SETTING I

Padua, in front of Baptista's house

Episode 1

There enter [L. 1]1 Baptista, Katharina, Bianca, Gremio, Hortensio; and [R. 1] unobtrusively, Lucentio with Tranio.

Baptista. [Turning on Gremio and Hortensio.] Gentlemen, impórtune me no farther,

For how firmly I am resolved you know;

That is, not to bestow my youngest daughter
Before I have a husband for the elder.

If either of you both love Katharina,

Because I know you well and love you well,

Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.

Gremio. [Aside.] To cart her rather; she's too rough for

me.

3

There, there, Hortensio, will you any wife?

Katharina. [To Baptista.] I pray you, sir, is it your will

To make a laughing stock of me amongst these mates? Hortensio. Mates, maid! how mean you that? No mates for you,

Unless you were of gentler, milder mould.
Katharina. Sir, you shall never need to fear.
It is not halfway to her heart; 4

But if it were, doubt not her care should be
To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool.
And paint your face and use you like a fool.
Hortensio. From all such tongues deliver me!
Gremio. And me too.

1 [L. 1]: The first entrance from the front of the stage on the left as one faces the audience. L. 2 and L. 3 may be either on the side, well to the rear, or in the back of the stage.

2 cart: a punishment, which consisted in driving the offender around town in a cart.

will: wish.

4 She does not halfway wish it.

Tranio.1 Master, there's some good fun coming;
That maid is stark mad or wonderful perverse.
Lucentio. But in the other's silence do I see

Mild behavior and sobriety.

Baptista. Gentlemen, that I may soon make good
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.
Katharina. A pretty pet! She'd best

Put finger in her eye,2 if she knew why.
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. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva3 speak. Hortensio. Signior Baptista, why will you be so strange, And shut her up for this fiend of hell,

And make her bear the penance of Katharina's tongue? Baptista. Gentlemen, content ye; I am resolved.

Go in, Bianca;

[Exit Bianca R. 2.]

And for I know she taketh most delight
In music, instruments, and poetry,

Schoolmasters will I keep within my house,
Fit to instruct her youth. If you, Hortensio,
Or Signior Gremio, you, know any such,
Refer them hither; for to cunning5 men

I will be very kind.

1 Tranio hangs very close to his master's heels and so speaks almost into Lucentio's ear.

2 Put finger in her eye: Bianca, weeping, has put her hand to her eyes.

3 Minerva: the Roman goddess of wisdom.

4 Signior: a title of respect among the Italians.

5 cunning: skilful.

Tranio, unobserved by his master Lucentio, steps off the stage [R. 1].

Katharina, you may stay;

For I have more to commune with Bianca.

[Exit R. 2.]

Katharina. Why, and I trust I may go too, may I not?
What, shall I be appointed hours, as though

I knew not what to take, and what to leave? Ha!
[Exit R. 2.]

Gremio. Our cake's dough on 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.

Gremio and Hortensio part [R. 1 and L. 2 respectively], Hortensio going in his own gate.

Lucentio. O Tranio,1 till I found it to be true,

I never thought it possible or likely;
But now in plainness I confess to thee,
Tranio, I burn, I pine, I perish, Tranio,
If I achieve not this young modest girl.
I saw sweet beauty in her face.
Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move

And with her breath she did perfume the air.

Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father's he!

Tranio slips back on to the stage, carrying a scholar's cap and

gown.

But art thou not advised, he took some care

To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her? Tranio. Ay, that am I, sir; and now 'tis plotted. [Shows the cap and gown.]

Lucentio. I have it, Tranio.

10 Tranio: Lucentio thinks Tranio is still standing right behind him, 2 But art thou not advised? Do you not understand?

He puts on the cap and gown, giving his own hat and cloak to Tranio.

Tranio. You will be schoolmaster,

And undertake the teaching of the maid:

That's your device?

Lucentio. It is. . . .

In Padua we have not yet been seen in any house,
Nor can we be distinguished by our faces

For man or master.

Then

Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead.

Take my colored hat and cloak,1 and be thou one
Among these wooers. If thou ask me why,

Sufficeth, my reasons are both good and weighty.
[Exit R. 1.]

Tranio puts on Lucentio's cloak and hat and struts away in them [L. 1].

Episode 2

[Prolog.] Petruchio and his man Grumio.

[Exit.]

Petruchio and Grumio enter [R. 1] and proceed to Hortensio's gate [L. 2.]

Petruchio. This is his house. Here, Grumio; knock, I say. Grumio. Knock, sir! whom should I knock? Is there any man has abused your worship?

Petruchio. Villain, I say, knock me2 here soundly.

Grumio. Knock you here, sir! Why, sir, what am I, sir, that I should knock you here, sir?

Petruchio. Villain, I say, knock me at this gate

And rap me well, or I'll knock your knave's pate.

Grumio. Knock you first, and I know after who comes by the worst.

Petruchio. If you'll not knock, I'll ring.

[He wrings him by the ears.]

1 colored hat and cloak. The master wore brighter colors than the servant. 2 me: Petruchio uses me as an indirect object; Grumio pretends to understand the word as a direct object.

Grumio. Help, help! my master is mad.
Petruchio. Now, knock when I bid you.

[Hortensio enters L. 2.]

Hortensio. How now! what's the matter?-My old friend Grumio! and my good friend Petruchio!

Petruchio. Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray? Hortensio. Rise, Grumio, rise.

Grumio. Nay, 'tis no matter, sir. Look you, sir, he bid

me knock him and rap him soundly, sir. for a servant to use his master so?

Petruchio. Good Hortensio,

I bade the rascal knock upon your gate

And could not get him for my heart to do it.

Well, was it fit

Grumio. Knock at the gate! O heavens! Spake you not these words plain, "Knock me here, rap me here, knock me well, and knock me soundly"?

Petruchio. Be gone, or talk not, I advise you.

Hortensio. Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's pledge.
Why, this's a heavy chance 'twixt him and you,
Your ancient,1 trusty, pleasant servant Grumio.
And tell me now, sweet friend, what happy gale
Blows you to Padua here from old Verona?

Petruchio. Such wind as scatters young men through the world
To seek their fortunes.

My father's dead,

And I have thrust myself into this maze,

Haply to wive and thrive as best I may.

Money in my purse I have and goods at home,

And so am come abroad to see the world.

Hortensio. Petruchio, shall I wish thee to a shrewd ill

favored wife?

And yet I'll promise thee she shal be rich

And very rich.

1 ancient: old.