Shakespeare for Everyone the Frewes oo ast OB :’~C «In Warwickshire, Christopher Sly, a tinker, fell into a drunken sleep outside an alehouse 4 nobleman and his hunting party were passing by. Seeing nts to take the drunkard da trick on him, pretending the sleeping Sly, he asked his to his home. There they play that he was really a nobleman who had been sick and out of his mind. The nobleman soon met a troupe of performing actors and he asked them to perform in front of the ‘lord’ (Sly). rel | When Sly woke up, he at first protested that he was not lord, but finally got used to his new role and settled down tc watch the play, The Taming of the Shrew.In the play, Lucentio, a young man from Pis: manservant, Tranio, came to Padua. Here they met Baptista, a wealthy gentleman. He had two daughters. The elder one, Katherina, was bad-tempered and shrewish and Bianca, the younger one, was sweet and kind. Baptista had been turning down many excellent marriage offers for Bianca. He wanted to find a husband for his elder daughter before he would allow Bianca to marry. Bianca already had two suitors, Hortensio and Gremio. Lucentio, who had fallen in love with Bianca at first sight, also joined in the fray. Lucentio exchanged his clothes withTranio and pretended to be a tutor so that he would be allowed to meet Bianca and win her love. One day, Petruchio, a friend of Hortensio, and his servant, Grumio, arrived in Padua. Petruchio told his friend that he had come in search of a wife, preferably a wealthy one. When he heard about Katherina, he decided that she was the wife for him. While Hortensio and Petruchio were thus talking, they were joined by Gremio and Lucentio, who was disguised as a schoolmaster, Petruchio spoke about his intention to woo Katherina, who had the reputation of being a shrew. He regarded wooing her as a challenge. Petruchio, Gremio, Lucentio (disguised as a tutor), Hortensio (disguised as a musician) and ‘Lucentio’ (Tranio) visited ene————rrrr SS Baptista. At that time Bianca and Katherina were quarrelling and Kate struck her gentle sister. Petruchio asked Baptista’s permission to woo his daughter Katherina. Baptista truthfully told Petruchio about Katherina’s ill nature. But Petruchio was unmoved. He said that he wanted to win her over without haste and asked what dowry Baptista would give her. Baptista knew that Petruchio was wealthy. He said that he would give her twenty thousand crowns for her dowry, estate at his death. He then went to tell his t Petruchio was waiting to woo her. entered the room, Petruchio said, “Good , for that is your name, I hear.” iadKate did not like his way of addressing her and so she said, “They call me Katherine who do speak to me.” But Petruchio continued calling her plain Kate, bonny Kate, pretty Kate, and so on. And thus started their strange courtship. Katherina tried to justify the name of shrew by talking @ rudely and Petruchio continued praising her ‘sweet and courteous words’. | Finally Petruchio said, “Sweet } Katherine, your father has agreed to our marriage. And whether you like , it or not, I will marry you.” ,Meanwhile, Luc sguised as a music igiemienie® a a ee : , ze ianca. She learned play the lute from Hortensio and took lessons in Latin mmar from Lucentio, fi Lucentio told her his true identity and added that he had come to woo her, Bianca was a little cautious but favourable towards him. Hortensio also told her about his intentions Baptista was very glad when Petruchio told him that Katherina had promised to marry him the next Sunday Petruchio said he would like to leave for Venice to buy rings and fine clothes for the wedding.3aptista for her hand. Baptista ianca’s suitors now asked I Bianca’s s ae chal o the wealthiest bi decided to give her hand t L 5 said that he was the owner of and a fleet of merchant ships, Tranio (as Lucentio), whe several homes, much land On the day of the wedding, Petruchio did not arrive for a very long time. The bride, the guests and everyone else was vexed. Finally, | when he did arrive, he did not get any of the bridal finery he had promised. In fact he was strangely dressed, and refused to change for the ceremony, saying that Katherina was going to marry him and not his clothes. At the ceremony, Petruchio stamped and swore loudly and threw wine at the sexton. As soon as the weddin; got over, he kissed his bride and swept her away from th wedding feast. This behaviour of Petruchio’s made Katherin tremble in fear. And this was exactly what he intended i order to tame his shrewish wife.petruchio got a miser, ff Throughout the 2 ae aa and they set e wild ravings of Petruchio. When oe a pone but petruchio found fault with all the food Rec an and ordered the servants to take it away. At night when Katherina, weary and ) hungry, retired to rest, Petruchio found fault with the bed. Katherina was forced to sit in a chair, where, if she happened to fall asleep, she was woken up by the loud voice of Petruchio scolding his servants for not making his wife’s bridal bed Properly. Petruchio had resolved that Katherina would have No rest or food that night.1 fallen in love with Lucentio, the ew his suit and said he was » kept up the pretence of pproval for Bianca’s hand Back in Padua, Bianca had schoolmaster. Hortensio withdr going to marry a rich widow. Tranic being Lucentio, who had Baptista’s a in marriage. The next day, too, when Katherina was about to have the breakfast set before her, Petruchio found fault with everything and the servants were ordered to take it all away. When she begged the servants to secretly get her something to eat, they dared not do so without his knowledge. What vexed Katherina was that he did all this in the name of perfect love. Just then Petruchio came with a dish of meat for her and said, “See how much I love you. I have dressed it myself. What, not even thanks?” He then ordered the servants to take it away. Though angered to the heart, Katherina was forced to say, “I thank you, sir.” Before she could finish her meal, Petruchio called two dressmakers, who had made a gown and a cap for her. Katherina liked them, but Petruchio found fault with both, and with furious gestures and fierce words, drove the two men out of the room. “We will go to your father’s in these very clothes that we are wearing,” he said. Then he called for the horses to be saddled, saying that if they set off at once, they would reach Baptista’s house by dinnertime.—-— i" Katherina was surprised, and replied that it was now midday. so they would only reach her father’s house by suppertime. petruchio lost his temper and said, “Whatever I say you cross it. I will not go today. And when I go, it shall be what oclock I say it is.” Katherina was forced to hold her tongue and wait for the next day. Even while they were journeying to her father’s house, Katherina was in danger of being hurried back if she dared to disagree with her husband.On the way to Padua, Petruchio and Katherina met an old man called Vincentio. He was on his way to visit his som. Petruchio declared that the man was a fair lovely maid, and ordered Katherina to greet him as such. When she did so, he contradicted her. She then apologised to Vincentio for heta ee aes out to be Lucentio’s father. In Padua, Bianca iene face : fe t and Lucentio got married. Lucentio revealed his true identity to Baptista. Even ee gathered for a banquet to celebrate the marriages a Kath and Petruchio, Bianca and Lucentio, and Hortensio and his rich widow. Lucentio and Hortensio seemed well pleased with the mild tempers of their wives and laughed at Petruchio for his less fortunate choice. Baptista, too, joined them in the laugh. When Petruchio said he could prove that his wife was more obedient than the other wives, Baptista said, “Son Petruchio, I fear you have got the veriest shrew of all.” “Well,” said Petruchio, “let us lay a bet. Each one of us will send for our wives. The most obedient of them will come first and will win the bet we propose.” The other two husbands willingly consented and a bet of twenty crowns was laid. Petruchio laid twenty times as much upon his wife. So Lucentio and Hortensio raised the wager to a hundred crowns. Lucentio first sent his servant to ask Bianca to come to him. But the servant returned and said, “Sir, my mistress sends you word that she is busy and cannot come.” Now it was Hortensio’s turn to send for his wife. He said to his servtntneey and entreat my wife to come to me.” Presently, the servant returned without his mistress, and said to him, “My mistress says you have some goodly jest on your mind, and therefore she will not come. She bids you ” come to her. i wii "Petruchio then sent his servant, saying, “Sirrah, go yo your mistress and tell her I command her to come to me.” The company scarcely had time to think whether Katherina would come or not when she entered, saying meekly to Petruchio, “What is your will, sir, that you sent for me?” “Where is your sister and Hortensio’s wife?” asked he. “They are sitting and talking by the fireplace,” she replied. “Go, get them here,” said Petruchio. Katherina went to obey her husband’s command. Baptista was amazed to see this transformation in his daughter. He said, “Son Petruchio! You have won the bet, and I will add another twenty thousand crowns to her dowry, as if she were another daughter, for she has changed.” Katherina once more became famous in Padua, not as Katherina the shrew, but as Katherina the most obedient and dutiful wife in Padua. ie