How to identify a shrew
Taming of the Shrew is a satire book that shows that a shrew is not what just a label that can a placed on anyone because they are uncooperative. shrew is a term that most people don’t know the meaning of, so there for you can get confused on who is the shrew in the book.
In Taming of the Shrew the people of the town label Katharine as a shrew not only because she is loud and out spoken and does not want to do as she is told but because she is very aggressive in her actions and towards other people. The word “shrew “comes from the middle English word “ screawa” meaning something evil or a scolding person, however in modern time a shrew is a an unpleasant, bad-tempered woman, this is how Katharine acts in the entire book until the very end until she changes, on the other had Bianca is barely mention in the book and when she is she is portrayed as this beautiful elegant sweet girl who also changes.
Moreover, Bianca tells Kate, “Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself, To make a bondmaid and a slave of me, That I disdain: but for these other gawds, Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself, Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat; Or what you will command me will I do, So well I know my duty to my elders”(73). this simple part of the book alone shows that Bianca is not a shrew and is willing to do what she is told, and a shrew is nothing does not even come close to the type of person that Bianca is portrayed right here. Furthermore, Come, come, you wasp; i' faith, you are too angry, “Kate” If I be waspish, best beware my sting, “Petruchio” My remedy is then to pluck it out, “Kate” Ay, if the fool could find it where it lies, “Petruchio” Who knows not where a wasp does wear his sting? In his tail, “kate” In his tongue.” Petruchio” whose tongue? “kate” Yours, if you talk of tails: and so farewell,“Petruchio” What, with my tongue in your tail? nay, come again, Good Kate; I am a gentleman— “Kate” that I’ll try, she slaps him.(80) In this scene it shows that Katharina is being a shrew not because she is disarranging with him but because she slaps him because he begins to make her upset. When she slaps him automatically makes her a shrew because she is being aggressive. If Kate was not as aggressive as she was perhaps she would not have been labeled as a shrew.
Moreover, Kate and Petruchio get married and he wants to leave but she does not and he ends up having to drag her out to the gate. She again is being very aggressive and does not want to leave and go with her newly wedded husband. Therefor they have to drag her out so that he can take her home. When they get to his house he deprives her of food and sleep but in this time she relies that she as to do what she wants to get her way or to get some food. She plays the role that he wants her to play so she can get what she wants. Petruchio does not treat her like an animal just because that’s how he believes women should be treated but because he wants to show he that he is in control of the marriage and that its his way or no way at all.
In act 2 scene 1 ,Kate says to her father and Bianca “What, will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see, She is your treasure, she must have a husband, I must dance bare-foot on her wedding day And for your love to her lead apes in hell. Talk not to me: I will go sit and weep Till I