Home > No Fear Shakespeare > The Taming of the Shrew > Act 3, Scene 1, Page 4

No Fear Shakespheare

The Taming of the Shrew

William Shakespeare

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Act 3, Scene 1, Page 4

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55
 LUCENTIO
(as CAMBIO) Are you so formal, sir? Well, I must wait.
(aside) And watch withal, for, but I be deceived,
Our fine musician groweth amorous.
 LUCENTIO
(as CAMBIO) Well, aren’t we strict! Okay, I guess I’ll have to wait. (to himself) And watch, too. For unless I’m very much mistaken, our fancy musician is turning romantic!




60


 HORTENSIO
(as LITIO) Madam, before you touch the instrument,
To learn the order of my fingering
I must begin with rudiments of art,
To teach you gamut in a briefer sort,
More pleasant, pithy, and effectual
Than hath been taught by any of my trade.
And there it is in writing, fairly drawn.
 HORTENSIO
(as LITIO) Madam, before you take up the instrument or begin to learn the fingering, I must teach you certain fundamentals. To help you remember the scales, I’ve come up with a little trick—more fun and effective than those that any of my colleagues use. Here, I’ve written it out.

BIANCA
Why, I am past my gamut long ago.
 BIANCA
I think I know my scales by now!

65		 HORTENSIO
Yet read the gamut of Hortensio.
 HORTENSIO
(speaking as LITIO) Well, read Hortensio’s scale anyway.





70




75		 BIANCA
(reads)
“Gamut I am, the ground of all accord:
A re, to plead Hortensio’s passion;
B mi, Bianca, take him for thy lord,
C fa ut, that loves with all affection;
D sol re, one clef, two notes have I;
E la mi, show pity, or I die.”
Call you this “gamut”? Tut, I like it not.
Old fashions please me best. I am not so nice
To change true rules for old inventions.
 BIANCA
(reading) “I am the scale, the basis of all harmony.
A re, Im here to argue for Hortensio’s love;
B mi, Bianca, take him for your husband,
C fa ut, he loves you with all affection;
D sol re, I have one clef but only two notes;
E la mi, have pity on me, or I’ll die.”
You call this a scale? I don’t like it. I don’t go in for these new-fangled methods. I like doing things the old-fashioned way.
Enter a SERVANT
A SERVANT enters.
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