The methods that Petruchio used to tame his wife sound a little like those used by corrupt policemen to sweat confessions out of suspects, or those used by the military in anti-interrogation training. They are not allowed to hit their service personnel, but they do try to break them down by denying them food and sleep and messing with their minds. And I saw a TV show in which some servicemen were being put through some special training. One group decided to turn back not having achieved their objective. As punishment, they were given the task of cooking the meal, but were then told they could not eat any of it.

I read in a war memoir about a soldier who thought Shakespeare had been in the army, because he knew how soldiers talked before battles.

Given that the army are very good at breaking unruly recruits and turning them into obedient, disciplined soldiers, I wonder if this was what Shakespeare was thinking of when he devised Petruchio's correction regime.