Flourish. Enter Lucentio and his man Tranio. LUCENTIO
Tranio, since for the great desire I had
To see fair Padua, nursery of arts,
I am arrived for fruitful Lombardy,
The pleasant garden of great Italy,
And by my father’s love and leave am armed 5
With his goodwill and thy good company.
My trusty servant well approved in all,
Here let us breathe and haply institute
A course of learning and ingenious studies.
Pisa, renownèd for grave citizens, 10
Gave me my being, and my father first,
A merchant of great traffic through the world,
Vincentio, come of the Bentivolii.
Vincentio’s son, brought up in Florence,
It shall become to serve all hopes conceived 15
To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds.
And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study
Virtue, and that part of philosophy
Will I apply that treats of happiness
By virtue specially to be achieved. 20
Tell me thy mind, for I have Pisa left
And am to Padua come, as he that leaves
A shallow plash to plunge him in the deep
And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst. TRANIO
Mi perdonato, gentle master mine. 25
I am in all affected as yourself,
Glad that you thus continue your resolve
To suck the sweets of sweet philosophy.
Only, good master, while we do admire
This virtue and this moral discipline, 30
Let’s be no stoics nor no stocks, I pray,
Or so devote to Aristotle’s checks
As Ovid be an outcast quite abjured.
Balk logic with acquaintance that you have,
And practice rhetoric in your common talk; 35
Music and poesy use to quicken you;
The mathematics and the metaphysics—
Fall to them as you find your stomach serves you.
No profit grows where is no pleasure ta’en.
In brief, sir, study what you most affect. 40 LUCENTIO
Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise.
If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore,
We could at once put us in readiness
And take a lodging fit to entertain
Such friends as time in Padua shall beget. 45 Enter Baptista with his two daughters, Katherine and
Bianca; Gremio, a pantaloon, and Hortensio, suitors
to Bianca. But stay awhile! What company is this? TRANIO
Master, some show to welcome us to town. Lucentio and Tranio stand by. | (This is where the inset play begins. We're still in Sly's bedroom at the Lord's house, which is apparently big enough for a live theater performance. Sly and his "wife" watch the play from a lofted space above the stage.) Lucentio and his trusty servant Tranio have just arrived in Padua. Lucentio's dad has sent him to the famous college town so Lucentio can round off his education. Tranio reminds Lucentio that studying philosophy is all good and well, but they need to have a little fun with the ladies, too. Lucentio agrees. They spot Baptista, and his gorgeous daughters (Bianca and Kate) talking with Bianca's suitors and decide to eavesdrop. |
BAPTISTA, to Gremio and Hortensio
Gentlemen, importune me no farther,
For how I firmly am resolved you know:
That is, not to bestow my youngest daughter 50
Before I have a husband for the elder.
If either of you both love Katherine,
Because I know you well and love you well,
Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure. GREMIO
To cart her, rather. She’s too rough for me.— 55
There, there, Hortensio, will you any wife? KATHERINE, to Baptista
I pray you, sir, is it your will
To make a stale of me amongst these mates? HORTENSIO
“Mates,” maid? How mean you that? No mates for
you, 60
Unless you were of gentler, milder mold. KATHERINE
I’ faith, sir, you shall never need to fear.
Iwis it is not halfway to her heart.
But if it were, doubt not her care should be
To comb your noddle with a three-legged stool 65
And paint your face and use you like a fool. HORTENSIO
From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us! GREMIO And me too, good Lord. TRANIO, aside to Lucentio
Husht, master, here’s some good pastime toward;
That wench is stark mad or wonderful froward. 70 LUCENTIO, aside to Tranio
But in the other’s silence do I see
Maid’s mild behavior and sobriety.
Peace, Tranio. TRANIO, aside to Lucentio
Well said, master. Mum, and gaze your fill. | Baptista tells Gremio and Hortensio to stop begging him for permission to marry Bianca, who isn't allowed to get hitched until Kate marries. But, if they like, they're welcome to court Kate and take her off Baptista's hands. Gremio scoffs at this and says he would rather "cart" Kate than "court" her. (Ahem, "carting" refers to the way "shrewish" women were legally punished in 16th-century England for being disobedient and mouthy. Convicted "scolds" were sometimes tied up and strapped to the back of a cart so they could be paraded around town and publicly shamed into keeping their mouths shut.) Kate yells at her dad for humiliating her and treating her like a prostitute in front of these two chumps. When Hortensio says Kate will never be married unless she learns to pipe down, Kate assures him she's not interested in him...except maybe to smack him with a stool. The ever-observant Tranio says Kate is crazy and way too mouthy. Lucentio is hot for Bianca because she is nice and quiet, which is just how he likes his women. |
BAPTISTA, to Gremio and Hortensio
Gentlemen, that I may soon make good 75
What I have said—Bianca, get you in,
And let it not displease thee, good Bianca,
For I will love thee ne’er the less, my girl. KATHERINE
A pretty peat! It is best
Put finger in the eye, an she knew why. 80 BIANCA
Sister, content you in my discontent.—
Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe.
My books and instruments shall be my company,
On them to look and practice by myself. LUCENTIO, aside to Tranio
Hark, Tranio, thou mayst hear Minerva speak! 85 HORTENSIO
Signior Baptista, will you be so strange?
Sorry am I that our goodwill effects
Bianca’s grief. GREMIO Why will you mew her up,
Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell, 90
And make her bear the penance of her tongue? BAPTISTA
Gentlemen, content you. I am resolved.—
Go in, Bianca. Bianca exits. And for I know she taketh most delight
In music, instruments, and poetry, 95
Schoolmasters will I keep within my house
Fit to instruct her youth. If you, Hortensio,
Or, Signior Gremio, you know any such,
Prefer them hither. For to cunning men
I will be very kind, and liberal 100
To mine own children in good bringing up.
And so, farewell.—Katherine, you may stay,
For I have more to commune with Bianca. He exits. KATHERINE
Why, and I trust I may go too, may I not?
What, shall I be appointed hours as though, belike, 105
I knew not what to take and what to leave? Ha! She exits. GREMIO You may go to the Devil’s dam! Your gifts are
so good here’s none will hold you.—Their love is
not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails
together and fast it fairly out. Our cake’s dough on 110
both sides. Farewell. Yet for the love I bear my
sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit
man to teach her that wherein she delights, I will
wish him to her father. HORTENSIO So will I, Signior Gremio. But a word, I 115
pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never
brooked parle, know now upon advice, it toucheth
us both (that we may yet again have access to our
fair mistress and be happy rivals in Bianca’s love) to
labor and effect one thing specially. 120 GREMIO What’s that, I pray? HORTENSIO Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister. GREMIO A husband? A devil! HORTENSIO I say “a husband.” GREMIO I say “a devil.” Think’st thou, Hortensio, 125
though her father be very rich, any man is so very a
fool to be married to hell? HORTENSIO Tush, Gremio. Though it pass your patience
and mine to endure her loud alarums, why,
man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man 130
could light on them, would take her with all faults,
and money enough. GREMIO I cannot tell. But I had as lief take her dowry
with this condition: to be whipped at the high cross
every morning. 135 HORTENSIO Faith, as you say, there’s small choice in
rotten apples. But come, since this bar in law
makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly
maintained till by helping Baptista’s eldest daughter
to a husband we set his youngest free for a 140
husband, and then have to ’t afresh. Sweet Bianca!
Happy man be his dole! He that runs fastest gets the
ring. How say you, Signior Gremio? GREMIO I am agreed, and would I had given him the
best horse in Padua to begin his wooing that would 145
thoroughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid
the house of her. Come on. Gremio and Hortensio exit. Tranio and Lucentio remain onstage. | Kate picks on Bianca, saying she's a spoiled brat who plays to her audience, fake crying as necessary to gain sympathy (that's the "finger in her eye" bit). Bianca plays the good girl and tells her dad she'll spend all her time studying until he says it's time for her to get engaged. Gremio and Hortensio complain that Baptista is keeping Bianca penned up like an animal, but Baptista holds his ground. Before he leaves he asks the suitors if they can recommend any teachers for his precious daughter, a hint that they should rustle up some good tutors if they want to make him happy. Baptista says he's got to run and needs to talk with Bianca, but Kate is free to hang out with the guys if she likes. Kate gets huffy about being told what she can do and storms off. The suitors agree together that they need to find someone to marry Kate so they can have free access to Bianca. So they take off to hatch a plan, leaving nosy Lucentio and Tranio to discuss what's just happened. |
TRANIO
I pray, sir, tell me, is it possible
That love should of a sudden take such hold? LUCENTIO
O Tranio, till I found it to be true, 150
I never thought it possible or likely.
But see, while idly I stood looking on,
I found the effect of love-in-idleness,
And now in plainness do confess to thee
That art to me as secret and as dear 155
As Anna to the Queen of Carthage was:
Tranio, I burn, I pine! I perish, Tranio,
If I achieve not this young modest girl.
Counsel me, Tranio, for I know thou canst.
Assist me, Tranio, for I know thou wilt. 160 TRANIO
Master, it is no time to chide you now.
Affection is not rated from the heart.
If love have touched you, naught remains but so:
Redime te captum quam queas minimo. LUCENTIO
Gramercies, lad. Go forward. This contents; 165
The rest will comfort, for thy counsel’s sound. TRANIO
Master, you looked so longly on the maid,
Perhaps you marked not what’s the pith of all. LUCENTIO
O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face,
Such as the daughter of Agenor had, 170
That made great Jove to humble him to her hand
When with his knees he kissed the Cretan strand. TRANIO
Saw you no more? Marked you not how her sister
Began to scold and raise up such a storm
That mortal ears might hardly endure the din? 175 LUCENTIO
Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move,
And with her breath she did perfume the air.
Sacred and sweet was all I saw in her. TRANIO, aside
Nay, then ’tis time to stir him from his trance.—
I pray, awake, sir! If you love the maid, 180
Bend thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it
stands:
Her elder sister is so curst and shrewd
That till the father rid his hands of her,
Master, your love must live a maid at home, 185
And therefore has he closely mewed her up,
Because she will not be annoyed with suitors. LUCENTIO
Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father’s he!
But art thou not advised he took some care
To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her? 190 TRANIO
Ay, marry, am I, sir—and now ’tis plotted! LUCENTIO
I have it, Tranio! TRANIO Master, for my hand,
Both our inventions meet and jump in one. LUCENTIO
Tell me thine first. 195 TRANIO You will be schoolmaster
And undertake the teaching of the maid:
That’s your device. LUCENTIO It is. May it be done? TRANIO
Not possible. For who shall bear your part 200
And be in Padua here Vincentio’s son,
Keep house, and ply his book, welcome his friends,
Visit his countrymen and banquet them? LUCENTIO
Basta, content thee, for I have it full.
We have not yet been seen in any house, 205
Nor can we be distinguished by our faces
For man or master. Then it follows thus:
Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead,
Keep house, and port, and servants, as I should.
I will some other be, some Florentine, 210
Some Neapolitan, or meaner man of Pisa.
’Tis hatched, and shall be so. Tranio, at once
Uncase thee. Take my colored hat and cloak. They exchange clothes. When Biondello comes, he waits on thee,
But I will charm him first to keep his tongue. 215 TRANIO So had you need.
In brief, sir, sith it your pleasure is,
And I am tied to be obedient
(For so your father charged me at our parting:
“Be serviceable to my son,” quoth he, 220
Although I think ’twas in another sense),
I am content to be Lucentio,
Because so well I love Lucentio. LUCENTIO
Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves,
And let me be a slave, t’ achieve that maid 225
Whose sudden sight hath thralled my wounded eye. Enter Biondello. Here comes the rogue.—Sirrah, where have you
been? | Lucentio is love struck and starts to say all kinds of cheesy things about how he burns for Bianca. He asks Tranio for some advice, so the servant tells him to quit his yammering and think of a plan already. (That's what he means by the Latin bit, which translates to "free yourself from captivity at the lowest ransom." Lucentio is jammed up, and he needs to figure out the easiest way to win Bianca.) Tranio and Lucentio decide that Lucentio will disguise himself as a teacher so he can give Bianca some "private tutoring." Since Lucentio is expected to be seen in Padua studying and schmoozing all his dad's rich friends, they decide that Tranio will disguise himself as Lucentio. They exchange clothes: now Lucentio is disguised as a teacher named Cambio and Tranio is disguised as Lucentio. Along comes Biondello (another one of Lucentio's servants). |
BIONDELLO
Where have I been? Nay, how now, where are you?
Master, has my fellow Tranio stolen your clothes? 230
Or you stolen his? Or both? Pray, what’s the news? LUCENTIO
Sirrah, come hither. ’Tis no time to jest,
And therefore frame your manners to the time.
Your fellow, Tranio here, to save my life,
Puts my apparel and my count’nance on, 235
And I for my escape have put on his;
For in a quarrel since I came ashore
I killed a man and fear I was descried.
Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes,
While I make way from hence to save my life. 240
You understand me? BIONDELLO Ay, sir. Aside. Ne’er a whit. LUCENTIO
And not a jot of “Tranio” in your mouth.
Tranio is changed into Lucentio. BIONDELLO
The better for him. Would I were so too. 245 TRANIO
So could I, faith, boy, to have the next wish after,
That Lucentio indeed had Baptista’s youngest
daughter.
But, sirrah, not for my sake, but your master’s, I
advise 250
You use your manners discreetly in all kind of
companies.
When I am alone, why then I am Tranio;
But in all places else, your master Lucentio. LUCENTIO Tranio, let’s go. One thing more rests, that 255
thyself execute, to make one among these wooers. If
thou ask me why, sufficeth my reasons are both
good and weighty. They exit. The Presenters above speak. FIRST SERVINGMAN
My lord, you nod. You do not mind the play. SLY Yes, by Saint Anne, do I. A good matter, surely. 260
Comes there any more of it? PAGE, as Lady My lord, ’tis but begun. SLY ’Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam lady.
Would ’twere done. They sit and mark. | Lucentio and Tranio tell Biondello that they're in disguise because Lucentio killed a man and needs to flee the city in case there are witnesses who can identify him. They explain that Tranio will pretend to be Lucentio in order to keep up appearances. Biondello buys their story and they exit the stage. One of the Lord's servants (remember the Induction scenes at the beginning?) asks Sly why he has dozed off. Sly denies falling asleep and says the play's great...and he wishes it were over. By the way, this is the last time we hear from Sly in The Taming of the Shrew. Maybe we're supposed to assume he's fallen asleep, or maybe there are lost lines and scenes that don't appear in Shakespeare's manuscripts. In a closely related play called The Taming of a Shrew, which was written and performed around the time of Shakespeare's play, Sly's character speaks throughout the performance, commenting on the play as it goes along. At the end, Sly runs off to tame his own wife. Some directors and editors like to include these scenes, especially the ending, even though there's no evidence Shakespeare wrote them. Other directors leave out the Induction altogether. |