Symbolism In The Taming Of The Shrew

The Ill-Mannered Shrew In the comedy, The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare, the protagonist Katherine, a stubborn, ill-mannered women, does not follow the directions of anyone. The word “Shrew” in the title of the play represents Katherine because someone needs to tame her. Katherine does not illustrate saintly behavior in the comedy because she degrades and insults all of the men she encounters, continues to disobey her father, and bickers with her sister to the extent of harm. In the beginning of the play Katherine seems to think that the men want to marry her. She thinks that they have come to see her and she insults them by saying to her father “I pray you sir, is it your will to make a stale of me amongst these mates?” (Taming of the Shrew 1.1.57-58). Katherine acts like all the men chase after her but she does not want anything to do with them. She goes on to disparage Hortensio after he says they do not want her

Baptista tries to make Katherine happy but because she portrays a foul-tempered, evil women, it becomes hard to do. Baptista tells Katherine to stay outside but in return Katherine says with her sharp tongue, “Why, and I trust I may go too, may I not? What, shall I be appointed hours, as though belike I knew not what to take and what to leave? Ha!” (Taming of the Shrew 1.1.102-104). Instead of politely obeying what her father told her to do, she does not listen to him and she thinks he treats her like a child. After Katherine and Bianca bicker about men, Baptista runs in and asks Bianca what has happened. Offended that Baptista did not ask her what happened, Katherine says to him, “Talk not to me. I will go sit and weep Till I can find occasion of revenge” (Taming of the Shrew 2.1.35-36). Katherine continuously wants revenge on her father and sister because they do not listen to her because she lies to them and disobeys