Petruchio's Role

Petruchio is a dynamic character that has a significant influence on the plot of "The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare. The drama centers on the marraige of Bianca, Babtista's youngest daughter. Because she is younger, Babtista has ordered that before she can be married, his eldest daughter Katherine must be wed first. The difficulty lies with Katherine's inability to attract suitors, due to her feisty, headstrong nature. Petruchio's primary role in the drama is to court Katherine, while freeing Bianca to marry one of her suitors.

Petruchio also takes it upon himself to subdue Katherine's feisty nature, or in other words, "tame the shrew." His endeavor is the primary conflict of the novel. The methods that he uses to "tame" her also have an effect on the tone and plot of the play, as they add humor and tension to many scenes. For example, during his wedding, Petruchio arrives dressed in very abnormal attire, unfit for his wedding day. This action, in an attempt to teach Katherine humility, undermines the formal and tense atmosphere of his wedding, and has a comedic effect on his audience. Another action that has a significant effect on the tone and plot of the novel is when after his wedding, Petruchio takes his Katherine home and effectively starves and deprives her of sleep. The severity of Petruchio's methods give the play a twisted feel and make his eventual success of "taming" Katherine a hollow one.

Petruchio's actions are all very significant, as they are the foundation for most of the play. The other events of the plot, including Bianca's and Lucentio's marriage, are fundamentally intertwined and essentially determined by the fate of Petruchio and Katherine. Because of this, the statement can be made that without Petruchio's involvement in the play, there would be hardly a plot, and no dramatic tension.