The Taming of the Shrew (Folger Shakespeare Library)

by William Shakespeare

Of all mad matches never was the like.

Now were not I a little pot and 5 soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my 6 tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my 7 belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me.

GRUMIO . . . Now were not I a little pot and 5 soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my 6 tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my 7 belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me. . . . Footnote 6. hot: Proverbial: “A small pot is soon hot.”

Away, you three-inch fool,

< CURTIS > Away, you three-inch fool, I am no beast! 24 Footnote 24. three-inch fool: another reference to Grumio’s short stature (compare little pot, line 5)

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

Where’s my spaniel Troilus?

(Since of ourselves, ourselves are choleric)

Thus have I politicly begun my reign,

This is a way to kill a wife with kindness. 208 And thus I’ll curb her mad and headstrong humor. 209 He that knows better how to tame a shrew, 210 Now let him speak; ’tis charity to shew.

<LUCENTIO, as CAMBIO> I read that I profess, The Art to Love. 8 BIANCA And may you prove, sir, master of your art. 9 LUCENTIO, <as CAMBIO> While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my heart. 10 <They move aside and kiss and talk.>

< LUCENTIO, as CAMBIO > I read that I profess, The Art to Love. 8 BIANCA And may you prove, sir, master of your art. 9 LUCENTIO, < as CAMBIO > While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my heart. 10 < They move aside and kiss and talk. >

Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow 28 Never to woo her more, but do forswear her 29 As one unworthy all the former favors 30 That I have fondly flattered <her> withal.

HORTENSIO See how they kiss and court! Signior Lucentio, 27 Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow 28 Never to woo her more, but do forswear her 29 As one unworthy all the former favors 30 That I have fondly flattered < her > withal. 31

Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks, 41 Shall win my love, and so I take my leave, 42 In resolution as I swore before.

Petruchio is the master, 58 That teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long 59 To tame a shrew and charm her chattering tongue.

TRANIO I’ faith, he’ll have a lusty widow now 51 That shall be wooed and wedded in a day. 52 BIANCA God give him joy. 53 TRANIO Ay, and he’ll tame her. 54 BIANCA He says so, Tranio? 55 TRANIO Faith, he is gone unto the taming school. 56 BIANCA The taming school? What, is there such a place? 57 TRANIO Ay, mistress, and Petruchio is the master, 58 That teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long 59 To tame a shrew and charm her chattering tongue. 60 Footnotes 59. eleven and twenty long: i.e., exactly right (The allusion is to the card game “Thirty-one.”) 60. charm: magically silence

’Tis death for anyone in Mantua 86 To come to Padua.

The poorest service is repaid with thanks,

My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, 82 Or else my heart, concealing it, will break,

Our purses shall be proud, our garments poor, 177 For ’tis the mind that makes the body rich,

PETRUCHIO Well, come, my Kate, we will unto your father’s, 175 Even in these honest mean habiliments. 176 Our purses shall be proud, our garments poor, 177 For ’tis the mind that makes the body rich, 178 And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds, 179 So honor peereth in the meanest habit. 180 What, is the jay more precious than the lark 181 Because his feathers are more beautiful? 182 Or is the adder better than the eel 183 Because his painted skin contents the eye? 184 O no, good Kate. Neither art thou the worse 185 For this poor furniture and mean array. 186 . . .

Not in my house, Lucentio, for you know 52 Pitchers have ears, and I have many servants.

Take you assurance 93 of her cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.

BIONDELLO . . . Take you assurance 93 of her cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum. Footnotes 93–94. Take . . . of her: i.e., make sure of her 94. cum . . . solum: “with the exclusive right to print” (Latin), a formula often appearing on the title pages of books in this period (Biondello plays with the formula as a description of legal marriage.)

It shall be moon, or star, or what I list, 8 Or e’er I journey to your father’s house.

< Scene 5 > Enter Petruchio, Katherine, Hortensio, < and Servants. > PETRUCHIO Come on, i’ God’s name, once more toward our 1 father’s. 2 Good Lord, how bright and goodly shines the moon! 3 KATHERINE The moon? The sun! It is not moonlight now. 4 PETRUCHIO I say it is the moon that shines so bright. 5 KATHERINE I know it is the sun that shines so bright. 6 PETRUCHIO Now, by my mother’s son, and that’s myself, 7 It shall be moon, or star, or what I list, 8 Or e’er I journey to your father’s house. 9 < To Servants. > Go on, and fetch our horses back 10 again.—11 Evermore crossed and crossed, nothing but crossed! 12

Forward, I pray, since we have come so far, 14 And be it moon, or sun, or what you please. 15 And if you please to call it a rush candle, 16 Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me.

HORTENSIO, < to Katherine > Say as he says, or we shall never go. 13 KATHERINE Forward, I pray, since we have come so far, 14 And be it moon, or sun, or what you please. 15 And if you please to call it a rush candle, 16 Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me. 17 PETRUCHIO I say it is the moon. 18 KATHERINE I know it is the moon. 19 PETRUCHIO Nay, then you lie. It is the blessèd sun. 20 KATHERINE Then God be blest, it < is > the blessèd sun. 21 But sun it is not, when you say it is not, 22 And the moon changes even as your mind. 23 What you will have it named, even that it is, 24 And so it shall be so for Katherine. 25 HORTENSIO Petruchio, go thy ways, the field is won. 26

But soft! Company is coming here.

Good morrow, gentle mistress,

Love wrought these miracles.

First kiss me, Kate, and we will.

KATHERINE Husband, let’s follow to see the end of 145 this ado. 146 PETRUCHIO First kiss me, Kate, and we will. 147 KATHERINE What, in the midst of the street? 148 PETRUCHIO What, art thou ashamed of me? 149 KATHERINE < No, > sir, God forbid, but ashamed to kiss. 150 PETRUCHIO Why, then, let’s home again. < To Grumio. > Come, 151 sirrah, let’s away. 152 KATHERINE Nay, I will give thee a kiss. 153 < She kisses him. > Now pray thee, love, stay. 154 PETRUCHIO Is not this well? Come, my sweet Kate. 155

Better once than never, for never too late.

PETRUCHIO Is not this well? Come, my sweet Kate. 155 Better once than never, for never too late. 156 They exit. Footnotes 156. Better . . . late: Petruchio combines two proverbs—“ Better once than never” (i.e., “Better late than never”) and “It is never too late to mend.” 156 SD. See “Framing Dialogue,” F. F. [See The Shrew, 5.1.156 SD.] Sly sleeps. LORD Who’s within there? Come hither, sirs. My lord’s asleep again. Go take him easily up, And put him in his own apparel again, And lay him in the place where we did find him, Just underneath the alehouse side below. But see you wake him not in any case. BOY It shall be done, my lord.—Come help to bear him hence. Exit.

Let’s each one send unto his wife, 68 And he whose wife is most obedient 69 To come at first when he doth send for her 70 Shall win the wager which we will propose.

Marry, peace it bodes, and love, and quiet life, 121 An awful rule, and right supremacy, 122 And, to be short, what not that’s sweet and happy.

PETRUCHIO Marry, peace it bodes, and love, and quiet life, 121 An awful rule, and right supremacy, 122 And, to be short, what not that’s sweet and happy. 123 Footnotes 122. awful rule: rule by commanding respect or awe; right: proper 123. what not: i.e., anything and everything

Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, 162 Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee, 163 And for thy maintenance commits his body 164 To painful labor both by sea and land, 165 To watch the night in storms, the day in cold, 166 Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe, 167 And craves no other tribute at thy hands 168 But love, fair looks, and true obedience— 169 Too little payment for so great a debt. 170 Such duty as the subject owes the prince, 171 Even such a woman oweth to her husband; 172 And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour, 173 And not obedient to his honest will, 174 What is she but a foul contending rebel 175 And graceless traitor to her loving lord? 176 I am ashamed that women are so simple 177 To offer war where they should kneel for peace, 178 Or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway 179 When they are bound to serve, love, and obey. 180 Why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth, 181 Unapt to toil and trouble in the world, 182 But that our soft conditions and our hearts 183 Should well agree with our external parts? 184

KATE . . . Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, 162 Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee, 163 And for thy maintenance commits his body 164 To painful labor both by sea and land, 165 To watch the night in storms, the day in cold, 166 Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe, 167 And craves no other tribute at thy hands 168 But love, fair looks, and true obedience—169 Too little payment for so great a debt. 170 Such duty as the subject owes the prince, 171 Even such a woman oweth to her husband; 172 And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour, 173 And not obedient to his honest will, 174 What is she but a foul contending rebel 175 And graceless traitor to her loving lord? 176 I am ashamed that women are so simple 177 To offer war where they should kneel for peace, 178 Or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway 179 When they are bound to serve, love, and obey. 180 Why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth, 181 Unapt to toil and trouble in the world, 182 But that our soft conditions and our hearts 183 Should well agree with our external parts? 184 Footnotes 162–70. Thy husband . . . debt: See Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 5.22–28 (“ Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, . . . for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church . . .”). In the Geneva Bible, the marginal gloss adds “So the husband ought to nourish, govern, and defend his wife from perils.” To watch: i.e., to keep watch throughout at thy hands: i.e., from your hands 171–76. Such duty . . . lord: See 1 Peter 2.13–3.7: “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king . . . or unto governors. . . . Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands. . . .” 177. simple: foolish 179. sway: power 182. Unapt: unsuited 183. conditions: qualities

VINCENTIO ’Tis a good hearing when children are toward. 198 LUCENTIO But a harsh hearing when women are froward. 199

VINCENTIO ’Tis a good hearing when children are toward. 198 LUCENTIO But a harsh hearing when women are froward. 199

God give you good night.