In Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, Katharina is a very nontraditional, harsh speaking woman for this time period. During this time period women had very little power. Women were expected to be well-mannered, gracious and pure entities. Katharina does not embody this ideal because she is so outspoken and has a great temper. There are many instances in the play where she speaks to men with great disrespect and sass and this causes her to be considered unconventional and shrewish. However, in her first conversation with Petruchio, Katharina’s remarks would be considered par today.
Their conversation starts with Petruchio going on and on about how mild and virtuous Kate’s reputation is. She starts off from the beginning with very sassy remarks. He tells her that he feels moved to woo her, and she begins by making remarks about him being moveable.
Moved? In good time! Let him that moved you hither
Remove you hence. I knew you at the first
You were a movable. (Act. 2. 1. 195-196).
She is being hard on him and tells him to go away. Then she calls him a piece of furniture. Katharina is being very sassy and she is playing hard to get. This would not be considered so unusual in modern times when flirting is more acceptable. Petruchio answers her furniture remark with a sexual innuendo. Their conversation is filled with a combination of feisty remarks that are filled with sexual innuendos. When one first reads this section, it seems that these two characters are fighting and being very rude toward each other. After interpreting what they are really saying it is comical and one realizes how they are actually flirting.
In the time period that this play takes place the ideals and standards for women were very different from today. Women were expected to be quiet and obedient to all men and being sassy was not considered desirable. The interaction between Katharina and Petruchio would be considered more acceptable in modern conversations.
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