Petruchio's Language Essay

Petruchio’s words, Katherine shows that she is not intimidated by any man, and nor does she have any interest in foolish banter. Katherine also uses her language to resist the patriarchy when she continues to verbally attack Petruchio. Katherine fires back in reponse to Petruchio’s sexist comments with retorts such as “Asses are made to bear, and so are you” (2.1.199). Here, Katherine is directly calling Petruchio a beast of burden that has little to no intellect. In this time period, women were treated like mules, so with her tongue, Katherine is foreshadowing that Petruchio is the one in the relationship that is to be tamed. Katherine continues to make her point by calling Petruchio a buzzard and a craven. By labeling him as a buzzard, Katherine is calling Petruchio fool. And, by calling him a craven,
In fact, though her actions are now limited at her husband’s suspense, Katherine continues to use striking language to voice her own opinion. Such is evident when Petruchio and Katherine walk to Baptista’s home after their marriage. Though Petruchio attempts to point Katherine into submission by refering to trvial matter, Katherine still uses her language as her escape. When Petruchio refers to the sun as the moon and the moon to the sun, Katherine responds with “But sun it is not when you say it is not, / And the moon changes even as your mind” (V.i.20-21). If Katherine gave into Petruchio’s submission, she would have willingly agreed. In resonding in this manner, Katherine acknowledges Petruchio’s argument while obtaining his approval. Thus, Katherine receives some of the affection that she was never shown as a child. To further prove that she is still independent of Petruchio, Katherine responds “And so it shall be still for Katherine” (V.i.22). By not accepting the nickname that