How to Tame a Shrew
... at her own wedding dinner. It his personal decision, not one that her opinion can even be considered in. Petruccio attempts to put Kate further in her place by thanking the men "that have beheld me give away myself to this most patient, sweet and virtuous wife"(67-68). Petruccio plays on not only on other people’s stereotypes of Kate but Kate’s own stereotype for herself. Petruccio refuses to give in to Kate’s behavior but also refuses to give in to the attitudes that have been formed about her. By calling Kate something that she is not, Petruccio is refusing to give in to Kate’s shrewish identity. Kate cannot turn herself into a dominating shrew as long as he does not believe her to be one. Kate tries to challenge this lesson from Petruccio by asserting her own right to stay at her wedding dinner and that she will not leave just because he wills it so: "Nay, then do what thou canst, I will not go today…. I’ll not be gone till I please myself"(79-83). Instead of responding to Kate’s comments directly and challenging them, Petruccio just tells her to calm down: “O Kate, content thee. Prithee, be not angry“(86). Once again Petruccio does not allow Kate to even act as she wants to by dismissing her shrewish rage. Petruccio further plays on Kate’s attempt to dominate others and uses it to his advantage. While Kate thinks she is resisting him by saying the feast will go on, Petruccio instead turns that around to prove his point. He asserts that the people will attend the feast but only because he tells them to obey her: "obey the bride, you that attend on her"(94). Thus we see Kate losing control even over her own servants. Petruccio’s lesson reaches its height when he tells Kate: "I will be ...