Love: Free or Captive
Finding a definite definition of love is challenging for the reason that for every person, love comes and goes in different forms. One person's definition of love will be different to another's; but they all have common elements - integrity, respect, and communication. A relationship lacking these qualities is simply destined to fail. In William Shakespeare’s, ‘The Taming of The Shrew’, the characters Petruchio and Katherina are the main focus of the play. Petruchio searches for a wife and finds Katherina, the daughter of a wealthy man by the name of Baptista Minola. They get married, although not for the reasons one may expect and from here, their story begins. Petruchio and Katherina do not love one another which is …show more content…
In the Elizabethan era, men held all the power while women were forced to abide by their rules. Petruchio is the prime example of a man who abuses his power and instead uses it to his advantage. “I swear I’ll cuff you if you strike again (II.i.217)”. He claims to be a gentleman, so Katherina tests his patience by hitting him. He then threatens to hit her back if she were to ever try that again, thus proving that he was no gentleman. Another way Petruchio is manipulative is how he devises a plan to not let her eat or have a restful night until she is obedient. “She ate no meat today, nor none shall eat; last night she slept not, nor to-night she shall not…This is a way to kill a wife with kindness, and thus I’ll curb her mind and headstrong humor (IV.i.179-191)”. This indicates that he intends to tame Katherina like one would tame a wild animal. In addition, he thinks of her not as another person, but rather a possession which he can do anything he wants with. Finally, Petruchio proves he does not love Katherina when he tells her ridiculous things and makes her accept …show more content…
Petruchio shows that he controls Katherina when he embarrasses himself in front of everyone they know, thus embarrassing her as well. “..He stamped and swore as if the vicar meant to cozen him. But after many ceremonies done, he calls for a wine ‘A health’ quothe he, as if he had been aboard, carousing to his mates after a storm (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 161-5)”. On the day of their wedding, Petruchio is dressed as if he had never seen proper clothes and while in church, acted obnoxious and extremely rude. He not only embarrassed himself, but also Katherina because she was now his wife and people would gossip about them. The next way Petruchio presents himself as unworthy of Katherina is when he makes her agree with all his opinions and thoughts. He will not let her have a mind of her own and makes all choices regarding her himself. Katherina says, “I never saw a better fashion’d gown more quaint, more pleasing nor more commendable…(IV.iii.101-102)” but Petruchio tells the tailor, “Go take it hence; be gone and say no more (IV.iii.160)”. As is noted, Katherina says she loves the gown that is made and has never seen anything like it but Petruchio does not let her have it. He makes the choice of what she will wear himself and does not listen to
Finding a definite definition of love is challenging for the reason that for every person, love comes and goes in different forms. One person's definition of love will be different to another's; but they all have common elements - integrity, respect, and communication. A relationship lacking these qualities is simply destined to fail. In William Shakespeare’s, ‘The Taming of The Shrew’, the characters Petruchio and Katherina are the main focus of the play. Petruchio searches for a wife and finds Katherina, the daughter of a wealthy man by the name of Baptista Minola. They get married, although not for the reasons one may expect and from here, their story begins. Petruchio and Katherina do not love one another which is …show more content…
In the Elizabethan era, men held all the power while women were forced to abide by their rules. Petruchio is the prime example of a man who abuses his power and instead uses it to his advantage. “I swear I’ll cuff you if you strike again (II.i.217)”. He claims to be a gentleman, so Katherina tests his patience by hitting him. He then threatens to hit her back if she were to ever try that again, thus proving that he was no gentleman. Another way Petruchio is manipulative is how he devises a plan to not let her eat or have a restful night until she is obedient. “She ate no meat today, nor none shall eat; last night she slept not, nor to-night she shall not…This is a way to kill a wife with kindness, and thus I’ll curb her mind and headstrong humor (IV.i.179-191)”. This indicates that he intends to tame Katherina like one would tame a wild animal. In addition, he thinks of her not as another person, but rather a possession which he can do anything he wants with. Finally, Petruchio proves he does not love Katherina when he tells her ridiculous things and makes her accept …show more content…
Petruchio shows that he controls Katherina when he embarrasses himself in front of everyone they know, thus embarrassing her as well. “..He stamped and swore as if the vicar meant to cozen him. But after many ceremonies done, he calls for a wine ‘A health’ quothe he, as if he had been aboard, carousing to his mates after a storm (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 161-5)”. On the day of their wedding, Petruchio is dressed as if he had never seen proper clothes and while in church, acted obnoxious and extremely rude. He not only embarrassed himself, but also Katherina because she was now his wife and people would gossip about them. The next way Petruchio presents himself as unworthy of Katherina is when he makes her agree with all his opinions and thoughts. He will not let her have a mind of her own and makes all choices regarding her himself. Katherina says, “I never saw a better fashion’d gown more quaint, more pleasing nor more commendable…(IV.iii.101-102)” but Petruchio tells the tailor, “Go take it hence; be gone and say no more (IV.iii.160)”. As is noted, Katherina says she loves the gown that is made and has never seen anything like it but Petruchio does not let her have it. He makes the choice of what she will wear himself and does not listen to