Act 4 Scene 1

Question 1

basic key summary

Answer 1

kat falls off horse, starves her, keeps her from sleep, hawk reference, kat speaks twice

Question 2

petruchio quotes / taming

Answer 2

“my falcon is now sharp”
“her keepers”
“nor none shall eat… she slept not”
“kill a wife with kindness”
“i’ll curb her mad”

Question 3

relationship as abusive rather than anything else ?

Answer 3

• food as ‘burnt and dried away’
• ‘none shall eat, last night she slept not’
• he wishes to bend her temperment by turning everything against her by disgusing it as concern for her wellbeing
• starving her into submission
• at petruchios house so she is isolated
• shaping her into ideal woman of time

Question 4

‘my falcon now is sharp and passing empty’

Answer 4

• training her
• forcing her into submission
• making her weak and to rely on petruchio
• builds bonds through isolation

Question 5

how would different audiences view these taming tactics?

Answer 5

elizabethan- humorous, necessary
modern- see how far woman have come

Question 6

significance of katerinas lack of dialogue?

Answer 6

loosing identity as she is conforming and silenced to emboy ‘correct’ form wife of time should be

Question 7

Petruchio’s speech

Answer 7

• ‘politicly’ - play role
• ‘my falcon’ - contrasts to how others use language about her, metaphorical language linked to bird training
• ‘know her keepers call’ - seen as positive, role of husband and wife, ownership
• ‘she ate no meat.. she slept not’ - intentional, attempt to shape her/wear down
• he goes through taming process with her- could argue he is suffering, atypical marriage but it’s for common goal

Question 8

Petruchio as clever tamer- for right reasons

Answer 8

• ‘all is done in reverend care of her’- doing for right reasons, bc care about her- would be shunned if remained same
• pretending to do extremities because he cares about her link to food as burnt/diseased
• ‘if she chance to nod, I’ll rail and brawl’-> play role? Rather than cruel tactic, is already such an extreme character. Link to kat ‘raising up a storm’, making her aware of her behaviour

Question 9

‘Kill a wife with kindness’ + ‘curb her mad’

Answer 9

• typical-> marriage where male had to have dominance over female
• manipulation technique-> performing
• in her best interest, benefits her as she’s ‘shrew’
• attempt to smooth out Kat’s temper in language of love and affection, makes more sympathetic in eyes of audience as accepts role