BLOG 5 - More about Taming

With Petruchio’s character, Shakespeare demonstrates that marriage is nothing more than a business negotiation.  Petruchio says,

            Signor Hortensio, ‘twixt such friends as we

            Few words suffice.  And therefore if thou know

            One rich enough to be Petruchio’s wife –

            As wealth is burden of my wooing dance –

            Be she as foul as was Florentius’ love,

            As old as Sibyl, and as curst and shrewd

            As Socrates’ Xanthippe, or a worse,

            She moves me not, or not removes, at least,

            Affection’s edge in me, were she as rough

            As are the swelling Adriatic seas.

            I come to wive it wealthily in Padua –

            If wealthily, then happily in Padua.  (I.II. 64-75)

Basically, Petruchio spells it out for us here.  He is only interested in money.  In fact, the wealthier the woman is, the happier he will be.  Petruchio’s search for a wife can be though of as international commerce.  Like a businessman who trying to merge his business with another in order to produce more revenue, Petruchio has traveled all the way from Italy to find a wife, in order to enhance his domestic fiscal status. 

           

            In act two, scene one, not only does Petruchio expand on this idea of marriage being a business negotiation, but he also portrays it as a chauvinistic conquest.  For example, Petruchio says to Katherina:

            Marry, so I mean, sweet Katherine, in thy bed.

            And therefore, setting all this chat aside,

            Thus in plain terms.  Your father hath consented

            That you shall be my wife, your dowry ‘greed upon,

            And will you, nill you, I will marry you.

            Now, Kate, I am a husband for your turn,

            For by this light, whereby I see thy beauty –

            Thy beauty that doth make me like thee well –

            Thou must be married to no man but me,

            For I am he am born to tame you, Kate,

            And bring you from a wild Kate to a Kate

            Conformable as other household Kates.

            Here comes your father.  Never make denial,

            I must and will have Katherine to my wife. (II.I. 268-281)

In this speech, Petruchio communicates that the business side of the deal is already done because her father has agreed.  He also expresses his ultimate goal, which is to tame Katherina.  Petruchio sees Katherina’s wild behavior as a challenge.  Now, not only does he want the money, but he also wants the pleasure of dominating and domesticating Katherina.  Petruchio knows that by telling Katherina, “thou must be married to no man but me,” and therefore forcing her into marriage, he is accomplishing the impossible: he is controlling her.  Through the successful taming of Katherina, Petruchio gets the money and the fame.  In the minds of his male friends, Petruchio is a God.