Explore the relationship between Baptista and his daughters
Explore the relationship between Baptista and his daughters, Katherina and Bianca.
The reader first meets Baptista and his daughters (Katherina and Bianca) in Act one, Scene one. In this scene Baptista declares that he will not allow either Hortensio or Lucentio to marry Bianca, until Katherina is, herself, married. “That is not to bestow my youngest daughter before I have a husband for the elder”. This makes the reader think that perhaps he favours his youngest daughter as he delays Bianca’s marriage when usually a father would have been happy to see his daughter, youngest or not, married off, especially if it was to a wealthy man such as Hortensio or Lucentio. When Baptista asks if either man loves Katherina and will court her, Gremio remarks sarcastically “To cart her rather!” Here Gremio is referring to the public humiliation of wayward women by conveying them through the streets or behind a cart. Katherina is, perhaps, annoyed at hearing her father say this, and asks “Is it your will to make a stale of me amongst these mates?” However, despite hearing his daughter’s anger and Gremio’s comment, Baptista is unmoving in his decision and orders Bianca to go into the house, “Go in, Bianca!” Baptista comes across as protective of his youngest daughter, or perhaps he merely recognises that Katherina’s wilful behaviour is what is preventing her from finding a husband and sees no other alternative way to marry her off than by having others do it for him.
A feminist would argue that Katherina does not need to be married, that she should be able to remain single should she choose to. Also, while Hortensio and Gremio see Katherina as a shrew, a feminist would disagree and say that she is merely outspoken or even, perhaps, honest.
In Act two, Scene one, Katherina has tied up Bianca in an attempt to force her to admit that she likes either Hortensio or Lucentio but it results in Katherina slapping Bianca and Baptista reprimanding her for it, “Whence grows this
The reader first meets Baptista and his daughters (Katherina and Bianca) in Act one, Scene one. In this scene Baptista declares that he will not allow either Hortensio or Lucentio to marry Bianca, until Katherina is, herself, married. “That is not to bestow my youngest daughter before I have a husband for the elder”. This makes the reader think that perhaps he favours his youngest daughter as he delays Bianca’s marriage when usually a father would have been happy to see his daughter, youngest or not, married off, especially if it was to a wealthy man such as Hortensio or Lucentio. When Baptista asks if either man loves Katherina and will court her, Gremio remarks sarcastically “To cart her rather!” Here Gremio is referring to the public humiliation of wayward women by conveying them through the streets or behind a cart. Katherina is, perhaps, annoyed at hearing her father say this, and asks “Is it your will to make a stale of me amongst these mates?” However, despite hearing his daughter’s anger and Gremio’s comment, Baptista is unmoving in his decision and orders Bianca to go into the house, “Go in, Bianca!” Baptista comes across as protective of his youngest daughter, or perhaps he merely recognises that Katherina’s wilful behaviour is what is preventing her from finding a husband and sees no other alternative way to marry her off than by having others do it for him.
A feminist would argue that Katherina does not need to be married, that she should be able to remain single should she choose to. Also, while Hortensio and Gremio see Katherina as a shrew, a feminist would disagree and say that she is merely outspoken or even, perhaps, honest.
In Act two, Scene one, Katherina has tied up Bianca in an attempt to force her to admit that she likes either Hortensio or Lucentio but it results in Katherina slapping Bianca and Baptista reprimanding her for it, “Whence grows this