bianca said to calm her down, Katherine just got more angry. However, I do think that Katherine might be a very caring and affectionate person. This is because she tries to find out who Bianca loves. Katherine says, "Of all they suitors here I charge [thee] tell whom thou lov'st best. See thou dissemble not" (2.1.8). Because Katherine asks Bianca how she feels about her suitors, it can be fairly concluded that she cares about Bianca's feelings. She wants Bianca to have her own reasons to marry. She doesn't want Bianca to just marry because society expects her to do so.
ReplyDeleteLike a lot of people have already pointed out, there is a sense that Baptista doesn't care about what Katherine wants. He doesn't listen to Katherine when she says she doesn't want to marry Petruchio. As Morgan said earlier, we get the feeling that Baptista is trying to get rid of his daughters so he doesn't have to provide for them. We think that he isn't concerned about his daughters happiness. While it is reasonable to make these conclusions, I think that we are missing out on a big piece of the puzzle. Baptista says, "The gain I seek, is quiet [in] the match" (2.1.349). As a father, he wants Katherine to be content and satisfied with this marriage. We have to remember the time period this is taking place in. Back then, marriage equaled peace and happiness. And that's just what Baptista wants for his daughters. Although I feel that Baptista should care more about Katherine's feelings, I don't think that he is a bad father. I don't think that he is just trying to get rid of his daughters. He ultimately wants them both to be happy.
I believe every character in the play either misunderstands or is misunderstood, or perhaps both. Take for example Baptista. While he wants protection and happiness for his daughters, he does not understand that “happiness” could mean different things for Kate and Bianca. He openly states to Gremio and Tranio “he of both That can assure my daughter’s greatest dower Shall have my Bianca’s love” (2.1.362-364). Financial security could in fact be what Bianca desires, however it is obvious Kate does not find comfort in this prospect. She blatantly refuses any first mention of marriage because perhaps she is pleased being independent. I believe she eventually submits to Pertrucio’s request for her hand out of desire for her sister’s happiness. As readers we sometimes look only at Kate’s actions rather than the reason behind them. The perfect example would be the opening of the second Act. As it begins we see Bianca tied up and being beaten by Kate. The harshness of her actions overpower her message. She says to Bianca, “Of all thy suitors here I charge [thee] tell Whom thou lov’st best. See thou dissemble not” (2.1.8-9). Kate wants Bianca to be suited by who she desires. In this way we misunderstand Kate. The play seems to be a mash up of misunderstandings by both the reader and the characters to create the effect of disguise.
ReplyDeleteIn Act I of The Taming of the Shrew, the reader wonders why Petruchio is trying to marry Kate in the first place. He is already rich and he has been warned of Kate's fierce personality and sometimes violent behavior. As I read Act 1 last week, and after we discussed it in class, I came to the conclusion that Petruchio was in it for the challenge. After all, he already had a lot of money so why would he want more? However Act 2 gives the reader the answer to this question. Petruchio wants to marry Kate for one reason only: money. There are two ways in which Petruchio goes about his courtship process that hint to this. The first is how fast he wishes to marry Kate. “Signior Baptista, my business asketh haste, And every day I cannot come to woo” (2.1.107, 2.1.208). If he wanted a challenge, you would think that he would want Kate to actually want to marry him and therefore let her get to know him. But Petruchio straight out tells Baptista that he doesn't have time to deal with getting to know Kate. He basically tells him he wants to wrap it up as fast as possible. Second, as soon as he makes it clear that time is of the essence, Petruchio moves right into discussing money. “Then tell me, if I get your daughter’s love, What dowry shall I have with her to wife?” (2.1.112, 2.1.113). The majority of the rest of the conversation that Petruchio and Baptista have of the marriage is them talking about how much money both Petruchio and Kate would receive through the marriage. After reading Act 2 it is clear that Petruchio wants one thing from Kate: more wealth.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of my reading of The Taming of the Shrew, I blamed Kate for her rude personality and rudeness to others. All of this ruining her chance of the possibility of marriage to a nice man. But as the book progressed, I realized that Baptista, Kate and Biancas father, definitely favors Bianca over Kate. When the two girls start fighting, Baptista automatically assumes that Bianca was the victim and Kate the instigator. The perfect example of this is "For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit! Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee?" (2.1.26-27). He assumes that Kate is wrong doing to Bianca without even getting both sides from the girls. If he had actually listened, maybe he would have known the truth.
ReplyDeleteSo many lies and misconceptions! From Baptista to Petruchio to even Gremio it just seems like Shakespeare really likes to play the disillusionment factor. Beginning in the induction when Sly is tricked and with dramatic irony the audience is being prepared to be tricked in the actual play. We can brace ourselves for what’s to come. Beginning in Act II Petruchio lies and says “have you not a daughter called Katherina, fair and virtuous.” (2.1.45) And Baptista responds saying only “I have a daughter.” (2.1.47) Basically Baptista denies the fact that his daughter is fair and virtuous by simply not acknowledging it. But this isn’t the first time Petruchio flat out lies about Katherine, making her out to be much nicer than she really is. He does this again when he says, “Say she be mute and will not speak a word, then I’ll commend her volubility.” (2.1.182) Volubility means a constant flow of words, clearly the opposite of a mute. Hence Petruchio yet again decides to lie to Katherina about Katherina. There’s so much lying that it does get a little confusing at times. But it probes me to think that since they are lying so much, but we’re aware of it, something’s about to happen. Maybe we’re about to be tricked? Maybe I’m just thinking too much into it. Nevertheless, I feel prepared by Shakespeare for whatever loops he throws in our path.
ReplyDeleteWhile some people have said that Kate is more clearly defined in Act II and shown to be intelligent and witty, I think that she can still be seen as either jealous and a bit of a "shrew" or as a woman ahead of her time.
ReplyDeleteFor example, during the opening setting of act II, Katherine is chasing Bianca around trying to figure out which of the suitors she prefers. Katherine has Bianca's hands tied behind her back and is trying to hit her and is cursing at her to figure out who she wants to be with. See, this to me is kind of extravagant to do to Bianca just to figure out which suitor she prefers. I don't know why Katherine is even pushing her that hard to figure it out. Line 2.1.18-22 "Bianca: 'Is it for him you do envy me so? Nay, then, you jest, and now I well perceive you have but jested me all this while. I prithee, sister Kate, untie my hands.' Kate strikes her."
Also during this scene, Baptista then comes in and immediately assumes that Bianca is the, "poor girl, she weeps!" 2.1.25
I can understand why Katherine does get more violently upset at this point. Baptista is obviously favoring Bianca and Kate has reason to be jealous at this point.
Kate also hits Hortensio (disguised as the music tutor) with the lute over the head and he is bleeding. I mean, I don't want someone to tell me that I have to learn to sit by idly and play the lute either, but I also don't think that I would feel the need to hit someone over the head until the bleed to make them stop teaching me. I think that this response from Kate shows that she is not the level-headed intelligent woman that everyone thinks she is because an intelligent level-headed woman would not bash a man over the head and would realize that this just proves to them that she is a shrew, after all.
The conversation with Pertuchio, though, shows her quick wit that everyone has spoke about above. She can definitely play along with him and his words. Even though she does hit him, I think that him turning everything that she says sexual warrants this response.
I can't decide if I like Petruchio or not, yet. I liked the way he could keep up with Kate. It was fun to read their argument because it was interesting to see just how witty Kate is, especially when she is up against someone who can mirror her wit.
ReplyDeleteI'm confused about Baptista. At the beginning of the act, he seems to favor Bianca and Kate calls him out on that. But, when Petruchio first comes to Baptista about Kate, Baptista tells him that Kate must be in love with him before they can be married. But then again, at the end of the act, Baptista doesn't question Petruchio's claims that Kate is in love with him. Although, I can't blame Baptista too much for this, because Kate does not speak up, which is weird to me also. At the end of the act, Baptista tells Gremio and Lucentio (Tranio) that Bianca will marry the richest of the two. This is what makes me believe that Baptista doesn't favor one of his daughters. He may seem to favor Bianca at the beginning, but he doesn't say that Bianca has to be in love to marry, like he does for Kate. I think this shows that he cares for them just the same. Maybe he even cares for Kate a little more? Or at least likes the fact that she is so independent.
I found it frustrating that Kate didn't speak up when Petruchio was claiming that they were in love. She has always been so strongly outspoken and independent, why would she just let Petruchio lie to her father infront of her?
I also don't understand how anyone could believe that they were in love after spending a few minuted together. I couldn't help but get frustrated when the men talked of wooing the sisters as if it was something that could be done in a matter of minutes.