The Transformation of Katherine Minola in 'the Taming of the Shrew"

The Taming of the Shrew Essay By: Sadaf Masum

It is often heard that in order to be in harmony with one’s surroundings, one should be in a state of acceptance rather than resistance. By accepting the way things are around one’s life, one is able to experience comfort and solace, thereby moving out from a state of fights, complains, bitterness and disturbance. The example of Katherine Minola`s transformation, in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, further illustrates this point as she transforms from a combative, antagonistic “shrew” to a co-operative, good-natured wife, by going beyond the delusions of herself and others, and eventually becoming able to distinguish and accept reality from illusion. As the play commences, Katherine is confined within self-drawn conclusions and a prejudiced mind, depriving herself from enjoying freedom in life. Her own thoughts fuelled by the apathy and criticism by others defined her reality. However, as the play continues, her thoughts undergo a diagonal change and she gradually assigns herself to her newly found reality and ultimately embraces it wholeheartedly; therefore, obtaining her freedom and becoming respectable and dignified in society for she begins to function better than she did before.

Appellations and labels are given to a person by other people around them according to his or her individual traits or special characteristics. Yet, they are merely perceptions which may cause that person to be led to believe that whatever is being said about him or her is actually real. This phenomenon is highly visible in Katherine’s life in the beginning. The say of others played an immense role in Katherine’s personality and life for she believed and behaved exactly as they titled her; Katherine the “shrew”. She was constantly denigrated by everyone, each time she was...