Petruchio: Come, come, you wasp; i' faith, you are too angry.Katherine: If I be waspish, best beware my sting.Petruchio: My remedy is then, to pluck it out.Katherine: Ay, if the fool could find where it lies.Petruchio: Who knows not where a wasp does wear his sting? In his tail.Katherine: In his tongue.Petruchio: Whose tongue?Katherine: Yours, if you talk of tails: and so farewell.Petruchio: What, with my tongue in your tail? Nay, come again, Good Kate; I am a gentleman.
Petruchio and Katherine engage in a witty exchange in "The Taming of the Shrew." Petruchio attempts to disarm Katherine's sharp demeanor by comparing her attitude to that of a wasp, suggesting she is overly angry. Katherine retorts that if she is indeed waspish, he should beware her sting, indicating that her words can hurt.
The banter continues as Petruchio suggests the way to cure her anger is to "pluck out" her sting. Katherine cleverly counters that he must first know where it lies, implying that understanding a woman’s emotions is complex. Their playful argument reveals their strong personalities and sets the stage for their evolving relationship.
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