Back to the Play
“You were a moveable”
Double Meaning
Act 2,
Scene 1
Lines 191-196

An explanation of the two meanings of “moveable” in Act 2, Scene 1 of myShakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

Petruchio

Myself am moved to woo thee for my wife.

Katherina

‘Moved,’ in good time! Let him that moved you hither    
Remove you hence. I knew you at the first;    
You were a moveable.    

Petruchio

Why, what's a moveable?

Katherina

A joined stool.
  1. Petruchio is like a piece of moveable furniture, i.e. a dumb object.
  2. Petruchio is unstable, unreliable.