Petruchio

Petruchio is the male lead in Shakespeare's *The Taming of the Shrew*, a brash suitor who marries the sharp-tongued Katherina and uses psychological manipulation to "tame" her rebellious spirit.

The name has become shorthand for a domineering husband or a man who believes women need breaking: He fancied himself a Petruchio, but she wasn't having it.

dominance

domineering

Aggressively asserting control

masterfulHighly skilled and authoritative
assertiveConfidently self-assured
commandingExerting strong authority

forceful · controlling · patriarchy · submission · obedience · breaking · starving · gaslighting · psychological · manipulation

shrew

taming

Making wild things gentle

shrewIll-tempered woman, or insectivore
PaduaItalian city in Veneto
dowryMarital property transfer

wooing · courtship · suitor · betrothal · wedding · marriage · Kate · submission · Bianca · wager

comedy

farce

Absurd, laughable situation

slapstickExaggerated physical humor
witClever, inventive humor
banterPlayful, teasing exchange

absurdity · mockery · wordplay · jesting · outlandish · antics · costume · tardiness · horse · humor

performance

staging

Preparing for presentation

productionMaking or generating something
actorOne who portrays characters
interpretationAssigned meaning

portrayal · theatrical · role · adaptation · film · Burton · Taylor · Fairbanks · Pickford · musical

Opposites

gender/marital role in Taming of the Shrew

PetruchioKate

Feminine name, shortened

Katherine · Bianca

approach to women/relationships in literature

PetruchioRomeo

Ardent male lover

henpecked husband · Dante · Petrarch · Cyrano de Bergerac · Orlando

treatment of women in literature

PetruchioDarcy

English surname, Norman origin

Family

Peter, pet, petrel

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G