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  • William Shakespeare: Taming of the Shrew, Act V, Scene II

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Scene IIPadua. Lucentio’s houseEnter Baptista, Vincentio, Gremio, the Pedant, Lucentio, Bianca, Petruchio, Katharina, Hortensio, and Widow, Tranio, Biondello, and Grumio the Serving-men with Tranio bringing in a banquetLucentioAt last, though long, our jarring notes agree: And time it is, when raging war is done, To smile at scapes and perils overblown. My fair Bianca, bid my father welcome, While I with self-same kindness welcome thine. Brother Petruchio, sister Katharina, And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow, Feast with the best, and welcome to my house: My banquet is to close our stomachs up, After our great good cheer. Pray you, sit down; For now we sit to chat as well as eat.PetruchioNothing but sit and sit, and eat and eat!BaptistaPadua affords this kindness, son Petruchio.PetruchioPadua affords nothing but what is kind.HortensioFor both our sakes, I would that word were true.PetruchioNow, for my life, Hortensio fears his widow.WidowThen never trust me, if I be afeard.PetruchioYou are very sensible, and yet you miss my sense: I mean, Hortensio is afeard of you.WidowHe that is giddy thinks the world turns round.PetruchioRoundly replied.KatharinaMistress, how mean you that?WidowThus I conceive by him.PetruchioConceives by me! How likes Hortensio that?HortensioMy widow says, thus she conceives her tale.PetruchioVery well mended. Kiss him for that, good widow.Katharina’He that is giddy thinks the world turns round:’ I pray you, tell me what you meant by that.WidowYour husband, being troubled with a shrew, Measures my husband’s sorrow by his woe: And now you know my meaning,KatharinaA very mean meaning.WidowRight, I mean you.KatharinaAnd I am mean indeed, respecting you.PetruchioTo her, Kate!HortensioTo her, widow!PetruchioA hundred marks, my Kate does put her down.HortensioThat’s my office.PetruchioSpoke like an officer; ha’ to thee, lad!Drinks to HortensioBaptistaHow likes Gremio these quick-witted folks?GremioBelieve me, sir, they butt together well.BiancaHead, and butt! an hasty-witted body Would say your head and butt were head and horn.VincentioAy, mistress bride, hath that awaken’d you?BiancaAy, but not frighted me; therefore I’ll sleep again.PetruchioNay, that you shall not: since you have begun, Have at you for a bitter jest or two!BiancaAm I your bird? I mean to shift my bush; And then pursue me as you draw your bow. You are welcome all.Exeunt Bianca, Katharina, and WidowPetruchioShe hath prevented me. Here, Signior Tranio. This bird you aim’d at, though you hit her not; Therefore a health to all that shot and miss’d.TranioO, sir, Lucentio slipp’d me like his greyhound, Which runs himself and catches for his master.PetruchioA good swift simile, but something currish.Tranio’Tis well, sir, that you hunted for yourself: ‘Tis thought your deer does hold you at a bay.BaptistaO ho, Petruchio! Tranio hits you now.LucentioI thank thee for that gird, good Tranio.HortensioConfess, confess, hath he not hit you here?PetruchioA’ has a little gall’d me, I confess; And, as the jest did glance away from me, ‘Tis ten to one it maim’d you two outright.BaptistaNow, in good sadness, son Petruchio, I think thou hast the veriest shrew of all.PetruchioWell, I say no: and therefore for assurance 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.HortensioContent. What is the wager?LucentioTwenty crowns.PetruchioTwenty crowns! I’ll venture so much of my hawk or hound, But twenty times so much upon my wife.LucentioA hundred then.HortensioContent.PetruchioA match! ’tis done.HortensioWho shall begin?LucentioThat will I. Go, Biondello, bid your mistress come to me.BiondelloI go.ExitBaptistaSon, I’ll be your half, Bianca comes.LucentioI’ll have no halves; I’ll bear it all myself.Re-enter BiondelloHow now! what news?BiondelloSir, my mistress sends you word That she is busy and she cannot come.PetruchioHow! she is busy and she cannot come! Is that an answer?GremioAy, and a kind one too: Pray God, sir, your wife send you not a worse.PetruchioI hope better.HortensioSirrah Biondello, go and entreat my wife To come to me forthwith.Exit BiondelloPetruchioO, ho! entreat her! Nay, then she must needs come.HortensioI am afraid, sir, Do what you can, yours will not be entreated.Re-enter BiondelloNow, where’s my wife?BiondelloShe says you have some goodly jest in hand: She will not come: she bids you come to her.PetruchioWorse and worse; she will not come! O vile, Intolerable, not to be endured! Sirrah Grumio, go to your mistress; Say, I command her to come to me.Exit GrumioHortensioI know her answer.PetruchioWhat?HortensioShe will not.PetruchioThe fouler fortune mine, and there an end.BaptistaNow, by my holidame, here comes Katharina!Re-enter KatarinaKatharinaWhat is your will, sir, that you send for me?PetruchioWhere is your sister, and Hortensio’s wife?KatharinaThey sit conferring by the parlor fire.PetruchioGo fetch them hither: if they deny to come. Swinge me them soundly forth unto their husbands: Away, I say, and bring them hither straight.Exit KatharinaLucentioHere is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder.HortensioAnd so it is: I wonder what it bodes.PetruchioMarry, peace it bodes, and love and quiet life, And awful rule and right supremacy; And, to be short, what not, that’s sweet and happy?BaptistaNow, fair befal thee, 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.PetruchioNay, I will win my wager better yet And show more sign of her obedience, Her new-built virtue and obedience. See where she comes and brings your froward wives As prisoners to her womanly persuasion.Re-enter Katharina, with Bianca and WidowKatharina, that cap of yours becomes you not: Off with that bauble, throw it under-foot.WidowLord, let me never have a cause to sigh, Till I be brought to such a silly pass!BiancaFie! what a foolish duty call you this?LucentioI would your duty were as foolish too: The wisdom of your duty, fair Bianca, Hath cost me an hundred crowns since supper-time.BiancaThe more fool you, for laying on my duty.PetruchioKatharina, I charge thee, tell these headstrong women What duty they do owe their lords and husbands.WidowCome, come, you’re mocking: we will have no telling.PetruchioCome on, I say; and first begin with her.WidowShe shall not.PetruchioI say she shall: and first begin with her.KatharinaFie, fie! unknit that threatening unkind brow, 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, Confounds thy fame as whirlwinds shake fair buds, And in no sense is meet or amiable. A woman moved is like a fountain troubled, Muddy, ill-seeming, 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 labour both by sea and land, To watch 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 Even such a woman oweth to her husband; And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour, And not obedient to his honest will, What is she but a foul contending rebel And graceless traitor to her loving lord? I am ashamed that women are so simple To offer war where they should kneel for peace; Or seek for rule, supremacy and sway, When they are bound to serve, love and obey. Why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth, Unapt to toil and trouble in the world, But that our soft conditions and our hearts Should well agree with our external parts? Come, come, you froward and unable worms! My mind hath been as big as one of yours, My heart as great, my reason haply more, To bandy word for word and frown for frown; But now I see our lances are but straws, Our strength as weak, our weakness past compare, That seeming to be most which we indeed least are. Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot, And place your hands below your husband’s foot: In token of which duty, if he please, My hand is ready; may it do him ease.PetruchioWhy, there’s a wench! Come on, and kiss me, Kate.LucentioWell, go thy ways, old lad; for thou shalt ha’t.Vincentio’Tis a good hearing when children are toward.LucentioBut a harsh hearing when women are froward.PetruchioCome, Kate, we’ll to bed. We three are married, but you two are sped.To Lucentio’Twas I won the wager, though you hit the white; And, being a winner, God give you good night!Exeunt Petruchio and KatharinaHortensioNow, go thy ways; thou hast tamed a curst shrew.Lucentio’Tis a wonder, by your leave, she will be tamed so.Exeunt

William Shakespeare: Taming of the Shrew, Act V

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William Shakespeare: Taming of the Shrew, Act III, Scene II

  • William Shakespeare: Taming of the Shrew, Act III, Scene II

TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.

Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Current Events This Week: January 2023

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Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents

The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales

TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.

Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Current Events This Week: January 2023

African Americans by the Numbers

Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents

The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales

  • Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
  • The Twelve Dancing Princesses
  • Current Events This Week: January 2023
  • African Americans by the Numbers
  • Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
  • The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales