The Taming of the Shrew: Act 5, Scene 1
Enter BIONDELLO, LUCENTIO, and
out before: on the forestage. Old Gremio has commissioned young Cambio to be his emissary of love to Bianca, so he is looking about for Cambio, while behind him, out of his sight, Lucentio, still disguised as Cambio, is running away to church with Bianca.
BIANCA; GREMIO is out before.
BIONDELLO
1
Softly and swiftly, sir; for the priest is ready.
LUCENTIO
2
I fly, Biondello: but they may chance to need thee 3
at home; therefore leave us.
BIONDELLO
4. I'll see the church o' your back: I'll see the church over you; i.e., I'll see you into the church.
4
Nay, faith, I'll see the church o' your back; and 5
then come back to my master's as soonGremio
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The Taming of the Shrew Costume Portraits
6
as I can.
[Exeunt LUCENTIO, BIANCA,
and BIONDELLO.]
GREMIO
7
I marvel Cambio comes not all this while.
Enter PETRUCHIO, KATE, VINCENTIO,
GRUMIO, with Attendants.
PETRUCHIO
8
Sir, here's the door, this is Lucentio's house:9. father's: i.e., father-in-law's, Baptista's. bears: lies.
9
My father's bears more toward the market-place; 10
Thither must I, and here I leave you, sir.
VINCENTIO
11
You shall not choose but drink before you go: 12
I think I shall command your welcome here,13. cheer is toward: entertainment is in preparation.
13
And, by all likelihood, some cheer is toward.
Knock.
GREMIO
14
They're busy within; you were best knock 15
louder.window: i.e., probably the gallery to the rear, over the stage.
PEDANT looks out of the window.
Pedant
16
What's he that knocks as he would 17
beat down the gate?
VINCENTIO
18
Is Signior Lucentio within, sir?
Pedant
19
He's within, sir, but not to be spoken 20
withal.
VINCENTIO
a hundred pound or two: Vincentio is quite rich. In Shakespeare's time a middling English farm could be rented for £100 a year. Also, Shakespeare seems to have forgotten that this is all supposed to happen in Padua, where the standard unit of currency probably would be the florin, not the pound.
21
What if a man bring him a hundred pound or two, to 22
make merry withal?
Pedant
23
Keep your hundred pounds to yourself: he shall 24
need none, so long as I live.
PETRUCHIO
25
Nay, I told you your son was well beloved in Padua.26. circumstances: matters.
26
Do you hear, sir? To leave frivolous circumstances, 27
I pray you, tell Signior Lucentio that his father is 28
come from Pisa, and is here at the door 29
to speak with him.
Pedant
30
Thou liest: his father is come from Padua and here 31
looking out at the window.
VINCENTIO
32
Art thou his father?
Pedant
so his mother says: The idea that a wife could very well lie about the paternity of her child was a standard guy joke of the time.
33
Ay, sir; so his mother says, if I may believe 34
her.
PETRUCHIO [To VINCENTIO.]
35
Why, how now, gentleman! Why, 36. flat: downright.
36
this is flat knavery, to take upon you 37
another man's name.
Pedant
38
Lay hands on the villain: I believe 39. a' means to cozen: he intends to cheat.
39
a' means to cozen somebody in this 40. under my countenance: in my person.
40
city under my countenance.
Enter BIONDELLO.
BIONDELLO
41
I have seen them in the church 42-43. good shipping: bon voyage, fair sailing.
42
together: God send 'em good 43
shipping! But who is here? mine 44
old master Vincentio! now we 45. undone: ruined.
45
are undone and brought to nothing.
VINCENTIO [Seeing BIONDELLO.]
46. crack-hemp: gallows bird.
46
Come hither, crack-hemp.
BIONDELLO
47. Hope I may choose: i.e., You're not my boss.
47
Hope I may choose, sir.
VINCENTIO
48
Come hither, you rogue. What, have you 49
forgot me?
BIONDELLO
50
Forgot you! no, sir: I could not forget you, 51
for I never saw you before in all my life.
VINCENTIO
52
What, you notorious villain, didst thou never 53
see thy master's father, Vincentio?
BIONDELLO
54
What, my old worshipful old master? yes, 55
marry, sir: see where he looks out of the 56
window.
VINCENTIO
57
Is't so, indeed?
He beats Biondello.
BIONDELLO
58
Help, help, help! here's a madman will 59
murder me.
[Exit.]
Pedant
60
Help, son! help, Signior Baptista!
[Exit from above.]
PETRUCHIO
61
Prithee, Kate, let's stand aside and see the 62
end of this controversy.
Enter PEDANT [below] with Servants,
BAPTISTA, TRANIO [as Lucentio].
TRANIO
63. offer: presume.
63
Sir, what are you that offer to beat my 64
servant?
VINCENTIO
65
What am I, sir! nay, what are you, sir? O immortal66. fine: consummate.
66
gods! O fine villain! A silken doublet! a velvet67. copatain: high-crowned.
67
hose! a scarlet cloak! and a copatain hat! O, I68-69. good husband: careful provider, manager.
68
am undone! I am undone! while I play the good 69
husband at home, my son and my servant spend all at 70
the university.
TRANIO
71
How now! what's the matter?
BAPTISTA
72
What, is the man lunatic?
TRANIO
73
Sir, you seem a sober ancient gentleman by your 74
habit, but your words show you a madman. Why, sir,75. 'cerns: concerns.
75
what 'cerns it you if I wear pearl and gold? I76. maintain: afford.
76
thank my good father, I am able to maintain it.
VINCENTIO
77
Thy father! O villain! he is a sailmaker in 78
Bergamo.
BAPTISTA
79
You mistake, sir, you mistake, sir. Pray, what do 80
you think is his name?
VINCENTIO
81
His name! as if I knew not his name: I have brought 82
him up ever since he was three years old, and his 83
name is Tranio.
Pedant
84
Away, away, mad ass! his name is Lucentio and he is 85
mine only son, and heir to the lands of me, 86
Signior Vincentio.
VINCENTIO
87
Lucentio! O, he hath murdered his master! Lay hold 88
on him, I charge you, in the duke's name. O, my 89
son, my son! Tell me, thou villain, where is 90
my son Lucentio?
TRANIO
91
Call forth an officer.
[Enter one with an Officer.]
92. gaol: jail
92
Carry this mad knave to the gaol. Father Baptista,93. forthcoming: ready to appear (in court) when required.
93
I charge you see that he be forthcoming.
VINCENTIO
94
Carry me to the gaol!
GREMIO
95
Stay, officer: he shall not go to prison.
BAPTISTA
96
Talk not, Signior Gremio: I say he shall go 97
to prison.
GREMIO
98
Take heed, Signior Baptista, lest you be
99. cony-catch'd: tricked, duped.
99
cony-catched in this business: I dare swear 100
this is the right Vincentio.
Pedant
101
Swear, if thou darest.
GREMIO
102
Nay, I dare not swear it.
TRANIO
103. wert best: might as well.
103
Then thou wert best say that I am not104
Lucentio.
GREMIO
105
Yes, I know thee to be Signior Lucentio.
BAPTISTA
106. gaol: jail
106
Away with the dotard! to the gaol with107
him!
VINCENTIO
108. hal'd: hauled about, mistreated.
108
Thus strangers may be hal'd and abus'd: O109
monstrous villain!
Enter BIONDELLO, LUCENTIO
and BIANCA.
BIONDELLO [To Lucentio.]
110
O! we are spoiled andyonder he is: deny him,111
forswear him, or else we are all undone.
LUCENTIO
112
Pardon, sweet father.
Kneel.
VINCENTIO
112
Lives my sweet son?
Exeunt Biondello, Tranio,
and Pedant, as fast as may be.
BIANCA
113
Pardon, dear father.
BAPTISTA
113
How hast thou offended?114
Where is Lucentio?
LUCENTIO
114
Here's Lucentio,115
Right son to the right Vincentio;116
That have by marriage made thy daughter mine,117. counterfeit supposes: false appearances. ...more blear'd thine eyne: hoodwinked you. "Eyne" was an older plural of "eye."
117
While counterfeit supposes blear'd thine eyne.
GREMIO
118. packing, with a witness: an obvious conspiracy.
118
Here's packing, with a witness, to deceive us119
all!
VINCENTIO
120
Where is that damned villain Tranio,121. fac'd and braved: put on a false face and defied.
121
That fac'd and braved me in this matter so?
BAPTISTA
122
Why, tell me, is not this my Cambio?
BIANCA
123
Cambio is changed into Lucentio.
LUCENTIO
124
Love wrought these miracles. Bianca's love125. state: social station, rank and degree.
125
Made me exchange my state with Tranio,126. countenance: appearance.
126
While he did bear my countenance in the town;127
And happily I have arrived at the last128
Unto the wished haven of my bliss.129
What Tranio did, myself enforced him to;130
Then pardon him, sweet father, for my sake.
VINCENTIO
131
I'll slit the villain's nose, that would have sent132
me to the gaol.
BAPTISTA
133
But do you hear, sir? have you married my daughter134
without asking my good will?
VINCENTIO
we will content you: i.e., we will make everything (concerning the dowery and such) right. go to: i.e., don't get all worked up.
135
Fear not, Baptista; we will content you, go to: but136
I will in, to be revenged for this villany.
Exit.
BAPTISTA
137
And I, to sound the depth of this knavery.
Exit.
LUCENTIO
138
Look not pale, Bianca; thy father will not 139
frown.
Exeunt [LUCENTIO and BIANCA].
GREMIO
140. My cake is dough: i.e., I'm out of luck. 141. Out of hope of all, but: with hope of nothing except. . .
140
My cake is dough; but I'll in among the rest,141
Out of hope of all, but my share of the feast.
[Exit.]
KATHARINA
142
Husband, let's follow, to see the end of this ado.
PETRUCHIO
143
First kiss me, Kate, and we will.
KATHARINA
144
What, in the midst of the street?
PETRUCHIO
145
What, art thou ashamed of me?
KATHARINA
146
No, sir, God forbid; but ashamed to kiss.
PETRUCHIO
147
Why, then let's home again. Come, sirrah, let's away.
KATHARINA
148
Nay, I will give thee a kiss: now pray thee, love, stay.
PETRUCHIO
149
Is not this well? Come, my sweet Kate:
150. once: at some time. Petruchio means "better late than never."
150
Better once than never, for never too late.
Exeunt.