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The Taming of the Shrew - Act 3, scene 2
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The Taming of the Shrew - Act 3, scene 2Act 3, scene 2
⌜Scene 2⌝
Synopsis:
Petruchio is late arriving for his wedding, to Katherine’s great embarrassment. When he finally presents himself, he is dressed in ridiculous clothes. At the wedding, according to Gremio’s report, Petruchio behaves rudely and abusively. He refuses to attend the supper that traditionally follows a wedding, and he insists on taking Katherine away as well. Over her protests, he forces her to go with him, making a show of defending her against the interference of her family and friends.
Enter Baptista, Gremio, Tranio ⌜as Lucentio,⌝ Katherine,Bianca, ⌜Lucentio as Cambio,⌝ and others, Attendants.
BAPTISTA, ⌜to Tranio⌝
1374 Signior Lucentio, this is the ’pointed day
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1375
That Katherine and Petruchio should be married,1376 And yet we hear not of our son-in-law.
1377 What will be said? What mockery will it be,
1378 5 To want the bridegroom when the priest attends
1379 To speak the ceremonial rites of marriage?
1380 What says Lucentio to this shame of ours?
KATHERINE
1381 No shame but mine. I must, forsooth, be forced
1382 To give my hand, opposed against my heart,
1383 10 Unto a mad-brain rudesby, full of spleen,
1384 Who wooed in haste and means to wed at leisure.
1385 I told you, I, he was a frantic fool,
1386 Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behavior,
1387 And, to be noted for a merry man,
1388 15 He’ll woo a thousand, ’point the day of marriage,
1389 Make friends, invite, and proclaim the banns,
1390 Yet never means to wed where he hath wooed.
1391 Now must the world point at poor Katherine
1392 And say “Lo, there is mad Petruchio’s wife,
1393 20 If it would please him come and marry her.”
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
1394 Patience, good Katherine, and Baptista too.
1395 Upon my life, Petruchio means but well,
1396 Whatever fortune stays him from his word.
1397 Though he be blunt, I know him passing wise;
1398 25 Though he be merry, yet withal he’s honest.
KATHERINE
1399 Would Katherine had never seen him, though!
She exits weeping.
BAPTISTA
1400 Go, girl. I cannot blame thee now to weep,
1401 For such an injury would vex a very saint,
1402 Much more a shrew of ⌜thy⌝ impatient humor.
Enter Biondello.
BIONDELLO 1403 30Master, master, news! And such ⌜old⌝
1404 news as you never heard of!
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BAPTISTA 1405 Is it new and old too? How may that be?
BIONDELLO 1406 Why, is it not news to ⌜hear⌝ of Petruchio’s
1407 coming?
BAPTISTA 1408 35Is he come?
BIONDELLO 1409 Why, no, sir.
BAPTISTA
1410 What then?
BIONDELLO 1411 He is coming.
BAPTISTA 1412 When will he be here?
BIONDELLO
1413 40 When he stands where I am, and sees you there.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝ 1414 But say, what to thine old news?
BIONDELLO 1415 Why, Petruchio is coming in a new hat and
1416 an old jerkin, a pair of old breeches thrice turned,
1417 a pair of boots that have been candle-cases, one
1418 45 buckled, another laced; an old rusty sword ta’en
1419 out of the town armory, with a broken hilt, and
1420 chapeless; with two broken points; his horse
1421 hipped, with an old mothy saddle and stirrups of no
1422 kindred, besides possessed with the glanders and
1423 50 like to mose in the chine, troubled with the lampass,
1424 infected with the fashions, full of windgalls,
1425 sped with spavins, rayed with the yellows, past cure
1426 of the fives, stark spoiled with the staggers, begnawn
1427 with the bots, ⌜swayed⌝ in the back and shoulder-shotten,
1428 55 near-legged before, and with a half-checked
1429 bit and a headstall of sheep’s leather,
1430 which, being restrained to keep him from stumbling,
1431 hath been often burst, and now repaired with
1432 knots; one girth six times pieced, and a woman’s
1433 60 crupper of velour, which hath two letters for her
1434 name fairly set down in studs, and here and there
1435 pieced with packthread.
BAPTISTA 1436 Who comes with him?
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121
BIONDELLO
1437
Oh, sir, his lackey, for all the world caparisoned1438 65 like the horse: with a linen stock on one leg
1439 and a kersey boot-hose on the other, gartered with
1440 a red and blue list; an old hat, and the humor of
1441 forty fancies pricked in ’t for a feather. A monster,
1442 a very monster in apparel, and not like a Christian
1443 70 footboy or a gentleman’s lackey.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
1444 ’Tis some odd humor pricks him to this fashion,
1445 Yet oftentimes he goes but mean-appareled.
BAPTISTA
1446 I am glad he’s come, howsoe’er he comes.
BIONDELLO 1447 Why, sir, he comes not.
BAPTISTA 1448 75Didst thou not say he comes?
BIONDELLO 1449 Who? That Petruchio came?
BAPTISTA 1450 Ay, that Petruchio came!
BIONDELLO 1451 No, sir, I say his horse comes with him on
1452 his back.
BAPTISTA 1453 80Why, that’s all one.
BIONDELLO
1454 Nay, by Saint Jamy.
1455 I hold you a penny,
1456 A horse and a man
1457 Is more than one,
1458 85 And yet not many.
Enter Petruchio and Grumio.
PETRUCHIO
1459 Come, where be these gallants? Who’s at home?
BAPTISTA 1460 You are welcome, sir.
PETRUCHIO 1461 And yet I come not well.
BAPTISTA 1462 And yet you halt not.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝ 1463 90Not so well appareled as I wish
1464 you were.
PETRUCHIO
1465 Were it better I should rush in thus—
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123
1466
But where is Kate? Where is my lovely bride?1467 How does my father? Gentles, methinks you frown.
1468 95 And wherefore gaze this goodly company
1469 As if they saw some wondrous monument,
1470 Some comet or unusual prodigy?
BAPTISTA
1471 Why, sir, you know this is your wedding day.
1472 First were we sad, fearing you would not come,
1473 100 Now sadder that you come so unprovided.
1474 Fie, doff this habit, shame to your estate,
1475 An eyesore to our solemn festival.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
1476 And tell us what occasion of import
1477 Hath all so long detained you from your wife
1478 105 And sent you hither so unlike yourself.
PETRUCHIO
1479 Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear.
1480 Sufficeth I am come to keep my word,
1481 Though in some part enforcèd to digress,
1482 Which at more leisure I will so excuse
1483 110 As you shall well be satisfied with all.
1484 But where is Kate? I stay too long from her.
1485 The morning wears. ’Tis time we were at church.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
1486 See not your bride in these unreverent robes.
1487 Go to my chamber, put on clothes of mine.
PETRUCHIO
1488 115 Not I, believe me. Thus I’ll visit her.
BAPTISTA
1489 But thus, I trust, you will not marry her.
PETRUCHIO
1490 Good sooth, even thus. Therefore, ha’ done with
1491 words.
1492 To me she’s married, not unto my clothes.
1493 120 Could I repair what she will wear in me,
1494 As I can change these poor accoutrements,
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125
1495
’Twere well for Kate and better for myself.1496 But what a fool am I to chat with you
1497 When I should bid good morrow to my bride
1498 125 And seal the title with a lovely kiss!
Petruchio exits, ⌜with Grumio.⌝
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
1499 He hath some meaning in his mad attire.
1500 We will persuade him, be it possible,
1501 To put on better ere he go to church.
BAPTISTA
1502 I’ll after him, and see the event of this.
⌜All except Tranio and Lucentio⌝ exit.
TRANIO
1503 130 But, sir, ⌜to⌝ love concerneth us to add
1504 Her father’s liking, which to bring to pass,
1505 As ⌜I⌝ before imparted to your Worship,
1506 I am to get a man (whate’er he be
1507 It skills not much, we’ll fit him to our turn),
1508 135 And he shall be “Vincentio of Pisa,”
1509 And make assurance here in Padua
1510 Of greater sums than I have promisèd.
1511 So shall you quietly enjoy your hope
1512 And marry sweet Bianca with consent.
LUCENTIO
1513 140 Were it not that my fellow schoolmaster
1514 Doth watch Bianca’s steps so narrowly,
1515 ’Twere good, methinks, to steal our marriage,
1516 Which, once performed, let all the world say no,
1517 I’ll keep mine own despite of all the world.
TRANIO
1518 145 That by degrees we mean to look into,
1519 And watch our vantage in this business.
1520 We’ll overreach the graybeard, Gremio,
1521 The narrow prying father, Minola,
1522 The quaint musician, amorous Litio,
1523 150 All for my master’s sake, Lucentio.
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127
Enter Gremio.TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
1524 Signior Gremio, came you from the church?
GREMIO
1525 As willingly as e’er I came from school.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
1526 And is the bride and bridegroom coming home?
GREMIO
1527 A bridegroom, say you? ’Tis a groom indeed,
1528 155 A grumbling groom, and that the girl shall find.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
1529 Curster than she? Why, ’tis impossible.
GREMIO
1530 Why, he’s a devil, a devil, a very fiend.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
1531 Why, she’s a devil, a devil, the devil’s dam.
GREMIO
1532 Tut, she’s a lamb, a dove, a fool to him.
1533 160 I’ll tell you, Sir Lucentio: when the priest
1534 Should ask if Katherine should be his wife,
1535 “Ay, by gog’s wouns!” quoth he, and swore so loud
1536 That, all amazed, the priest let fall the book,
1537 And as he stooped again to take it up,
1538 165 This mad-brained bridegroom took him such a cuff
1539 That down fell priest and book, and book and priest.
1540 “Now, take them up,” quoth he, “if any list.”
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
1541 What said the wench when he rose again?
GREMIO
1542 Trembled and shook, for why he stamped and swore
1543 170 As if the vicar meant to cozen him.
1544 But after many ceremonies done,
1545 He calls for wine. “A health!” quoth he, as if
1546 He had been aboard, carousing to his mates
1547 After a storm; quaffed off the muscatel
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129
1548
175 And threw the sops all in the sexton’s face,1549 Having no other reason
1550 But that his beard grew thin and hungerly,
1551 And seemed to ask him sops as he was drinking.
1552 This done, he took the bride about the neck
1553 180 And kissed her lips with such a clamorous smack
1554 That at the parting all the church did echo.
1555 And I, seeing this, came thence for very shame,
1556 And after me I know the rout is coming.
1557 Such a mad marriage never was before!Music plays.
1558 185 Hark, hark, I hear the minstrels play.
Enter Petruchio, Katherine, Bianca, Hortensio, Baptista,
⌜Grumio, and Attendants.⌝
PETRUCHIO
1559 Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your pains.
1560 I know you think to dine with me today
1561 And have prepared great store of wedding cheer,
1562 But so it is, my haste doth call me hence,
1563 190 And therefore here I mean to take my leave.
BAPTISTA
1564 Is ’t possible you will away tonight?
PETRUCHIO
1565 I must away today, before night come.
1566 Make it no wonder. If you knew my business,
1567 You would entreat me rather go than stay.
1568 195 And, honest company, I thank you all,
1569 That have beheld me give away myself
1570 To this most patient, sweet, and virtuous wife.
1571 Dine with my father, drink a health to me,
1572 For I must hence, and farewell to you all.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
1573 200 Let us entreat you stay till after dinner.
PETRUCHIO 1574 It may not be.
GREMIO 1575 Let me entreat you.
PETRUCHIO 1576 It cannot be.
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131
KATHERINE
1577
Let me entreat you.PETRUCHIO
1578 205 I am content.
KATHERINE 1579 Are you content to stay?
PETRUCHIO
1580 I am content you shall entreat me stay,
1581 But yet not stay, entreat me how you can.
KATHERINE
1582 Now, if you love me, stay.
PETRUCHIO 1583 210 Grumio, my horse.
GRUMIO 1584 Ay, sir, they be ready; the oats have eaten the
1585 horses.
KATHERINE 1586 Nay, then,
1587 Do what thou canst, I will not go today,
1588 215 No, nor tomorrow, not till I please myself.
1589 The door is open, sir. There lies your way.
1590 You may be jogging whiles your boots are green.
1591 For me, I’ll not be gone till I please myself.
1592 ’Tis like you’ll prove a jolly surly groom,
1593 220 That take it on you at the first so roundly.
PETRUCHIO
1594 O Kate, content thee. Prithee, be not angry.
KATHERINE
1595 I will be angry. What hast thou to do?—
1596 Father, be quiet. He shall stay my leisure.
GREMIO
1597 Ay, marry, sir, now it begins to work.
KATHERINE
1598 225 Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner.
1599 I see a woman may be made a fool
1600 If she had not a spirit to resist.
PETRUCHIO
1601 They shall go forward, Kate, at thy command.—
1602 Obey the bride, you that attend on her.
1603 230 Go to the feast, revel and domineer,
1604 Carouse full measure to her maidenhead,
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1605
Be mad and merry, or go hang yourselves.1606 But for my bonny Kate, she must with me.
1607 Nay, look not big, nor stamp, nor stare, nor fret;
1608 235 I will be master of what is mine own.
1609 She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house,
1610 My household stuff, my field, my barn,
1611 My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything.
1612 And here she stands, touch her whoever dare.
1613 240 I’ll bring mine action on the proudest he
1614 That stops my way in Padua.—Grumio,
1615 Draw forth thy weapon. We are beset with thieves.
1616 Rescue thy mistress if thou be a man!—
1617 Fear not, sweet wench, they shall not touch thee,
1618 245 Kate.
1619 I’ll buckler thee against a million.
Petruchio and Katherine exit, ⌜with Grumio.⌝
BAPTISTA
1620 Nay, let them go. A couple of quiet ones!
GREMIO
1621 Went they not quickly, I should die with laughing.
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝
1622 Of all mad matches never was the like.
LUCENTIO, ⌜as Cambio⌝
1623 250 Mistress, what’s your opinion of your sister?
BIANCA
1624 That being mad herself, she’s madly mated.
GREMIO
1625 I warrant him, Petruchio is Kated.
BAPTISTA
1626 Neighbors and friends, though bride and
1627 bridegroom wants
1628 255 For to supply the places at the table,
1629 You know there wants no junkets at the feast.
1630 ⌜To Tranio.⌝ Lucentio, you shall supply the
1631 bridegroom’s place,
1632 And let Bianca take her sister’s room.
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135
TRANIO, ⌜as Lucentio⌝ 1633 260 Shall sweet Bianca practice how to bride it?
BAPTISTA, ⌜to Tranio⌝
1634 She shall, Lucentio. Come, gentlemen, let’s go.
They exit.