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All Site ContentTaming of the ShrewAct 2Scene 1
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“put me in thy books”
Double Meaning
Act 2,
Scene 1
Lines 221-224

An explanation of the double meaning of “books” in Act 2, Scene 1 of myShakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

Katherina

So may you lose your arms.     
If you strike me, you are no gentleman,
And if no gentleman, why then no arms.    

Petruchio

A herald, Kate? O, put me in thy books!
  1. Katherina is acting like a herald, the government official who grants the use of coats of arms and records the images in his books.
  2. To be in someone’s good books means to be on that person’s good side, which is exactly where Petruchio wants to be in regards to Katherina.