What does Petruchio tell Hortensio to do?

• A. Take money and pay the tailor for the dress and hat.
• B. Take money and pay the dressmaker for a new gown.
• C. Return the money to Baptista and cancel the order.
• D. Ignore the matter and leave.

Answer: (C)

Petruchio’s move shows his early tactic of taking control through money and appearances. By telling Hortensio to return the money Baptista gave for the dress and cancel the order, he is pulling back the resources that would enable Kate to display herself in finery. This signals his intent to dominate not just Kate’s life, but the terms of their marriage right from the start—controlling access to luxury and keeping Kate from asserting independence through outward show. The other options would contradict this controlling approach: paying for the dress would reinforce Kate’s display, while ignoring the matter or canceling in a different way wouldn’t advance Petruchio’s strategy of using financial leverage to shape behavior.