TOTS Act 4

1.

How is Petruchio's masculinity represented? Examine his treatment of servants, Kate, etc. Pertruchio's masculinity is represented strongly throughout this Act. He treats his servants as animals, while yelling and criticizing everything they do. Kate tries to stop him, but he blows her off and continues scolding the servants, hatmaker, and tailor. His masculinity is stronger than ever and shows Kate that he is not the guy to mess around with. He denies her of any food or rest and keeps her from taking back. In a sense Pertruchio is acting like Kate, ill-mannered and naïve, giving her a dose of her own medicine.

2.

Many critics mark the sun/moon scene in the road to Padua (scene 5) as the turning point in the play which indicates Kate's taming. What is different about this scene? If she is tamed, what is she submitting to? Is it really a "submission," or can it be interpreted in other ways? I think this scene is the turning point in the play, in which Kate becomes tamed by Pertruchio. All of his actions leading up to their ride to Padua is meddling with Kate and she accepts the fact that Pertruchio is going to get his way or she will never be able to speak or do things for herself. Kate gives in to Pertruchio and his commanding/dictating ways and condones her acceptance that she sees what he sees. This scene is different because Kate is finally accepting the fact that she must deal with Pertruchio or she will be miserable. When she finally becomes tamed, Kate submits to Pertruchio, in that she tells him what he wants to hear in order to avoid arguments and be peaceful. On the other hand, if interpreted another way, Kate could simply just be telling Pertruchio what he wants to hear in order to get her way which is different than before when she used to be the "dictator".