A Suitor's Gift

Upon the girls exiting, Baptista meets with Lucentio, Petruchio, Hortensio, Tranio, and Biondello. Petruchio brings Hortensio, who is disguised as a music tutor, and Hortensio is here too, dressed like Lucentio. [confused? go check out Act 1, here, and my character chart here]

Tranio, servant of Lucentio, gifts Baptista books for his daughter Bianca. Lucentio, Tranio, and Biondello exit. Baptista is beside himself because Petruchio actually wants to marry Katherine. The two discuss the dowry for quite a bit, which shocked me. Wouldn't Baptista be concerned about Petruchio's motives to marry Katherine, especially if they are discussing the dowry so much... Anyway, Baptista and Petruchio begin to introduce the idea of taming Katherine or yielding her to him. This scene actually featured one quote I really connect with, although it's context changes everything. "as mountains are for winds, That shakes not, though they blow perpetually." Which basically means that no matter how hard the wind blows, they won't tremble under the pressure. I've found that sometimes we all need to have a bit of this in us and not tremble under pressure. That quote, as inspiring as it was is actually incredibly horrific. In the context it really means that no matter how much Katherine will try to fight and yell and scream, I will not let it phase me. Absolutely horrible... This scene also said, , "I am rough and woo not like a babe," which is scary and my heart wishes Katherine the best of luck (ii.1.144). Hortensio, disguised as a tutor, returns injured. He claims that upon teaching Katherine how to play an instrument, she became frustrated quickly and smashed Hortensio's head with the instrument. The image below features such lute. If you've ever played an instrument then I'm sure you understand just how frustrating it is when you mess up or a note comes out wrong. While I never played a string instrument and have never even seen a lute until now, I imagine it's a similar ordeal.

Katherine is called into the room and it's not surprising how quickly she tears into Petruchio, who simply responds kindly and begins to call her Kate. Petruchio and Katherine's wit is equal and the Katherine is frustrated in her inability to phase him whatsoever. This scene is full of witty insults and hilarious puns. Petruchio tells Katherine how he was told of her violent nature, but in reality "For thou are pleasant, gamesome, passing courteous, But slow in speech, yet sweet as springtime flowers," (ii.2.236). Finally Petruchio is upfront with her and tells her that he is to marry her no matter what. When Baptista returns, Katherine is really intense, calling Petruchio a "A mad-cup ruffian and a swearing Jack, That thinks with oaths to face the matter out," (ii.2.278) and threatens to hang him on Sunday (ii.2.289).