Petruchio's Final Test Of Obedience example essay topic

... e more than all these wants, He does it under the name of perfect love... ' (IV, ). Later in this scene, when the Haberdasher presents the hat and gown commissioned for Kate, Petruchio openly criticizes its design. Katherine, delighted by its structure and fashion, angrily opposes her husband. Of course, this reminder of her shrewish nature causes Petruchio to punish her further by revoking the Haberdasher's products altogether. Unfortunately for Kate, it seems she cannot resolve her problems with tantrums.

Kate is slowly learning that her marriage leaves no choice but submission. After many pains, Kate masters the practice of silence and unthinking agreement. She comes to realize that she must swallow her pride and submit to the whims of her husband, no matter how irrational. Traveling to Baptista's house, he tests her by intentionally mislabeling the sun as the moon. Naturally, Kate responds by calling attention to his mistake. Angered at such disagreement, Petruchio threatens to turn around and abandon the trip.

Though Kate still has a great deal of independence and wildness in her character, Petruchio's newest test of obedience, along with the impetus of possible repercussion, forces her to grudgingly concede:' Forward, I pray, since we have come so far, And be it moon, or sun, or what you please. And if you please to call it a rush-candle, Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me' (IV, v). One might argue that such submission proves Kate newfound tameness. However, according to Petruchio, Kate still needs to learn more.

He does not want to fight over every minuscule issue of obedience, and the fact that Kate submits grudgingly proves to Petruchio and his audience that more work is necessary. From this point until the end of the play, Petruchio makes astonishing progress in the domestication of Katherine, mainly because of his unrelenting determination. The final scene of the play depicts Petruchio's final test of obedience. Confident in Katherine's level of devotion, he wagers against the two other newlywed husbands, Hortensio and Lucent io.

The bet-testing the obedience of their wives-holds very high monetary stakes and important bragging rights. The clear winner turns out to be Kate. Not only is she the only wife to report when beckoned, but she also delivers a lengthy speech outlining the virtue of an obedient wife and the importance of the husband's role as lord and protector when she says:'. .. Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, Thy head, thy sovereign; one that cares for thee, And for thy maintenance; commits his body To painful labour both by sea and land To watch the night in storms, the day in cold, Whilst thou list warm at home, secure and safe; And craves no other tribute at thy hands But love, fair looks, and true obedience... ' (V, ii).

Of course, everyone observing this incredible change in Kate's character is astounded, as she has demonstrated, most convincingly, just how effective Petruchio's work has been. And thus Petruchio's unconventional methods have tamed the cursed shrew. Taming of the Shrew 2 In the Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio recognizes, respects and desires Kate's intelligence and strength of character. He does not want to conquer or truly tame her.

He is a man who is very confident in himself and does not want or need someone to massage his ego. Petruchio seems to me to be a man of sport and challenge and likes to surround himself with witty, challenging people. He wants in a mate what Kate has - fire. From Petruchio's response to his friend Hortensio (I. ii. 64-75), it might be said that Petruchio came to Padua to make himself richer by marriage, to any woman, no matter how wretched.

Petruchio is not in desperate need of money (I. ii. 56-57). He tellsHortensio (I. ii. 49-57) that his father has died and that he is out in the world to gain experiences he cannot at home and only secondarily to find a wife. Also, immediately before this declaration, is the scene of misunderstanding between he and his servant Grumio about knocking on the gate (I. ii.

5-43). I see this exchange as demonstration of his enjoyment of verbal sport, a good example of Petruchio's sense of humor and his appreciation of things non-conventional. Though Petruchio may not agree with what society has determined to be proper and dignified, he is aware of the importance of appearing to conform. In what he says to Hortensio, I feel he is simply extending this sport and humor into the ironic. It is in Hortensio's description of Kate that I believe Petruchio's interest is captured. Hortensio describes Kate (I. ii.

85-89) as wealthy, young, beautiful, properly brought up intolerably cursed, screwed and froward. Though Hortensio finds the last three traits negative characteristics, Petruchio appears to be a man who also posses, and is proud of, these negative qualities. That the qualities are considered negative in Kate and not Petruchio is a reflection of the societal standards of the fifteen hundreds. It was okay for a man to be that way, but not a woman. Petruchio is the kind of man who would want a mate with similar qualities to his own to challenge him, sharpen his wits and keep his interest. If he had wanted someone who was conformed to societies expectations, or who had already determined to deceive by concealing opinions and views, he would have chosen someone more like Bianca.

However, Petruchio is a clever man who sees beyond fa? ades because he uses them, in addition to a lot of irony himself (II. i. 46), (II. i. 283-289). It is clear in Grumio and his other servants (as demonstrated in the opening of act 4 (IV. i. 1-113) that Petruchio prefers the interesting to the conventional. But because Petruchiounderstands the ways of society, he knows he must demonstrate to Kate the importance of proper public appearance.

To Petruchio it is appearance rather than genuine conformance that is important. Otherwise, the woman he loves would be called names and treated in ways Petruchio might be required by honor to defend. In his ironic way, Petruchio does speak consistently about making Kate yield to him (II. i. 124,136), (II. i. 269-271) and of his monetary motivation (II. i.

123,124). But, his methods are sportsman-like (Falconry, (IV. i. 183-190) and game-like demonstrations of the outrageous (beating Grumio because Kate's horse stumbled IV. i, 68-80). Petruchio's servants like him very well and enjoy his entertainments. In what Petruchio says following he and Kate's first meeting (when her father walks in with Grumio and Trango (II. i. 269) ) it becomes clear just how heavily Petruchio employs irony.

He states that he is born to tame and conform Kate. Though the servants he has chosen to surround himself with are neither tame nor conforming to what most would consider proper servants. He also says he must and will have Katherine for his wife. This is a man who is completely taken by this woman: he called her properly by her formal name and says he will have her.

Petruchio is as taken by Kate's personas the other suitors are taken by Bianca's beauty and coyness. In the above scene, Petruchio tells Kate to never make denial. He knows she is not yet convinced, but is telling her to trust him and go along with what he says for the sake of appearance. This slowly sinks into Kate and finally takes hold when she understands Petruchio's way of irony on the way home to her father's (IV. vs. 12-22). Because they are so much alike, Kate takes very quickly to Petruchio's games of words and irony (IV. vs. 37-50). Petruchio is the kind of lively person who would be disappointed in a victory too easily won, and disappointed in Kate if she were genuinely tamed.

I feel certain she will have her victories, and Petruchio will enjoy them as much as his own. IV The play is about a young woman, Catherine, her sister, Claire, and a young man, Hal, who studied under her father, Robert and their search for the truth about a mathematical proof. The main character, Catherine, is a confused and disturbed young woman who gave up her own dreams to care for her dying father. Catherine has spent the past five years taking care of her mentally ill father, and when he dies her sacrifices are completely under appreciated. Her sister, Claire, wants Catherine to come to New York where she can keep an eye on Catherine. Then there is Hal who plays Catherine romantic interest.

With Hal, Catherine gets a change to claim herself as a mathematician of her father's statue. The conflict comes when she generates a mathematical proof that might revolutionize mathematics. Yet Claire and Hal do not believe her and question whether she is trying to pass off her father's work as her own. John Lee Beatty's back-porch set indicates Robert and Catherine's living space through windows and screen doors. You could fell fall on the stage with a few leaves on the porch and some naked trees of to the side. Pat Collins' lighting is especially effective in the play.

To fit the Walter Kerr stage, the porch appears to have been stretched out with neighbors' houses on either side. My personal reaction to this play was a good one. I truly believe that the entire production and the success of this play is dependent on Mary-Louis Parker's performance, since there isn't a single other performer in this play that could come even close to her stunning presence. The dullest character in the play would have to be Hal played by Ben Shenkman.

Also I found that while I actually enjoyed "Proof" and I don't think I would want to see another one..