Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily.
You whoreson villain! will you let it fall?
Strikes himyou whoreson villain: meaning you son of a slut. This is a little bit worse than modern day cussing as people generally do not get other family members involved. This could be said because petruchio wants to offend people, and he wants to be known as a bad person and wants to become the shrew between him a katerina.
A whoreson beetle-headed, flap-ear’d knave!
Come, Kate, sit down; I know you have a stomach.
Will you give thanks, sweet Kate; or else shall I?
What’s this? mutton?
‘Tis burnt; and so is all the meat.
What dogs are these! Where is the rascal cook?
How durst you, villains, bring it from the dresser,
And serve it thus to me that love it not?
Theretake it to you, trenchers, cups, and all;
Throws the meat, & c. about the stageYou heedless joltheads and unmanner’d slaves!
What, do you grumble? I’ll be with you straight.
I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet:
The meat was well, if you were so contented.
October 14, 2012 at 1:26 pm
It’s excellent for you to both identify that the swearing is extreme (it would have been extreme at the time as well) and also to show you appreciate why Petruchio is doing this.
The next thing to explore is the sound devices in the swearing. What does it sound like, and why is this interesting?