Katherine’s final speech in Act 5, scene 2 of Taming of the Shrew, is quite surprising and contradictory to her character. A woman who was known for rebellious behavior towards men, including her husband, suddenly speaks as an exemplary wife. Katherina’s husband asked her to talk about a woman’s duties. And she surprised the audience with the declaration of loyalty to Petruchio. In the final speech, Katherina centered on the thought that every husband deserves “love, fair looks, and obedience” from their wives for the provision and protection they extend (Shakespeare, 2008, p. 178). All three of these elements seemed to be alien to Katherina throughout the narrative. But she speaks of it as “too little payment for so great a debt” (Shakespeare, 2008, p. 179). In a way, this scene reflects the title of Shakespeare’s comedy, where Katherina, the shrew, is finally tamed. The speech ends with a humble offer of her hand to the husband, “may it do his ease” (Shakespeare, 2008, p. 179). The audience was left amazed, and her husband was pleased to see efforts of re-educating his wife to have positive results.
But is Katherina being genuine about her speech, or is it one of the “classic Kate” moves? The readers must decide themselves. Katherina spoke in front of people who did not believe that she is capable of changing, so her speech could have been a way to outsmart them. However, the character may have reached a turning point. Her address sounded like a well-learned lesson about obedience, service, and respect towards men. Therefore, Katherina’s final speech served as a triumphant conclusion of a long-lasting tension, where she loses and wins at the same time.
Reference
Shakespeare, W. (2008) The Taming of the Shrew. Plain Label Books.