Petruchio's Response To A Good Girl

Subsequently, the inequalities between the genders are evident in the master plan Petruchio uses to change Katherine from a “bad girl” to a “good girl” because it depicts the extent to which patriarchal men would go to ensure their dominance over women. According to feminist theory, women who follow patriarchal standards are called “good girls” and they “are put on pedestals and idealized as pure, angelic creatures whose sense of self consists mainly or entirely of their usefulness to their husbands” (Tyson 87). Since Katherine does not follow this definition, Petruchio takes it upon himself to change her. In other words, as Critic Marianne L. Novy states, “The way [Petruchio] talks about society proves him independent of its actual judgments and ready to reverse its expectations …show more content…
In addition, Petruchio achieves the “good girl” response he wants from Katherine because she submits to his higher authority and does not question his attire. Furthermore, as the two arrive at Petruchio’s home after their marriage, they sit down to eat when Petruchio calls his servants “heedless jolt-heads and unmannered slaves” for allegedly serving burnt meat (IV.i. 146). However, Katherine says the following in the plea of the servants: “I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet,/ The meat was well, if you were so contented” (IV.i 148-149); nevertheless, Petruchio does not accept the plea and insists that “[to]night [they]’ll fast for company” (IV.i. 157). Petruchio lashes out against his servants in order to give Katherine a depiction of the way others feel when she acts in such a manner. Furthermore, in the end, Petruchio dehumanizes Katherine because he denies her the necessity of food. Although Katherine approaches Petruchio with a softer demeanor, he still goes to the extent of denying her food because he wants to ensure she becomes a