No Fear Shakespeare
The Taming of the Shrew
Get this No Fear to go!
Act 1, Scene 1, Page 5
Original Text | Modern Text | |
Exit BIANCA
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BIANCA exits. | |
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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,
Prefer them hither, for to cunning men
I will be very kind, and liberal
To mine own children in good bringing up.
And so farewell.—Katherina, you may stay,
For I have more to commune with Bianca.
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And because I know how fond she is of music, playing her
instruments, and poetry, I plan to hire live-in tutors for her. If
either of you gentlemen knows anyone who would be suitable for the
job, send him to me. I’ll pay well for good teachers. I
don’t stint when it comes to educating my children.
Goodbye, gentlemen. Katherina, you may stay. I have things to
discuss with Bianca.
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Exit | He exits. | |
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KATHERINE
Why, and I trust I may go too, may I not? What, shall I be
appointed hours as though, belike, I knew not what to take and what
to leave, ha?
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KATHERINE
Stay out here? I don’t think so! Am I to be dictated to,
like a child? Told when to come and where to go? No.
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Exit | She exits. | |
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GREMIO
You may go to the devil’s dam! Your gifts are so good
here’s none will hold you.—Their love is not so
great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together and fast it
fairly out. 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.
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GREMIO
You can go straight to hell! What you have to offer is nothing
anyone wants. Hortensio, our desire to be married isn’t so
great that we can’t wait this out patiently. It’s
tough on both of us, but I guess we’ll live. So long. But
to prove my love for Bianca, I’m going to see if I can find
a good tutor to give her lessons in the things she enjoys. If I do,
I’ll send him to her father.
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HORTENSIO
So will I, Signior Gremio. But a word, I pray. Though the nature
of our quarrel yet never brooked parle, know now upon advice, it
toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to our fair
mistress and be happy rivals in Bianca’s love, to labor and
effect one thing specially.
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HORTENSIO
I’ll do the same. But wait—don’t go
just yet, Signior Gremio. I know we’ve never exactly been
allies, but it might be in both our interests, if you think about
it, to put our heads together about one particular thing. That is,
if we ever want to return to being rivals for Bianca’s
love.
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