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The Taming of the Shrew - Act 1, scene 2
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The Taming of the Shrew - Act 1, scene 2Act 1, scene 2
⌜Scene 2⌝
Synopsis:
Petruchio, with his servant Grumio, has just arrived in Padua. His friend Hortensio suggests that Petruchio woo Katherine. Petruchio enthusiastically agrees. He agrees also to present Hortensio, in disguise, to Baptista as a music teacher named Litio. Gremio appears with Lucentio, who is disguised as a teacher named Cambio. Last of all comes Tranio, now impersonating Lucentio and declaring his intention to woo Bianca. Gremio, Hortensio, and Tranio (as Lucentio) agree to help Petruchio win Katherine.
Enter Petruchio and his man Grumio.PETRUCHIO
0556 Verona, for a while I take my leave
0557 To see my friends in Padua, but of all
0558 My best belovèd and approvèd friend,
0559 Hortensio. And I trow this is his house.
0560 5 Here, sirrah Grumio, knock, I say.
GRUMIO 0561 Knock, sir? Whom should I knock? Is there
0562 any man has rebused your Worship?
PETRUCHIO 0563 Villain, I say, knock me here soundly.
GRUMIO 0564 Knock you here, sir? Why, sir, what am I, sir,
0565 10 that I should knock you here, sir?
PETRUCHIO
0566 Villain, I say, knock me at this gate
0567 And rap me well, or I’ll knock your knave’s pate.
GRUMIO
0568 My master is grown quarrelsome. I should knock
0569 you first,
0570 15 And then I know after who comes by the worst.
PETRUCHIO 0571 Will it not be?
0572 Faith, sirrah, an you’ll not knock, I’ll ring it.
0573 I’ll try how you can sol, fa, and sing it.
He wrings him by the ears. ⌜Grumio falls.⌝
GRUMIO 0574 Help, mistress, help! My master is mad.
PETRUCHIO 0575 20Now knock when I bid you, sirrah
0576 villain.
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Enter Hortensio.HORTENSIO 0577 How now, what’s the matter? My old
0578 friend Grumio and my good friend Petruchio? How
0579 do you all at Verona?
PETRUCHIO
0580 25 Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray?
0581 ⌜Con tutto il cuore ben trovato,⌝ may I say.
HORTENSIO 0582 Alia nostra casa ⌜ben⌝ venuto, ⌜molto
0583 honorato⌝ signor mio Petruchio.—Rise, Grumio,
0584 rise. We will compound this quarrel.⌜Grumio rises.⌝
GRUMIO 0585 30Nay, ’tis no matter, sir, what he ’leges in
0586 Latin. If this be not a lawful cause for me to leave
0587 his service—look you, sir: he bid me knock him
0588 and rap him soundly, sir. Well, was it fit for a
0589 servant to use his master so, being perhaps, for
0590 35 aught I see, two-and-thirty, a pip out?
0591 Whom, would to God, I had well knocked at first,
0592 Then had not Grumio come by the worst.
PETRUCHIO
0593 A senseless villain, good Hortensio.
0594 I bade the rascal knock upon your gate
0595 40 And could not get him for my heart to do it.
GRUMIO 0596 Knock at the gate? O, heavens, spake you not
0597 these words plain: “Sirrah, knock me here, rap me
0598 here, knock me well, and knock me soundly”? And
0599 come you now with “knocking at the gate”?
PETRUCHIO
0600 45 Sirrah, begone, or talk not, I advise you.
HORTENSIO
0601 Petruchio, patience. I am Grumio’s pledge.
0602 Why, this’ a heavy chance ’twixt him and you,
0603 Your ancient, trusty, pleasant servant Grumio.
0604 And tell me now, sweet friend, what happy gale
0605 50 Blows you to Padua here from old Verona?
PETRUCHIO
0606 Such wind as scatters young men through the world
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53
0607
To seek their fortunes farther than at home,0608 Where small experience grows. But in a few,
0609 Signior Hortensio, thus it stands with me:
0610 55 Antonio, my father, is deceased,
0611 And I have thrust myself into this maze,
0612 Happily to wive and thrive, as best I may.
0613 Crowns in my purse I have and goods at home,
0614 And so am come abroad to see the world.
HORTENSIO
0615 60 Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee
0616 And wish thee to a shrewd ill-favored wife?
0617 Thou ’dst thank me but a little for my counsel—
0618 And yet I’ll promise thee she shall be rich,
0619 And very rich. But thou ’rt too much my friend,
0620 65 And I’ll not wish thee to her.
PETRUCHIO
0621 Signior Hortensio, ’twixt such friends as we
0622 Few words suffice. And therefore, if thou know
0623 One rich enough to be Petruchio’s wife
0624 (As wealth is burden of my wooing dance),
0625 70 Be she as foul as was Florentius’ love,
0626 As old as Sibyl, and as curst and shrewd
0627 As Socrates’ Xanthippe, or a worse,
0628 She moves me not, or not removes at least
0629 Affection’s edge in me, were she as rough
0630 75 As are the swelling Adriatic seas.
0631 I come to wive it wealthily in Padua;
0632 If wealthily, then happily in Padua.
GRUMIO, ⌜to Hortensio⌝ 0633 Nay, look you, sir, he tells you
0634 flatly what his mind is. Why, give him gold enough
0635 80 and marry him to a puppet or an aglet-baby, or an
0636 old trot with ne’er a tooth in her head, though she
0637 have as many diseases as two-and-fifty horses. Why,
0638 nothing comes amiss, so money comes withal.
HORTENSIO
0639 Petruchio, since we are stepped thus far in,
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55
0640
85 I will continue that I broached in jest.0641 I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife
0642 With wealth enough, and young and beauteous,
0643 Brought up as best becomes a gentlewoman.
0644 Her only fault, and that is faults enough,
0645 90 Is that she is intolerable curst,
0646 And shrewd, and froward, so beyond all measure
0647 That, were my state far worser than it is,
0648 I would not wed her for a mine of gold.
PETRUCHIO
0649 Hortensio, peace. Thou know’st not gold’s effect.
0650 95 Tell me her father’s name, and ’tis enough;
0651 For I will board her, though she chide as loud
0652 As thunder when the clouds in autumn crack.
HORTENSIO
0653 Her father is Baptista Minola,
0654 An affable and courteous gentleman.
0655 100 Her name is Katherina Minola,
0656 Renowned in Padua for her scolding tongue.
PETRUCHIO
0657 I know her father, though I know not her,
0658 And he knew my deceasèd father well.
0659 I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her,
0660 105 And therefore let me be thus bold with you
0661 To give you over at this first encounter—
0662 Unless you will accompany me thither.
GRUMIO, ⌜to Hortensio⌝ 0663 I pray you, sir, let him go while
0664 the humor lasts. O’ my word, an she knew him as
0665 110 well as I do, she would think scolding would do little
0666 good upon him. She may perhaps call him half a
0667 score knaves or so. Why, that’s nothing; an he begin
0668 once, he’ll rail in his rope tricks. I’ll tell you what,
0669 sir, an she stand him but a little, he will throw a
0670 115 figure in her face and so disfigure her with it that
0671 she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat.
0672 You know him not, sir.
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HORTENSIO 0673 Tarry, Petruchio. I must go with thee,
0674 For in Baptista’s keep my treasure is.
0675 120 He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
0676 His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca,
0677 And her withholds from me ⌜and⌝ other more,
0678 Suitors to her and rivals in my love,
0679 Supposing it a thing impossible,
0680 125 For those defects I have before rehearsed,
0681 That ever Katherina will be wooed.
0682 Therefore this order hath Baptista ta’en,
0683 That none shall have access unto Bianca
0684 Till Katherine the curst have got a husband.
GRUMIO 0685 130“Katherine the curst,”
0686 A title for a maid, of all titles the worst.
HORTENSIO
0687 Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace
0688 And offer me disguised in sober robes
0689 To old Baptista as a schoolmaster
0690 135 Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca,
0691 That so I may, by this device at least,
0692 Have leave and leisure to make love to her
0693 And unsuspected court her by herself.
GRUMIO 0694 Here’s no knavery! See, to beguile the old
0695 140 folks, how the young folks lay their heads together!
Enter Gremio and Lucentio, disguised ⌜as Cambio, a
schoolmaster.⌝
0696 Master, master, look about you. Who goes there, ha?
HORTENSIO
0697 Peace, Grumio, it is the rival of my love.
0698 Petruchio, stand by awhile.
⌜Petruchio, Hortensio, and Grumio stand aside.⌝
GRUMIO, ⌜aside⌝
0699 A proper stripling, and an amorous.
p.
59
GREMIO, ⌜to Lucentio⌝ 0700 145 O, very well, I have perused the note.
0701 Hark you, sir, I’ll have them very fairly bound,
0702 All books of love. See that at any hand,
0703 And see you read no other lectures to her.
0704 You understand me. Over and beside
0705 150 Signior Baptista’s liberality,
0706 I’ll mend it with a largess. Take your paper too.
0707 And let me have them very well perfumed,
0708 For she is sweeter than perfume itself
0709 To whom they go to. What will you read to her?
LUCENTIO, ⌜as Cambio⌝
0710 155 Whate’er I read to her, I’ll plead for you
0711 As for my patron, stand you so assured,
0712 As firmly as yourself were still in place,
0713 Yea, and perhaps with more successful words
0714 Than you—unless you were a scholar, sir.
GREMIO
0715 160 O this learning, what a thing it is!
GRUMIO, ⌜aside⌝
0716 O this woodcock, what an ass it is!
PETRUCHIO, ⌜aside⌝ 0717 Peace, sirrah.
HORTENSIO, ⌜aside⌝
0718 Grumio, mum.⌜Coming forward.⌝
0719 God save you, Signior Gremio.
GREMIO
0720 165 And you are well met, Signior Hortensio.
0721 Trow you whither I am going? To Baptista Minola.
0722 I promised to enquire carefully
0723 About a schoolmaster for the fair Bianca,
0724 And by good fortune I have lighted well
0725 170 On this young man, for learning and behavior
0726 Fit for her turn, well read in poetry
0727 And other books—good ones, I warrant you.
HORTENSIO
0728 ’Tis well. And I have met a gentleman
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0729
Hath promised me to help ⌜me⌝ to another,0730 175 A fine musician to instruct our mistress.
0731 So shall I no whit be behind in duty
0732 To fair Bianca, so beloved of me.
GREMIO
0733 Beloved of me, and that my deeds shall prove.
GRUMIO, ⌜aside⌝ 0734 And that his bags shall prove.
HORTENSIO
0735 180 Gremio, ’tis now no time to vent our love.
0736 Listen to me, and if you speak me fair
0737 I’ll tell you news indifferent good for either.
⌜Presenting Petruchio.⌝
0738 Here is a gentleman whom by chance I met,
0739 Upon agreement from us to his liking,
0740 185 Will undertake to woo curst Katherine,
0741 Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.
GREMIO 0742 So said, so done, is well.
0743 Hortensio, have you told him all her faults?
PETRUCHIO
0744 I know she is an irksome, brawling scold.
0745 190 If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.
GREMIO
0746 No? Sayst me so, friend? What countryman?
PETRUCHIO
0747 Born in Verona, old Antonio’s son.
0748 My father dead, my fortune lives for me,
0749 And I do hope good days and long to see.
GREMIO
0750 195 Oh, sir, such a life with such a wife were strange.
0751 But if you have a stomach, to ’t, i’ God’s name!
0752 You shall have me assisting you in all.
0753 But will you woo this wildcat?
PETRUCHIO 0754 Will I live?
GRUMIO
0755 200 Will he woo her? Ay, or I’ll hang her.
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PETRUCHIO 0756 Why came I hither but to that intent?
0757 Think you a little din can daunt mine ears?
0758 Have I not in my time heard lions roar?
0759 Have I not heard the sea, puffed up with winds,
0760 205 Rage like an angry boar chafèd with sweat?
0761 Have I not heard great ordnance in the field
0762 And heaven’s artillery thunder in the skies?
0763 Have I not in a pitchèd battle heard
0764 Loud ’larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets clang?
0765 210 And do you tell me of a woman’s tongue,
0766 That gives not half so great a blow to hear
0767 As will a chestnut in a farmer’s fire?
0768 Tush, tush, fear boys with bugs!
GRUMIO 0769 For he fears none.
GREMIO 0770 215Hortensio, hark.
0771 This gentleman is happily arrived,
0772 My mind presumes, for his own good and yours.
HORTENSIO
0773 I promised we would be contributors
0774 And bear his charge of wooing whatsoe’er.
GREMIO
0775 220 And so we will, provided that he win her.
GRUMIO
0776 I would I were as sure of a good dinner.
Enter Tranio, ⌜disguised as Lucentio,⌝ and Biondello.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
0777 Gentlemen, God save you. If I may be bold,
0778 Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way
0779 To the house of Signior Baptista Minola?
BIONDELLO 0780 225He that has the two fair daughters—is ’t
0781 he you mean?
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝ 0782 Even he, Biondello.
GREMIO
0783 Hark you, sir, you mean not her to—
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TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝ 0784 Perhaps him and her, sir. What have you to do?
PETRUCHIO
0785 230 Not her that chides, sir, at any hand, I pray.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
0786 I love no chiders, sir. Biondello, let’s away.
LUCENTIO, ⌜aside⌝
0787 Well begun, Tranio.
HORTENSIO 0788 Sir, a word ere you go.
0789 Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea or no?
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
0790 235 An if I be, sir, is it any offense?
GREMIO
0791 No, if without more words you will get you hence.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
0792 Why sir, I pray, are not the streets as free
0793 For me, as for you?
GREMIO 0794 But so is not she.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
0795 240 For what reason, I beseech you?
GREMIO
0796 For this reason, if you’ll know:
0797 That she’s the choice love of Signior Gremio.
HORTENSIO
0798 That she’s the chosen of Signior Hortensio.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
0799 Softly, my masters. If you be gentlemen,
0800 245 Do me this right: hear me with patience.
0801 Baptista is a noble gentleman
0802 To whom my father is not all unknown,
0803 And were his daughter fairer than she is,
0804 She may more suitors have, and me for one.
0805 250 Fair Leda’s daughter had a thousand wooers.
0806 Then well one more may fair Bianca have.
0807 And so she shall. Lucentio shall make one,
0808 Though Paris came in hope to speed alone.
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GREMIO 0809 What, this gentleman will out-talk us all!
LUCENTIO, ⌜as Cambio⌝
0810 255 Sir, give him head; I know he’ll prove a jade.
PETRUCHIO
0811 Hortensio, to what end are all these words?
HORTENSIO, ⌜to Tranio⌝
0812 Sir, let me be so bold as ask you,
0813 Did you yet ever see Baptista’s daughter?
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
0814 No, sir, but hear I do that he hath two,
0815 260 The one as famous for a scolding tongue
0816 As is the other for beauteous modesty.
PETRUCHIO
0817 Sir, sir, the first’s for me; let her go by.
GREMIO
0818 Yea, leave that labor to great Hercules,
0819 And let it be more than Alcides’ twelve.
PETRUCHIO, ⌜to Tranio⌝
0820 265 Sir, understand you this of me, in sooth:
0821 The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for,
0822 Her father keeps from all access of suitors
0823 And will not promise her to any man
0824 Until the elder sister first be wed.
0825 270 The younger then is free, and not before.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
0826 If it be so, sir, that you are the man
0827 Must stead us all, and me amongst the rest,
0828 And if you break the ice and do this ⌜feat,⌝
0829 Achieve the elder, set the younger free
0830 275 For our access, whose hap shall be to have her
0831 Will not so graceless be to be ingrate.
HORTENSIO
0832 Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive.
0833 And since you do profess to be a suitor,
0834 You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman,
0835 280 To whom we all rest generally beholding.
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TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝ 0836 Sir, I shall not be slack; in sign whereof,
0837 Please you we may contrive this afternoon
0838 And quaff carouses to our mistress’ health,
0839 And do as adversaries do in law,
0840 285 Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
GRUMIO ⌜and⌝ BIONDELLO
0841 O excellent motion! Fellows, let’s be gone.
HORTENSIO
0842 The motion’s good indeed, and be it so.—
0843 Petruchio, I shall be your ⌜ben⌝ venuto.
They exit.