Taming of the Shrew Act Two - "I'll attend her here, and woo her with some spirit when she comes."

Taming of the Shrew Act Two - "I'll attend her here, and woo her with some spirit when she comes."

I love the pace of Act 2. The chaotic opening of people arriving at the house, Katherine cursing and the Petruchio’s forthright bluntness. It has to be remembered that Petruchio, upon his father’s death came looking for a rich man’s daughter to marry not because he is poor but because he wants to see his fortune grow through joining it to another’s. He sees marriage as a transaction which brings financial stability and he approaches the negotiations with Katherine’s father in a manipulative but pragmatic way. Petruchio starts by asking Baptista for the opportunity to see Katherine and fortuitously offers a music instructor for Bianca, the disguised Hortensio. Gremio, who is trying to marry Bianca, not to be outdone, presents his own schoolmaster, the disguised Lucentio, to Baptista. Tranio, who is also after Bianca, presents his own gift of a lute and books. Petruchio gets assurances that Katherine will come with a sizeable dowry and then Petruchio is left alone with the audience while Baptista gets Katherine. Here Shakespeare shows how much he has grown as a writer. Petruchio has a wonderfully engaging monologue where he talks directly to the audience and tells us of his plan:

I will attend her here,

And woo her with some spirit when she comes.

Say that she rail; why then I'll tell her plain

She sings as sweetly as a nightingale:

Say that she frown, I'll say she looks as clear

As morning roses newly wash'd with dew:

Say she be mute and will not speak a word;

Then I'll commend her volubility,

And say she uttereth piercing eloquence:

If she do bid me pack, I'll give her thanks,

As though she bid me stay by her a week:

If she deny to wed, I'll crave the day

When I shall ask the banns and when be married.

But here she comes; and now, Petruchio, speak.

Katherine initially verbally attacks Petruchio. He proves her match and a witty dialogue laden with clever (and often bawdy) puns enshrews. Kate’s puns are clever and aim to threaten or insult while Petruchio’s are normally rude and crude. Katherine major complaint over men before was that they are slow witted and simple and she finds Petruchio her equal. Shakespeare also makes him seem to relish her hot temper and nature.

The strange aspect of this meeting scene is that Katherine seems willing to accept Petruchio’s demeaning her only because he is witty. This seems a little demeaning, so I guess that Katherine must have other motives for being a little compliant with Petruchio. Perhaps it is just that she enjoys the dueling and seems him as up to the fight or perhaps the prospect of the possibility of marriage represents a new turn and challenge. What is most prominent in Petruchio and Katherine’s first meeting is the pace, the banter, the wit and the sense of character and of course the sense that the conflict between these two means they are destined for one another.