The Taming of the Shrew: Act 4, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 4, Scene 1 of The Taming of the Shrew from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Grumio. GRUMIO Fie, fie on all tired jades, on all mad masters, and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? Was ever man so ’rayed? Was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. Now were not I a little pot and 5 soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me. But I with blowing the fire shall warm myself. For, considering the weather, a taller man than I will take 10 cold.—Holla, ho, Curtis! Enter Curtis. CURTIS Who is that calls so coldly? GRUMIO A piece of ice. If thou doubt it, thou mayst slide from my shoulder to my heel with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis! 15 CURTIS Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio? GRUMIO Oh, ay, Curtis, ay, and therefore fire, fire! Cast on no water. CURTIS Is she so hot a shrew as she’s reported? GRUMIO She was, good Curtis, before this frost. But 20 thou know’st winter tames man, woman, and beast, for it hath tamed my old master and my new mistress and myself, fellow Curtis. CURTIS Away, you three-inch fool, I am no beast! GRUMIO Am I but three inches? Why, thy horn is a 25 foot, and so long am I, at the least. But wilt thou make a fire? Or shall I complain on thee to our mistress, whose hand (she being now at hand) thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office? 30 CURTIS I prithee, good Grumio, tell me, how goes the world? GRUMIO A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine, and therefore fire! Do thy duty, and have thy duty, for my master and mistress are almost frozen to 35 death. CURTIS There’s fire ready. And therefore, good Grumio, the news! GRUMIO Why, “Jack boy, ho boy!” and as much news as wilt thou. 40 CURTIS Come, you are so full of cony-catching. GRUMIO Why, therefore fire, for I have caught extreme cold. Where’s the cook? Is supper ready, the house trimmed, rushes strewed, cobwebs swept, the servingmen in their new fustian, their white stockings, 45 and every officer his wedding garment on? Be the Jacks fair within, the Jills fair without, the carpets laid, and everything in order? CURTIS All ready. And therefore, I pray thee, news. GRUMIO First, know my horse is tired, my master and 50 mistress fallen out. CURTIS How? GRUMIO Out of their saddles into the dirt, and thereby hangs a tale. CURTIS Let’s ha’ t, good Grumio. 55 GRUMIO Lend thine ear. CURTIS Here. GRUMIO There! He slaps Curtis on the ear. CURTIS This ’tis to feel a tale, not to hear a tale. GRUMIO And therefore ’tis called a sensible tale. And 60 this cuff was but to knock at your ear and beseech list’ning. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress— CURTIS Both of one horse? GRUMIO What’s that to thee? 65 CURTIS Why, a horse. GRUMIO Tell thou the tale! But hadst thou not crossed me, thou shouldst have heard how her horse fell, and she under her horse; thou shouldst have heard in how miry a place, how she was bemoiled, how he 70 left her with the horse upon her, how he beat me because her horse stumbled, how she waded through the dirt to pluck him off me, how he swore, how she prayed that never prayed before, how I cried, how the horses ran away, how her bridle was 75 burst, how I lost my crupper, with many things of worthy memory which now shall die in oblivion, and thou return unexperienced to thy grave. CURTIS By this reck’ning, he is more shrew than she. GRUMIO Ay, and that thou and the proudest of you all 80 shall find when he comes home. But what talk I of this? Call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Phillip, Walter, Sugarsop, and the rest. Let their heads be slickly combed, their blue coats brushed, and their garters of an indifferent knit. Let them curtsy 85 with their left legs, and not presume to touch a hair of my master’s horse-tail till they kiss their hands. Are they all ready? CURTIS They are. GRUMIO Call them forth. 90 CURTIS, calling out Do you hear, ho? You must meet my master to countenance my mistress. GRUMIO Why, she hath a face of her own. CURTIS Who knows not that? GRUMIO Thou, it seems, that calls for company to 95 countenance her. CURTIS I call them forth to credit her. GRUMIO Why, she comes to borrow nothing of them. Enter four or five Servingmen. NATHANIEL Welcome home, Grumio. PHILLIP How now, Grumio? 100 JOSEPH What, Grumio! NICHOLAS Fellow Grumio! NATHANIEL How now, old lad? GRUMIO Welcome, you!—How now, you?—What, you!—Fellow, you!—And thus much for greeting. 105 Now, my spruce companions, is all ready and all things neat? NATHANIEL All things is ready. How near is our master? GRUMIO E’en at hand, alighted by this. And therefore 110 be not—Cock’s passion, silence! I hear my master.	Grumio enters Petruchio's country house, where Curtis and some other servants are prepping for the arrival of their master and his new wife. Grumio complains that he has been traveling from Padua with Petruchio and Kate and has been sent ahead to start a fire before they arrive. Curtis begs for news and gossip about the newly married couple, but Grumio picks a fight with Curtis and slaps him around a bit. Grumio says he's too mad at Curtis to describe what happened on the way home from Padua, but then ends up narrating the entire thing by telling Curtis what he is not going to tell him. He says something like this: "If I wasn't mad at you, I'd tell you how Kate's horse stumbled and threw her off before it landed on top of her in the mud. I'd also tell you how Petruchio pounded me for what happened and how Kate tried to pull him off me but ended up getting even muddier. I'd also tell you how Petruchio swore like a sailor, Kate prayed, and I cried. But, I'm too mad so I'm not going to tell you anything." Curtis says that Petruchio is more of a "shrew" than Kate and Grumio says that Curtis ain't seen nothin' yet.
Enter Petruchio and Katherine. PETRUCHIO Where be these knaves? What, no man at door To hold my stirrup nor to take my horse? Where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Phillip? ALL THE SERVANTS Here! Here, sir, here, sir! 115 PETRUCHIO “Here, sir! Here, sir! Here, sir! Here, sir!” You loggerheaded and unpolished grooms. What? No attendance? No regard? No duty? Where is the foolish knave I sent before? GRUMIO Here, sir, as foolish as I was before. 120 PETRUCHIO You peasant swain, you whoreson malt-horse drudge! Did I not bid thee meet me in the park And bring along these rascal knaves with thee? GRUMIO Nathaniel’s coat, sir, was not fully made, 125 And Gabriel’s pumps were all unpinked i’ th’ heel. There was no link to color Peter’s hat, And Walter’s dagger was not come from sheathing. There were none fine but Adam, Rafe, and Gregory. The rest were ragged, old, and beggarly. 130 Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet you. PETRUCHIO Go, rascals, go, and fetch my supper in! The Servants exit. Sings. Where is the life that late I led? Where are those— Sit down, Kate, and welcome. 135 They sit at a table. Soud, soud, soud, soud! Enter Servants with supper. Why, when, I say?—Nay, good sweet Kate, be merry.— Off with my boots, you rogues, you villains! When? Sings. It was the friar of orders gray, 140 As he forth walkèd on his way— Servant begins to remove Petruchio’s boots. Out, you rogue! You pluck my foot awry. Take that! He hits the Servant. And mend the plucking of the other.— Be merry, Kate.—Some water here! What ho! 145 Enter one with water. Where’s my spaniel Troilus? Sirrah, get you hence And bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither. A Servant exits. One, Kate, that you must kiss and be acquainted with.— Where are my slippers? Shall I have some water?— 150 Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily.— You whoreson villain, will you let it fall? He hits the Servant. KATHERINE Patience, I pray you, ’twas a fault unwilling. PETRUCHIO A whoreson beetle-headed flap-eared knave!— Come, Kate, sit down. I know you have a stomach. 155 Will you give thanks, sweet Kate, or else shall I?— What’s this? Mutton? FIRST SERVANT Ay. PETRUCHIO Who brought it? PETER I. 160 PETRUCHIO ’Tis burnt, and so is all the meat. What dogs are these? Where is the rascal cook? How durst you, villains, bring it from the dresser And serve it thus to me that love it not? There, take it to you, trenchers, cups, and all! 165 He throws the food and dishes at them. You heedless joltheads and unmannered slaves! What, do you grumble? I’ll be with you straight. The Servants exit. KATHERINE I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet. The meat was well, if you were so contented. PETRUCHIO I tell thee, Kate, ’twas burnt and dried away, 170 And I expressly am forbid to touch it, For it engenders choler, planteth anger, And better ’twere that both of us did fast (Since of ourselves, ourselves are choleric) Than feed it with such over-roasted flesh. 175 Be patient. Tomorrow ’t shall be mended, And for this night we’ll fast for company. Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber. They exit.	Petruchio walks in and acts all wild. One moment he's calling his servants bastards and lackeys while kicking them around, and the next minute he's telling Kate to relax and make herself at home. Petruchio claims that the servants burned dinner and flings some food and dishes around. Kate tries to talk him down. She doesn't yet know that he's messing with her head and, besides, the poor girl's hungry—she didn't even get a piece of wedding cake. Petruchio announces that they're going to bed without dinner and trots her off to her room.
Enter Servants severally. NATHANIEL Peter, didst ever see the like? PETER He kills her in her own humor. 180 Enter Curtis. GRUMIO Where is he? CURTIS In her chamber, Making a sermon of continency to her, And rails and swears and rates, that she (poor soul) Knows not which way to stand, to look, to speak, 185 And sits as one new-risen from a dream. Away, away, for he is coming hither! The Servants exit. Enter Petruchio. PETRUCHIO Thus have I politicly begun my reign, And ’tis my hope to end successfully. My falcon now is sharp and passing empty, 190 And, till she stoop, she must not be full-gorged, For then she never looks upon her lure. Another way I have to man my haggard, To make her come and know her keeper’s call. That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites 195 That bate and beat and will not be obedient. She ate no meat today, nor none shall eat. Last night she slept not, nor tonight she shall not. As with the meat, some undeservèd fault I’ll find about the making of the bed, 200 And here I’ll fling the pillow, there the bolster, This way the coverlet, another way the sheets. Ay, and amid this hurly I intend That all is done in reverend care of her. And, in conclusion, she shall watch all night, 205 And, if she chance to nod, I’ll rail and brawl, And with the clamor keep her still awake. This is a way to kill a wife with kindness. And thus I’ll curb her mad and headstrong humor. He that knows better how to tame a shrew, 210 Now let him speak; ’tis charity to shew. He exits.	Peter says that Petruchio has put the kibosh on Kate's bad behavior by giving her a dose of her own medicine. Curtis reveals that Petruchio is in Kate's room lecturing her on self-control. Kate, of course, is dumbfounded, like someone who has just woken from a dream. Petruchio enters and delivers a long speech about how his plan to tame Kate has begun. He compares himself to a falcon tamer and compares Kate to a wild bird that must be broken. He'll starve her and deprive her of sleep—all while pretending to have her best interest in mind—until she breaks. This, he says, is the best way to tame a shrew. (Sounds like the Stockhom Syndrome approach to winning over a wife to us.) Petruchio sort of puffs out his chest and challenges the audience to come up with a better way to get a shrewish woman in line.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Grumio.

GRUMIO Fie, fie on all tired jades, on all mad masters,
and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? Was
ever man so ’rayed? Was ever man so weary? I am
sent before to make a fire, and they are coming
after to warm them. Now were not I a little pot and 5
soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my
tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my
belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me. But I
with blowing the fire shall warm myself. For, considering
the weather, a taller man than I will take 10
cold.—Holla, ho, Curtis!

Enter Curtis.

CURTIS Who is that calls so coldly?

GRUMIO A piece of ice. If thou doubt it, thou mayst
slide from my shoulder to my heel with no greater
a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis! 15

CURTIS Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio?

GRUMIO Oh, ay, Curtis, ay, and therefore fire, fire! Cast
on no water.

CURTIS Is she so hot a shrew as she’s reported?

GRUMIO She was, good Curtis, before this frost. But 20
thou know’st winter tames man, woman, and
beast, for it hath tamed my old master and my new
mistress and myself, fellow Curtis.

CURTIS Away, you three-inch fool, I am no beast!

GRUMIO Am I but three inches? Why, thy horn is a 25
foot, and so long am I, at the least. But wilt thou
make a fire? Or shall I complain on thee to our
mistress, whose hand (she being now at hand) thou
shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in
thy hot office? 30

CURTIS I prithee, good Grumio, tell me, how goes the
world?

GRUMIO A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine,
and therefore fire! Do thy duty, and have thy duty,
for my master and mistress are almost frozen to 35
death.

CURTIS There’s fire ready. And therefore, good Grumio,
the news!

GRUMIO Why, “Jack boy, ho boy!” and as much news
as wilt thou. 40

CURTIS Come, you are so full of cony-catching.

GRUMIO Why, therefore fire, for I have caught extreme
cold. Where’s the cook? Is supper ready, the house
trimmed, rushes strewed, cobwebs swept, the servingmen
in their new fustian, their white stockings, 45
and every officer his wedding garment on? Be
the Jacks fair within, the Jills fair without, the
carpets laid, and everything in order?

CURTIS All ready. And therefore, I pray thee, news.

GRUMIO First, know my horse is tired, my master and 50
mistress fallen out.

CURTIS How?

GRUMIO Out of their saddles into the dirt, and thereby
hangs a tale.

CURTIS Let’s ha’ t, good Grumio. 55

GRUMIO Lend thine ear.

CURTIS Here.

GRUMIO There! He slaps Curtis on the ear.

CURTIS This ’tis to feel a tale, not to hear a tale.

GRUMIO And therefore ’tis called a sensible tale. And 60
this cuff was but to knock at your ear and beseech
list’ning. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a
foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress—

CURTIS Both of one horse?

GRUMIO What’s that to thee? 65

CURTIS Why, a horse.

GRUMIO Tell thou the tale! But hadst thou not crossed
me, thou shouldst have heard how her horse fell,
and she under her horse; thou shouldst have heard
in how miry a place, how she was bemoiled, how he 70
left her with the horse upon her, how he beat me
because her horse stumbled, how she waded
through the dirt to pluck him off me, how he swore,
how she prayed that never prayed before, how I
cried, how the horses ran away, how her bridle was 75
burst, how I lost my crupper, with many things of
worthy memory which now shall die in oblivion,
and thou return unexperienced to thy grave.

CURTIS By this reck’ning, he is more shrew than she.

GRUMIO Ay, and that thou and the proudest of you all 80
shall find when he comes home. But what talk I of
this? Call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Phillip,
Walter, Sugarsop, and the rest. Let their heads
be slickly combed, their blue coats brushed, and
their garters of an indifferent knit. Let them curtsy 85
with their left legs, and not presume to touch a hair
of my master’s horse-tail till they kiss their hands.
Are they all ready?

CURTIS They are.

GRUMIO Call them forth. 90

CURTIS, calling out Do you hear, ho? You must meet
my master to countenance my mistress.

GRUMIO Why, she hath a face of her own.

CURTIS Who knows not that?

GRUMIO Thou, it seems, that calls for company to 95
countenance her.

CURTIS I call them forth to credit her.

GRUMIO Why, she comes to borrow nothing of them.

Enter four or five Servingmen.

NATHANIEL Welcome home, Grumio.

PHILLIP How now, Grumio? 100

JOSEPH What, Grumio!

NICHOLAS Fellow Grumio!

NATHANIEL How now, old lad?

GRUMIO Welcome, you!—How now, you?—What,
you!—Fellow, you!—And thus much for greeting. 105
Now, my spruce companions, is all ready and all
things neat?

NATHANIEL All things is ready. How near is our
master?

GRUMIO E’en at hand, alighted by this. And therefore 110
be not—Cock’s passion, silence! I hear my master.

Grumio enters Petruchio's country house, where Curtis and some other servants are prepping for the arrival of their master and his new wife. Grumio complains that he has been traveling from Padua with Petruchio and Kate and has been sent ahead to start a fire before they arrive.

Curtis begs for news and gossip about the newly married couple, but Grumio picks a fight with Curtis and slaps him around a bit.

Grumio says he's too mad at Curtis to describe what happened on the way home from Padua, but then ends up narrating the entire thing by telling Curtis what he is not going to tell him.

He says something like this: "If I wasn't mad at you, I'd tell you how Kate's horse stumbled and threw her off before it landed on top of her in the mud. I'd also tell you how Petruchio pounded me for what happened and how Kate tried to pull him off me but ended up getting even muddier. I'd also tell you how Petruchio swore like a sailor, Kate prayed, and I cried. But, I'm too mad so I'm not going to tell you anything."

Curtis says that Petruchio is more of a "shrew" than Kate and Grumio says that Curtis ain't seen nothin' yet.

Enter Petruchio and Katherine.

PETRUCHIO
Where be these knaves? What, no man at door
To hold my stirrup nor to take my horse?
Where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Phillip?

ALL THE SERVANTS Here! Here, sir, here, sir! 115

PETRUCHIO
“Here, sir! Here, sir! Here, sir! Here, sir!”
You loggerheaded and unpolished grooms.
What? No attendance? No regard? No duty?
Where is the foolish knave I sent before?

GRUMIO
Here, sir, as foolish as I was before. 120

PETRUCHIO
You peasant swain, you whoreson malt-horse
drudge!
Did I not bid thee meet me in the park
And bring along these rascal knaves with thee?

GRUMIO
Nathaniel’s coat, sir, was not fully made, 125
And Gabriel’s pumps were all unpinked i’ th’ heel.
There was no link to color Peter’s hat,
And Walter’s dagger was not come from sheathing.
There were none fine but Adam, Rafe, and Gregory.
The rest were ragged, old, and beggarly. 130
Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet you.

PETRUCHIO
Go, rascals, go, and fetch my supper in!

The Servants exit.

Sings. Where is the life that late I led?
Where are those—
Sit down, Kate, and welcome. 135

They sit at a table.

Soud, soud, soud, soud!

Enter Servants with supper.

Why, when, I say?—Nay, good sweet Kate, be
merry.—
Off with my boots, you rogues, you villains! When?
Sings. It was the friar of orders gray, 140
As he forth walkèd on his way—

Servant begins to remove Petruchio’s boots.

Out, you rogue! You pluck my foot awry.
Take that!

He hits the Servant.

And mend the plucking of the other.—
Be merry, Kate.—Some water here! What ho! 145

Enter one with water.

Where’s my spaniel Troilus? Sirrah, get you hence
And bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither.

A Servant exits.

One, Kate, that you must kiss and be acquainted
with.—
Where are my slippers? Shall I have some water?— 150
Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily.—
You whoreson villain, will you let it fall?

He hits the Servant.

KATHERINE
Patience, I pray you, ’twas a fault unwilling.

PETRUCHIO
A whoreson beetle-headed flap-eared knave!—
Come, Kate, sit down. I know you have a stomach. 155
Will you give thanks, sweet Kate, or else shall I?—
What’s this? Mutton?

FIRST SERVANT Ay.

PETRUCHIO Who brought it?

PETER I. 160

PETRUCHIO ’Tis burnt, and so is all the meat.
What dogs are these? Where is the rascal cook?
How durst you, villains, bring it from the dresser
And serve it thus to me that love it not?
There, take it to you, trenchers, cups, and all! 165

He throws the food and dishes at them.

You heedless joltheads and unmannered slaves!
What, do you grumble? I’ll be with you straight.

The Servants exit.

KATHERINE
I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet.
The meat was well, if you were so contented.

PETRUCHIO
I tell thee, Kate, ’twas burnt and dried away, 170
And I expressly am forbid to touch it,
For it engenders choler, planteth anger,
And better ’twere that both of us did fast
(Since of ourselves, ourselves are choleric)
Than feed it with such over-roasted flesh. 175
Be patient. Tomorrow ’t shall be mended,
And for this night we’ll fast for company.
Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber.

They exit.

Petruchio walks in and acts all wild. One moment he's calling his servants bastards and lackeys while kicking them around, and the next minute he's telling Kate to relax and make herself at home.

Petruchio claims that the servants burned dinner and flings some food and dishes around.

Kate tries to talk him down. She doesn't yet know that he's messing with her head and, besides, the poor girl's hungry—she didn't even get a piece of wedding cake.

Petruchio announces that they're going to bed without dinner and trots her off to her room.

Enter Servants severally.

NATHANIEL Peter, didst ever see the like?

PETER He kills her in her own humor. 180

Enter Curtis.

GRUMIO Where is he?

CURTIS In her chamber,
Making a sermon of continency to her,
And rails and swears and rates, that she (poor soul)
Knows not which way to stand, to look, to speak, 185
And sits as one new-risen from a dream.
Away, away, for he is coming hither!

The Servants exit.

Enter Petruchio.

PETRUCHIO
Thus have I politicly begun my reign,
And ’tis my hope to end successfully.
My falcon now is sharp and passing empty, 190
And, till she stoop, she must not be full-gorged,
For then she never looks upon her lure.
Another way I have to man my haggard,
To make her come and know her keeper’s call.
That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites 195
That bate and beat and will not be obedient.
She ate no meat today, nor none shall eat.
Last night she slept not, nor tonight she shall not.
As with the meat, some undeservèd fault
I’ll find about the making of the bed, 200
And here I’ll fling the pillow, there the bolster,
This way the coverlet, another way the sheets.
Ay, and amid this hurly I intend
That all is done in reverend care of her.
And, in conclusion, she shall watch all night, 205
And, if she chance to nod, I’ll rail and brawl,
And with the clamor keep her still awake.
This is a way to kill a wife with kindness.
And thus I’ll curb her mad and headstrong humor.
He that knows better how to tame a shrew, 210
Now let him speak; ’tis charity to shew.

He exits.

Peter says that Petruchio has put the kibosh on Kate's bad behavior by giving her a dose of her own medicine.

Curtis reveals that Petruchio is in Kate's room lecturing her on self-control. Kate, of course, is dumbfounded, like someone who has just woken from a dream.

Petruchio enters and delivers a long speech about how his plan to tame Kate has begun. He compares himself to a falcon tamer and compares Kate to a wild bird that must be broken.

He'll starve her and deprive her of sleep—all while pretending to have her best interest in mind—until she breaks. This, he says, is the best way to tame a shrew. (Sounds like the Stockhom Syndrome approach to winning over a wife to us.)

Petruchio sort of puffs out his chest and challenges the audience to come up with a better way to get a shrewish woman in line.

The Taming of the Shrew: Act 4, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 4, Scene 1 of The Taming of the Shrew from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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