KATHARINA

the shrew of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The play centers on the transformation of Katharina from quick-tempered, acid-tongued harpy into the ideal wife. Intelligent and independent, Katharina reveals her combative manner and quick (sometimes bawdy) wit early in the play, most notably in her initial encounter with Petruchio. In Petruchio, however, she meets her match, and after his taming, she appears as an obedient and loving mate, giving a notable speech in the final scene.