6Characters

** Katherine ** Katherina is a very independent and assertive woman. She does what she wants to do and says what she wants to say. She demands that others listen to her and show her respect. In itself, to be an independent, assertive woman who speaks her mind is not a bad thing. However, it is possible to get the feeling that she takes it too far. In fact, she is so independent and assertive it would be fair to call her selfish. She seems to be so wrapt up in her own misery that she is unaware of the damage that she does to others. They (the men), on the other hand, do not try to understand why she is really doing what she is doing and simply give her reasons to behave more badly. As suggested by Shakespeare, Katherina is not basically bad but unhappy, desperate and frustrated. She is unhappy because everyone seems to be more interested in her younger sister. She is desperate because no-one seems to want to marry her or fit her idea of a good husband. She is frustrated because she is expected to be what the men want her to be and to simply do what they want her to do.
 * __Taming of the Shrew - Characters __**

** Petruchio ** Petruchio is a complex character. On one hand, he is very bad. He marries Katherina so as to make money. He does very bad things to Katherina. He treats his and other people's servants very badly. He gets angry, abusive and violent very quickly. He looks rough and speaks harshly. On the other hand, he has a soft side and there are indications that he does love Katherina. In a sense, he has to be rough with Katherina. She obviously cannot tolerate people who are weak willed and soft. Moreover, she really needs to learn how to get on with people and not do bad things to others. Softer ways of doing this have obviously failed and drastic medicine is needed. Also, in order to look after Katherine Petruchio needs money. So, in a way, he has to want to make money from Baptista. So, on the face of it, Petruchio looks like a bad guy but is very simplistic to see him simply as bad. Is his badness all just an act?