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"What, will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see
She is your treasure, she must have a husband,
I must dance barefoot 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 can find occasion of revenge" (2.1.31-36).
2.1 begins with Baptista intervening in a fight between Katherine and Bianca. This line occurs after Baptista immediately comforts Bianca and chastises Katherine for provoking her sister, showcasing that Katherine resents her father for his blatant displays of favoritism. Bianca is her father’s “treasure” whereas Katherine is routinely mistreated. This aspect of Katherine’s characterization serves to provide the context for her bitter disposition.
Petruchio: Myself am moved to woo thee for my wife.
Katherine: Moved, in good time. Let him that moved you
hither
Remove you hence (2.1.194-196).
This exchange occurs during Katherine and Petruchio’s famous battle of wits when they meet for the first time in 2.1. Katherine and Petruchio masterfully flip each other's words many times throughout the scene in an attempt to insult, humiliate, or irritate the other. However, this moment is perhaps the most important because Katherine’s clever play on the word “moved” prompts their attempts to out-wit each other. This demonstrates Katherine’s intelligence and establishes the antagonistic relationship between Katherine and Petruchio which will persist throughout the text.
"I see a woman may be made a fool / If she had not a spirit to resist" (3.2.213-214).
Katherine delivers these famous words during an argument with Petruchio shortly after they have been wed against Katherine’s will. Petruchio insists that the two of them depart from the festivities immediately whereas Katherine wants to stay to enjoy the wedding feast. Although Petruchio asserts his dominance over his new wife and forces them to leave, Katherine’s line reveals the depth of her principles and her ability to fight on behalf of herself and women in general.
"Belike you mean to make a puppet of me" (4.3.104).
This line occurs during the tailor scene in 4.3 in which Petruchio pretends to find faults in the beautiful gown that the tailor has made for Katherine and refuses to let her wear it. Katherine, who has been denied food and sleep since her wedding in an attempt to weaken her spirit, delivers this line to show that she is aware of Petruchio’s tricks. By referring to herself as her husband’s puppet, Katherine reveals that she knows that Petruchio is trying to tame and control her.
"I am ashamed that women are so simple
To offer war where they should kneel for peace,
Or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway
When they are bound to serve, love, and obey" (5.2.161-164).
This line occurs during Katherine’s controversial speech at the end of the text in which she characterizes women as the weaker sex and urges all women to submit to their husbands. Some interpretations of the text have Katherine deliver this speech in earnest while others have her deliver the speech ironically. The implications of the two warring interpretations are crucial because they reveal whether Katherine has been successfully tamed or not. If she has, then this line demonstrates the depth of her transformation. If she has not, then the line is a final display of Katherine’s wit and sarcasm.
