When Katherine tells Baptista Petruchio is lying, what happens?

• A. He dismisses her claim because male authority is valued in that era
• B. He listens and weighs the evidence
• C. He postpones the wedding
• D. He expels Petruchio from the house

Answer: (A)

This moment tests the power structure surrounding marriage and authority. In Petruchio’s world, a husband’s word holds more weight than a wife’s protest, and a father-in-law’s approval reinforces that authority. When Katherine accuses Petruchio of lying, Baptista doesn’t seriously challenge Petruchio; he treats Petruchio’s claim as legitimate and sidelines Katherine’s rebuke. That dismissal reflects the era’s expectations that men control key family decisions and that a wife’s objections should yield to her husband’s or father-in-law’s authority.

The other options don’t fit this scene’s dynamic: the father-in-law isn’t weighing evidence in the way a modern tribunal might, he isn’t postponing the wedding, and he isn’t expelling Petruchio. Instead, he upholds Petruchio’s position, underscoring the social norms the play is exploring.