The Taming of the Shrew: Act 5, Scene 2
Enter BAPTISTA, VINCENTIO, GREMIO,
the PEDANT, LUCENTIO, and BIANCA;
[PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, HORTENSIO,]
TRANIO, BIONDELLO, GRUMIO, and
WIDOW: the Servingmen with Tranio bringing
stage direction. a banquet: i.e., the dessert trolley.
in a banquet.
LUCENTIO
1 At last, though long, our jarring notes agree: 2 And time it is, when raging war is done,3. scapes: escapes; close calls with disaster. overblown: blown over.
3 To smile at scapes and perils overblown. 4 My fair Bianca, bid my father welcome, 5 While I with self-same kindness welcome thine. 6 Brother Petruchio, sister Katharina, 7 And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow, 8 Feast with the best, and welcome to my house:9. close our stomachs up: 1) finish off the feast; 2) end our quarrels.
9 My banquet is to close our stomachs up, 10 After our great good cheer. Pray you, sit down; 11 For now we sit to chat as well as eat.
PETRUCHIO
12 Nothing but sit and sit, and eat and eat!
BAPTISTA
13 Padua affords this kindness, son Petruchio.
PETRUCHIO
kind: natural and pleasant.
14 Padua affords nothing but what is kind.
HORTENSIO
15 For both our sakes, I would that word were true.
PETRUCHIO
16. fears: The verb "to fear" was used to mean both "to be afraid" and "to make someone else afraid."
16 Now, for my life, Hortensio fears his widow.
Widow
17. afeard: afraid. The widow asserts that she is not at all afraid of Hortensio.
17 Then never trust me, if I be afeard.
PETRUCHIO
18 You are very sensible, and yet you miss my sense: 19 I mean, Hortensio is afeard of you.
Widow
20. He ... round: This saying means that people project their own faults on others.
20 He that is giddy thinks the world turns round.
PETRUCHIO
21. Roundly: frankly; plainly.
21 Roundly replied.
KATHARINA
21 Mistress, how mean you that?
Widow
22. Thus I conceive by him: i.e., I got my idea by observing Petruchio. The Widow explains exactly what she means in lines 28-30.
22 Thus I conceive by him.
PETRUCHIO
23. Conceives by me!: Petruchio takes up conceives in the sense of is made pregnant.
23 Conceives by me! How likes Hortensio that?
HORTENSIO
24. conceives her tale: devises (with possible pun on tale, tail).
24 My widow says, thus she conceives her tale.
PETRUCHIO
25 Very well mended. Kiss him for that, good widow.
KATHARINA
26 "He that is giddy thinks the world turns round": 27 I pray you, tell me what you meant by that.
Widow
28 Your husband, being troubled with a shrew,29. Measures: Judges.
29 Measures my husband's sorrow by his woe: 30 And now you know my meaning.
KATHARINA
31. very mean: i.e., very contemptible.
31 A very mean meaning.
Widow
31 Right, I mean you.
KATHARINA
32. I am mean indeed, respecting you: I am in the mean—moderate and even-tempered—in comparison to you.
32 And I am mean indeed, respecting you.
PETRUCHIO
33 To her, Kate!
HORTENSIO
34 To her, widow!
PETRUCHIO
35. mark: coin worth about ⅔ of a pound. put her down: overcome or defeat her.
35 A hundred marks, my Kate does put her down.
HORTENSIO
36. That's my office: i.e. I'm her husband, so it's my job to have sex with her.
36 That's my office.
PETRUCHIO
37. ha': i.e., here's.
37 Spoke like an officer; ha' to thee, lad!
Drinks to Hortensio.
BAPTISTA
38 How likes Gremio these quick-witted folks?
GREMIO
39. butt together well: i.e., are entertaining and well-matched in their battles of wits.
39 Believe me, sir, they butt together well.
BIANCA
40-41. head ... horn: I think "horn" must be an allusion to the horns of a cuckold, but I don't understand by what pass of wit Bianca gets from "butt" to "Head, and butt," and thence to "head and horn."
40 Head, and butt! an hasty-witted body 41 Would say your head and butt were head and horn.
VINCENTIO
42 Ay, mistress bride, hath that awaken'd you?
BIANCA
43 Ay, but not frighted me; therefore I'll sleep again.
PETRUCHIO
44 Nay, that you shall not: since you have begun,45. Have at you: I shall come at you. bitter: shrewd, sharp.
45 Have at you for a bitter jest or two!
BIANCA
46. your bird: i.e., the bird you are aiming your darts at. shift my bush: fly to another tree (so that he will have to follow her if he intends to keep her as his target).
46 Am I your bird? I mean to shift my bush; 47 And then pursue me as you draw your bow. 48 You are welcome all.
Exit Bianca [with Katharina
and Widow].
PETRUCHIO
49. prevented: forestalled.
49 She hath prevented me. Here, Signior Tranio.50. This bird you aim'd at: i.e., This Bianca, (bird) whom Tranio courted (aim'd at) in his disguise as Lucentio.
50 This bird you aim'd at, though you hit her not; 51 Therefore a health to all that shot and miss'd.
TRANIO
52. slipp'd: unleashed.
52 O, sir, Lucentio slipp'd me like his greyhound, 53 Which runs himself and catches for his master.
PETRUCHIO
54. swift: (1) ready-witted; (2) having reference to swiftness. currish: (1) ignoble; (2) concerning dogs.
54 A good swift simile, but something currish.
TRANIO
55 'Tis well, sir, that you hunted for yourself:56. does hold you at a bay: turn to make a stand against you; turns on you like a cornered animal and holds you at a distance (hunting term).
56 'Tis thought your deer does hold you at a bay.
BAPTISTA
57 O ho, Petruchio! Tranio hits you now.
LUCENTIO
58. gird: taunt; sharp, biting jest.
58 I thank thee for that gird, good Tranio.
HORTENSIO
59 Confess, confess, hath he not hit you here?
PETRUCHIO
60. gall'd: wounded.
60 A' has a little gall'd me, I confess; 61 And, as the jest did glance away from me, 62 'Tis ten to one it maim'd you two outright.
BAPTISTA
63. good sadness: all seriousness.
63 Now, in good sadness, son Petruchio, 64 I think thou hast the veriest shrew of all.
PETRUCHIO
65. assurance: proof.
65 Well, I say no: and therefore for assurance 66 Let's each one send unto his wife; 67 And he whose wife is most obedient 68 To come at first when he doth send for her, 69 Shall win the wager which we will propose.
HORTENSIO
70 Content. What is the wager?
LUCENTIO
70 Twenty crowns.
PETRUCHIO
71 Twenty crowns!72. of my hawk: on my hawk.
72 I'll venture so much of my hawk or hound, 73 But twenty times so much upon my wife.
LUCENTIO
74 A hundred then.
HORTENSIO
74 Content.
PETRUCHIO
74. A match: agreed.
74 A match! 'tis done.
HORTENSIO
75 Who shall begin?
LUCENTIO
75 That will I. 76 Go, Biondello, bid your mistress come to me.
BIONDELLO
77 I go.
Exit.
BAPTISTA
78. I'll be your half: I'll share the wager with you by paying half your bet.
78 Son, I'll be your half, Bianca comes.
LUCENTIO
79 I'll have no halves; I'll bear it all myself.
Enter BIONDELLO. 80 How now! what news?
BIONDELLO
80 Sir, my mistress sends you word 81 That she is busy and she cannot come.
PETRUCHIO
82 How! she is busy and she cannot come! 83 Is that an answer?
GREMIO
83 Ay, and a kind one too: 84 Pray God, sir, your wife send you not a worse.
PETRUCHIO
85. hope: expect.
85 I hope better.
HORTENSIO
86 Sirrah Biondello, go and entreat my wife 87 To come to me forthwith.
Exit Biondello.
PETRUCHIO
87 O, ho! entreat her! 88 Nay, then she must needs come.
HORTENSIO
88 I am afraid, sir, 89 Do what you can, yours will not be entreated.
Enter BIONDELLO. 90 Now, where's my wife?
BIONDELLO
91 She says you have some goodly jest in hand: 92 She will not come: she bids you come to her.
PETRUCHIO
93 Worse and worse; she will not come! O vile, 94 Intolerable, not to be endured! 95 Sirrah Grumio, go to your mistress; 96 Say, I command her to come to me.
Exit [Grumio].
HORTENSIO
97 I know her answer.
PETRUCHIO
97 What?
HORTENSIO
97 She will not.
PETRUCHIO
98 The fouler fortune mine, and there an end.
BAPTISTA
99. by my holidame: i.e., by my Holy Dame (the Virgin Mary). The phrase was a common one, with little or no Christian meaning.
99 Now, by my holidame, here comes Katharina!
Enter KATHARINA.
KATHARINA
100 What is your will, sir, that you send for me?
PETRUCHIO
101 Where is your sister, and Hortensio's wife?
KATHARINA
102. conferring: i.e., chatting.
102 They sit conferring by the parlor fire.
PETRUCHIO
103 Go fetch them hither: if they deny to come,104. Swinge me: i.e., Thrash them at my behest.
104 Swinge me them soundly forth unto their husbands:105 Away, I say, and bring them hither straight.
[Exit Katharina.]
LUCENTIO
106 Here is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder.
HORTENSIO
107 And so it is: I wonder what it bodes.
PETRUCHIO
108 Marry, peace it bodes, and love and quiet life,109. aweful rule: authority commanding respect or awe.
109 And aweful rule and right supremacy;110 And, to be short, what not, that's sweet and happy?
BAPTISTA
111. fair: good fortune.
111 Now, fair befall thee, good Petruchio!112-113. I will add ...crowns: Baptista has just doubled Katharina's dowry; See Act 2, Scene 1, line 122.
112 The wager thou hast won; and I will add113 Unto their losses twenty thousand crowns;114 Another dowry to another daughter,115 For she is changed, as she had never been.
PETRUCHIO
116 Nay, I will win my wager better yet117 And show more sign of her obedience,118 Her new-built virtue and obedience.
Enter KATE, BIANCA, and WIDOW.
119. froward wives: difficult wives.
119 See where she comes and brings your froward wives120 As prisoners to her womanly persuasion.121 Katharina, that cap of yours becomes you not:122 Off with that bauble, throw it under-foot.
[Kate throws down her cap and treads on it.]
Widow
123 Lord, let me never have a cause to sigh,124. pass: state of affairs.
124 Till I be brought to such a silly pass!
BIANCA
125. duty: obedience.
125 Fie! what a foolish duty call you this?
LUCENTIO
126 I would your duty were as foolish too:127 The wisdom of your duty, fair Bianca,128 Hath cost me an hundred crowns since supper-time.
BIANCA
129. laying: wagering, betting.
129 The more fool you, for laying on my duty.
PETRUCHIO
130 Katharina, I charge thee, tell these headstrong women131 What duty they do owe their lords and husbands.
Widow
132 Come, come, you're mocking: we will have no telling.
PETRUCHIO
133 Come on, I say; and first begin with her.
Widow
134 She shall not.
PETRUCHIO
135 I say she shall: and first begin with her.
KATHARINA
136 Fie, fie! unknit that threatening unkind brow,137 And dart not scornful glances from those eyes,138 To wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor:139. as frosts do bite the meads: as frosts disfigure the meadow. 140. Confounds thy fame: ruins your reputation. 141. meet: fitting; appropriate.
139 It blots thy beauty as frosts do bite the meads,140 Confounds thy fame as whirlwinds shake fair buds,141 And in no sense is meet or amiable.142. mov'd: angry.
142 A woman mov'd is like a fountain troubled,143. ill-seeming: ugly.
143 Muddy, ill-seeming, thick, bereft of beauty;144 And while it is so, none so dry or thirsty145 Will deign to sip or touch one drop of it.146 Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper,147 Thy head, thy sovereign; one that cares for thee,148 And for thy maintenance commits his body149 To painful labor both by sea and land,150 To watch the night in storms, the day in cold,151 Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe;152 And craves no other tribute at thy hands153 But love, fair looks and true obedience;154 Too little payment for so great a debt.155 Such duty as the subject owes the prince156 Even such a woman oweth to her husband;157. froward: difficult, wayward.
157 And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour,158 And not obedient to his honest will,159 What is she but a foul contending rebel160 And graceless traitor to her loving lord?161. simple: foolish.
161 I am ashamed that women are so simple162 To offer war where they should kneel for peace;163 Or seek for rule, supremacy and sway,164 When they are bound to serve, love and obey.165 Why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth,166. Unapt to: Unfit for.
166 Unapt to toil and trouble in the world,167. conditions: dispositions.
167 But that our soft conditions and our hearts168 Should well agree with our external parts?169. unable worms: i.e., poor weak creatures.
169 Come, come, you froward and unable worms!170. as big: as haughty, arrogant.
170 My mind hath been as big as one of yours,171 My heart as great, my reason haply more,172 To bandy word for word and frown for frown;173 But now I see our lances are but straws,174 Our strength as weak, our weakness past compare,175 That seeming to be most which we indeed least are.176. Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot: Then lower your pride, for there is no help for it.
176 Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot,177 And place your hands below your husband's foot:178 In token of which duty, if he please,179. do him ease: give him pleasure.
179 My hand is ready; may it do him ease.
PETRUCHIO
180 Why, there's a wench! Come on, and kiss me, Kate.
LUCENTIO
go ... ha't: i.e., Good going, my good old buddy Petruchio, for you're going to have everything you want.
181 Well, go thy ways, old lad; for thou shalt ha't.
VINCENTIO
182. 'Tis a good hearing when children are toward: i.e., one likes to hear when children are obedient.
182 'Tis a good hearing when children are toward.
LUCENTIO
183. froward: difficult.
183 But a harsh hearing when women are froward.
PETRUCHIO
184 Come, Kate, we'll to bed.185. We three are married, but you two are sped: i.e., all we three men have taken wives, but you two are done for (sped) because you've lost the bet.
185 We three are married, but you two are sped.
[To Lucentio.]186. white: center of the target; playing on Bianca's name, which in Italian means "white."
186 'Twas I won the wager, though you hit the white;187 And, being a winner, God give you good night!
Exit Petruchio [with Kate].
HORTENSIO
188. thou hast tam'd a curst shrow: you have tamed a cursed shrew. 188 Now, go thy ways; thou hast tam'd a curst shrow.
LUCENTIO
189 'Tis a wonder, by your leave, she will be tam'd so.
[Exeunt.]