No Fear Shakespeare
The Taming of the Shrew
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Act 1, Scene 2, Page 5
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GRUMIO
(to
HORTENSIO) I pray you, sir, let him
go while the humor lasts. O' my word, an she knew him as
well as I do, she would think scolding would do little good upon
him. She may perhaps call him half a score knaves or so. Why,
that’s nothing; an he begin once, he’ll rail in
his rope tricks. I’ll tell you what sir: an she stand him
but a little, he will throw a figure in her face and so disfigure
her with it that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a
cat. You know him not, sir.
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GRUMIO
(to
HORTENSIO) Please, sir, let him go
while he’s in this mood. Lord! If she knew him as well as I
do, she’d realize how little effect a scolding has on him.
At best she may come up with nine or ten abusive things to call him.
That’s nothing. Once he starts on her, he’ll rant
and rave on an epic scale. In fact, if she even tries to face him
down, he’ll throw out a figure of speech that so disfigures
her she’ll have no more eyes to see with than a cat. You
don’t know him, sir.
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HORTENSIO
Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee,
For in Baptista’s keep my treasure is.
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca,
And her withholds from me and other more,
Suitors to her and rivals in my love,
Supposing it a thing impossible,
For those defects I have before rehearsed,
That ever Katherina will be wooed.
Therefore this order hath Baptista ta'en,
That none shall have access unto Bianca
Till Katherine the curst have got a husband.
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HORTENSIO
Wait, Petruchio, I should go with you. My own
“wealth” is in Baptista’s keeping.
His youngest daughter, the beautiful Bianca, is the jewel of my
life, and he keeps her hidden away from me and other rivals for her
hand. Because he finds it so incredible—owing to those
character deficiencies I mentioned before—that any man
will ever come courting Katherina, Baptista has therefore issued
this edict: that none shall be permitted to court Bianca until that
Katherine the shrew finds a husband.
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GRUMIO
“Katherine the curst!”
A title for a maid of all titles the worst.
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GRUMIO
“Katherine the shrew!” That’s the
worst thing you can call a young woman.
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HORTENSIO
Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace,
And offer me disguised in sober robes
To old Baptista as a schoolmaster
Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca,
That so I may, by this device at least,
Have leave and leisure to make love to her
And, unsuspected, court her by herself.
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HORTENSIO
Now my friend Petruchio will help me out, presenting me to old
Baptista as a schoolmaster for Bianca well-versed in music.
I’ll disguise myself in somber robes. In this costume,
I’ll be able to spend time with her alone, which will give
me plenty of opportunity to court her.
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