Read The Taming of the Shrew Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
VINCENTIO
But is this true? Or is it else your pleasure,
Like
pleasant
73
travellers, to break a jest
Upon the company you overtake?
HORTENSIO
I do assure thee, father, so it is.
PETRUCHIO
Come, go along, and see the truth hereof,
For our first merriment hath made thee
jealous
77
.
Exeunt
[
all but Hortensio
]
HORTENSIO
Well, Petruchio, this has
put me in heart
78
.
Have to
79
my widow! And if she be froward,
Then hast thou taught Hortensio to be
untoward
80
.
Exit
Location:
Padua
Enter Biondello, Lucentio and Bianca. Gremio is out before
BIONDELLO
Softly and swiftly, sir, for the priest is ready.
LUCENTIO
I fly, Biondello; but they may chance to need thee at
home, therefore leave us.
Exit
[
Lucentio with Bianca
]
BIONDELLO
Nay, faith, I’ll see the church
o’your back
4
, and then
come back to my master’s as soon as I can.
[
Exit
]
GREMIO
I marvel Cambio comes not all this while.
Enter Petruchio, Kate, Vincentio, Grumio, with Attendants
PETRUCHIO
Sir, here’s the door, this is Lucentio’s house.
My
father’s
8
bears more toward the marketplace.
Thither must I, and here I leave you, sir.
VINCENTIO
You shall not choose but
10
drink before you go.
I think I shall
command
11
your welcome here;
And by all likelihood, some
cheer is toward
12
.
Knock
GREMIO
They’re busy within: you were best knock louder.
Pedant looks out of the window
PEDANT
What’s he that knocks as he would beat down they
gate?
VINCENTIO
Is Signior Lucentio within, sir?
PEDANT
He’s within, sir, but not to be spoken withal.
VINCENTIO
What if a man bring him a hundred pound or two
to make merry withal?
PEDANT
Keep your hundred pounds to yourself. He shall
need none, so long as I live.
PETRUCHIO
Nay, I told you your son was well beloved in Padua.
Do you hear, sir? To leave
frivolous circumstances
23
, I pray you
tell Signior Lucentio that his father is come from Pisa, and is
here at the door to speak with him.
PEDANT
Thou liest. His father is come
from Padua
26
and here
looking out at the window.
VINCENTIO
Art thou his father?
PEDANT
Ay, sir, so his mother says, if I may believe her.
PETRUCHIO
Why, how now, gentleman! Why, this
To Vincentio
is flat knavery to take upon you another man’s name.
PEDANT
Lay hands on the villain. I believe a means to
cozen
32
somebody in this city
under my countenance
33
.
Enter Biondello
BIONDELLO
I have seen them in the church together.
Aside
God send ’em
good shipping
35
! But who is here? Mine old master
Vincentio! Now we are
undone
36
and brought to nothing.
VINCENTIO
Come hither,
crack-hemp
37
.
Seeing Biondello
BIONDELLO
I hope I may
choose
38
, sir.
VINCENTIO
Come hither, you rogue. What, have you forgot me?
BIONDELLO
Forgot you? No, sir: I could not forget you, for I never
saw you before in all my life.
VINCENTIO
What, you notorious villain, didst thou never see
thy master’s father, Vincentio?
BIONDELLO
What, my old worshipful old master? Yes, marry, sir,
see where he looks out of the window.
VINCENTIO
Is’t so, indeed?
He beats Biondello
BIONDELLO
Help, help, help! Here’s a madman will murder me.
[
Exit
]
PEDANT
Help, son! Help, Signior Baptista!
[
Exit from above
]
PETRUCHIO
Prithee, Kate, let’s stand aside and see the end of
this controversy.
They stand aside
Enter Pedant
[
below
]
with servants, Baptista, Tranio
TRANIO
Sir, what are you that
offer
51
to beat my servant?
VINCENTIO
What am I, sir? Nay, what are you, sir? O immortal
gods! O
fine
53
villain! A silken doublet, a velvet hose, a scarlet
cloak and a
copatain
54
hat! O, I am undone, I am undone!
While I play the good husband at home, my son and my
servant spend all at the university.
TRANIO
How now? What’s the matter?
BAPTISTA
What, is the man lunatic?
TRANIO
Sir, you seem a sober ancient gentleman by your
habit, but your words show you a madman. Why, sir, what
’cerns it you
61
if I wear pearl and gold? I thank my good father,
I am able to
maintain
62
it.
VINCENTIO
Thy father! O villain! He is a sailmaker in
Bergamo
63
.
BAPTISTA
You mistake, sir, you mistake, sir. Pray, what do you
think is his name?
VINCENTIO
His name? As if I knew not his name: I have
brought him up ever since he was three years old, and his
name is Tranio.
PEDANT
Away, away, mad ass! His name is Lucentio and he is
mine only son, and heir to the lands of me, Signior Vincentio.
VINCENTIO
Lucentio! O, he hath murdered his master! Lay hold
on him, I charge you in the duke’s name. O, my son, my son!
Tell me, thou villain, where is my son Lucentio?
TRANIO
Call forth an officer.
[
Enter an Officer
]
Carry this mad knave to the jail. Father Baptista,
I charge you see that he be
forthcoming
76
.
VINCENTIO
Carry me to the jail?
GREMIO
Stay, officer, he shall not go to prison.
BAPTISTA
Talk not, Signior Gremio, I say he shall go to prison.
GREMIO
Take heed, Signior Baptista, lest you be
cony-catched
80
in this business. I dare swear this is the right Vincentio.
PEDANT
Swear, if thou dar’st.
GREMIO
Nay, I dare not swear it.
TRANIO
Then thou wert best say that I am not Lucentio.
GREMIO
Yes, I know thee to be Signior Lucentio.
BAPTISTA
Away with the
dotard
86
! To the jail with him!
Enter Biondello, Lucentio and Bianca
VINCENTIO
Thus strangers may be
hailed
87
and abused. O
monstrous villain!
BIONDELLO
O, we are
spoiled
89
and— yonder he is. Deny him,
forswear him, or else we are all undone.
Exeunt Biondello, Tranio and Pedant,
as fast as may be
Kneels
LUCENTIO
Pardon, sweet father.
VINCENTIO
Lives my sweet son?
BIANCA
Pardon, dear father.
BAPTISTA
How hast thou offended? Where is Lucentio?
LUCENTIO
Here’s Lucentio,
Right son to the right Vincentio,
That have by marriage made thy daughter mine,
While
counterfeit supposes
98
bleared thine eyne.
GREMIO
Here’s
packing
99
, with a witness to deceive us all!
VINCENTIO
Where is that damnèd villain Tranio,
That faced and braved me in this matter so?
BAPTISTA
Why, tell me, is not this my Cambio?
BIANCA
Cambio is
changed
103
into Lucentio.
LUCENTIO
Love wrought these miracles. Bianca’s love
Made me exchange my
state
105
with Tranio,
While he did bear my countenance in the town,
And happily I have arrived at the last
Unto the wishèd haven of my bliss.
What Tranio did, myself enforced him to;
Then pardon him, sweet father, for my sake.
VINCENTIO
I’ll slit the villain’s nose, that would have sent me to
the jail.
BAPTISTA
But do you hear, sir? Have you married my daughter
without asking my good will?
VINCENTIO
Fear not, Baptista, we will content you,
go to
115
. But I
will in, to be revenged for this villainy.
Exit
BAPTISTA
And I, to
sound
117
the depth of this knavery.
Exit
LUCENTIO
Look not pale, Bianca, thy father will not frown.
Exeunt
[
Lucentio and Bianca
]
GREMIO
My
cake is dough
119
, but I’ll in among the rest,
Out of hope of all
120
but my share of the feast.
[
Exit
]
KATE
Husband, let’s follow, to see the end of this ado.
PETRUCHIO
First kiss me, Kate, and we will.
KATE
What, in the midst of the street?
PETRUCHIO
What, art thou ashamed of me?
KATE
No, sir, God forbid, but ashamed to kiss.
PETRUCHIO
Why, then let’s home again.— Come, sirrah, let’s away.
KATE
Nay, I will give thee a kiss. Now pray thee, love, stay.
They kiss
PETRUCHIO
Is not this well? Come, my sweet Kate.
Better
once
129
than never, for never too late.
Exeunt
Enter Baptista, Vincentio, Gremio, the Pedant, Lucentio and Bianca,
[
Petruchio, Katherina, Hortensio,
]
Tranio, Biondello, Grumio and Widow. The Servingmen with Tranio bringing in a
banquet
LUCENTIO
At last, though
long
1
, our jarring notes agree,
And time it is, when raging war is done,
To smile at
scapes
3
and perils overblown.
My fair Bianca, bid my father welcome,
While I with selfsame
kindness
5
welcome thine.
Brother Petruchio, sister Katherina,
And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow,
Feast
with
8
the best, and welcome to my house.
My banquet is to
close
9
our stomachs up
After our
great good cheer
10
. Pray you sit down,
For now we sit to chat as well as eat.
PETRUCHIO
Nothing but sit and sit, and eat and eat!
BAPTISTA
Padua affords this kindness, son Petruchio.
PETRUCHIO
Padua affords nothing but what is kind.
HORTENSIO
For both our sakes, I would that word were true.
PETRUCHIO
Now, for my life, Hortensio
fears
16
his widow.
WIDOW
Then never trust me if I be afeard
17
.
PETRUCHIO
You are very
sensible
18
, and yet you miss my sense:
I mean, Hortensio is afeard of you.
WIDOW
He that is giddy thinks the world turns round
20
.
PETRUCHIO
Roundly
21
replied.
KATE
Mistress, how mean you that?
WIDOW
Thus I conceive by him
23
.
PETRUCHIO
Conceives by me! How likes Hortensio that?
HORTENSIO
My widow says, thus she
conceives her tale
25
.
PETRUCHIO
Very well
mended
26
. Kiss him for that, good widow.
KATE
‘He that is giddy thinks the world turns round.’
I pray you tell me what you meant by that.
WIDOW
Your husband, being troubled with a shrew,
Measures my husband’s sorrow by his woe:
And now you know my meaning.
KATE
A very
mean
32
meaning.
WIDOW
Right, I mean you.
KATE
And I am
mean indeed, respecting you
34
.
PETRUCHIO
To her
35
, Kate!
HORTENSIO
To her, widow!
PETRUCHIO
A hundred
marks
37
, my Kate does put her down.
HORTENSIO
That’s my
office
38
.
PETRUCHIO
Spoke like an officer. Ha’ to thee, lad!
Drinks to Hortensio
BAPTISTA
How likes Gremio these quick-witted folks?
GREMIO
Believe me, sir, they
butt
41
together well.
BIANCA
Head, and
butt
42
! An hasty-witted body
Would say your head and butt were
head and horn
43
.
VINCENTIO
Ay, mistress bride, hath that awakened you?
BIANCA
Ay, but not frighted me: therefore I’ll sleep again.
PETRUCHIO
Nay, that you shall not. Since you have begun,
Have at you
47
for a bitter jest or two.
BIANCA
Am I your
bird
48
? I mean to shift my bush,
And then pursue me as you draw your
bow
49
.
You are welcome all.
Exeunt Bianca,
[
Katherina and Widow
]
PETRUCHIO
She hath
prevented
51
me. Here, Signior Tranio,
This bird you aimed at, though you
hit
52
her not:
Therefore a
health
53
to all that shot and missed.
Makes a toast
TRANIO
O, sir, Lucentio
slipped
54
me like his greyhound,
Which runs himself and catches for his master.
PETRUCHIO
A good swift simile, but something
currish
56
.
TRANIO
’Tis well, sir, that you hunted for yourself:
’Tis thought your
deer
58
does hold you at a bay.
BAPTISTA
O, O, Petruchio! Tranio hits you now.
LUCENTIO
I thank thee for that
gird
60
, good Tranio.
HORTENSIO
Confess, confess, hath he not hit you here?
PETRUCHIO
A has a little
galled
62
me, I confess.
And as the jest did
glance away from
63
me,
’Tis ten to one it maimed you two outright.
BAPTISTA
Now, in
good sadness
65
, son Petruchio,
I think thou hast the
veriest
66
shrew of all.
PETRUCHIO
Well, I say no: and therefore for
assurance
67
Let’s each one send unto his wife,
And he whose wife is most obedient
To come at first when he doth send for her,
Shall win the wager which we will propose.
HORTENSIO
Content. What’s the wager?
LUCENTIO
Twenty crowns.
PETRUCHIO
Twenty crowns?
I’ll venture so much
of
75
my hawk or hound,
But twenty times so much upon my wife.
LUCENTIO
A hundred then.
HORTENSIO
Content.
PETRUCHIO
A match! ’Tis done.
HORTENSIO
Who shall begin?
LUCENTIO
That will I.
Go, Biondello, bid your mistress come to me.
BIONDELLO
I go.
Exit
BAPTISTA
Son, I’ll
be your half
84
, Bianca comes.
LUCENTIO
I’ll have no halves. I’ll bear it all myself.
Enter Biondello
How now? What news?
BIONDELLO
Sir, my mistress sends you word
That she is busy and she cannot come.
PETRUCHIO
How?
89
She’s busy and she cannot come?
Is that an answer?
GREMIO
Ay, and a kind one too.
Pray God, sir, your wife send you not a worse.
PETRUCHIO
I hope better.
HORTENSIO
Sirrah Biondello, go and entreat my wife
To come to me forthwith.
Exit Biondello
PETRUCHIO
O, ho, entreat her?
Nay, then she must
needs
97
come.
HORTENSIO
I am afraid, sir,
Do what you can,
Enter Biondello
yours will not be entreated.
Now, where’s my wife?
BIONDELLO
She says you have some goodly jest in hand.
She will not come. She bids you come to her.
PETRUCHIO
Worse and worse, she will not come! O, vile,
Intolerable, not to be endured!
Sirrah Grumio, go to your mistress,
Say, I command her come to me.
Exit
[
Grumio
]
HORTENSIO
I know her answer.
PETRUCHIO
What?
HORTENSIO
She will not.
PETRUCHIO
The fouler fortune mine
110
, and there an end.
Enter Katherina
BAPTISTA
Now,
by my holidame
111
, here comes Katherina!
KATE
What is your will, sir, that you send for me?
PETRUCHIO
Where is your sister, and Hortensio’s wife?
KATE
They sit
conferring
114
by the parlour fire.
PETRUCHIO
Go fetch them hither. If they deny to come,
Swinge
116
me them soundly forth unto their husbands.
Away, I say, and bring them hither straight.
[
Exit Katherina
]
LUCENTIO
Here is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder.
HORTENSIO
And so it is: I wonder what it bodes.
PETRUCHIO
Marry, peace it bodes, and love and quiet life,
And
awful
121
rule and right supremacy,
And, to be short,
what not
122
that’s sweet and happy.
BAPTISTA
Now,
fair befall thee
123
, good Petruchio;
The wager thou hast won, and I will add
Unto their losses twenty thousand crowns,
Another dowry to another daughter,
For she is changed,
as she had never been
127
.
PETRUCHIO
Nay, I will win my wager better yet
And show more sign of her obedience,
Her new-built virtue and obedience.
Enter Kate, Bianca and Widow
See where she comes and brings your froward wives
As prisoners to her womanly persuasion.—
Katherine, that cap of yours becomes you not.
Off with that bauble, throw it underfoot.
Kate throws the cap on the ground
WIDOW
Lord, let me never have a cause to sigh,
Till I be brought to such a silly
pass
136
!
BIANCA
Fie! What a
foolish
137
duty call you this?
LUCENTIO
I would your duty were as foolish too:
The wisdom of your duty, fair Bianca,
Hath cost me five hundred crowns since suppertime.
BIANCA
The more fool you for
laying
141
on my duty.
PETRUCHIO
Katherine, I charge thee tell these headstrong women
What duty they do owe their lords and husbands.
WIDOW
Come, come, you’re mocking. We will have no telling.
PETRUCHIO
Come on, I say, and first begin with her.
WIDOW
She shall not.
PETRUCHIO
I say she shall, and first begin with her.
KATE
Fie, fie!
Unknit
148
that threat’ning unkind brow,
To the Widow
And dart not scornful glances from those eyes,
To wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor.
It blots thy beauty as frosts do bite the
meads
151
,
Confounds thy fame
152
as whirlwinds shake fair buds,
And in no sense is
meet
153
or amiable.
A woman
moved
154
is like a fountain troubled,
Muddy,
ill-seeming
155
, thick, bereft of beauty,
And while it is so, none so dry or thirsty
Will deign to sip or touch one drop of it.
Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper,
Thy head, thy sovereign: one that cares for thee,
And for thy maintenance commits his body
To
painful
161
labour both by sea and land,
To
watch
162
the night in storms, the day in cold,
Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe,
And craves no other tribute at thy hands
But love, fair looks and true obedience;
Too little payment for so great a debt.—
Such duty as the subject owes the prince
To all?
Even such a woman oweth to her husband.
And when she is froward,
peevish
169
, sullen, sour,
And not obedient to his
honest
170
will,
What is she but a foul contending rebel
And
graceless
172
traitor to her loving lord?
I am ashamed that women are so
simple
173
To offer war where they should kneel for peace,
Or seek for rule, supremacy and
sway
175
,
When they are
bound
176
to serve, love and obey.
Why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth,
Unapt
178
to toil and trouble in the world,
But that our
soft
179
conditions and our hearts
Should well agree with our external parts?—
Come, come, you froward and
unable
181
worms,