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The Taming of the Shrew

William Shakespeare

  • Drama
  • Book language: English
  • 151 pages

The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare. It tells of Petruchio's courtship of the sharp-tongued Katharina, and the competition for her sister Bianca's hand, framed by a trick played on a tinker named Christopher Sly. It is worth listening to for its witty dialogue, spirited characters, and playful examination of marriage and gender roles.

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Text source: standardebooks.org · The work is in the public domain.

Opening of the book

Dramatis Personae

A Lord, person in the introduction

Christopher Sly, a tinker, person in the introduction

Hostess, page, players, huntsmen, and servants, persons in the introduction

Baptista, a rich gentleman of Padua

Vincentio, an old gentleman of Pisa

Lucentio, son to Vincentio, in love with Bianca

Petruchio, a gentleman of Verona, a suitor to Katharina

Gremio, suitor to Bianca

Hortensio, suitor to Bianca

Tranio, servant to Lucentio

Biondello, servant to Lucentio

Grumio, servant to Petruchio

Curtis, servant to Petruchio

A Pedant

Katharina, the shrew, daughter to Baptista

Bianca, daughter to Baptista

Widow

Tailor, haberdasher, and servants attending on Baptista and Petruchio

Scene: Padua, and Petruchio’s country house.

Induction

Scene I

Before an alehouse on a heath.

(Enter HLjǪǵŧǪǪ and SƯΏ.)

SƯΏ

I’ll pheeze you, in faith.

LjǪǵŧǪǪ

A pair of stocks, you rogue!

SƯΏ

Ye are a baggage: the Slys are no rogues; look in the chronicles; we came in with Richard Conqueror. Therefore paucas pallabris; let the world slide: sessa!

LjǪǵŧǪǪ

You will not pay for the glasses you have burst?

SƯΏ

No, not a denier. Go by, Jeronimy: go to thy cold bed, and warm thee.

LjǪǵŧǪǪ

I know my remedy; I must go fetch the third-borough. (Exit.)

SƯΏ

Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I’ll answer him by law: I’ll not budge an inch, boy: let him come, and kindly. (Falls asleep.)

(Horns winded. Enter a LLjǡŠ from hunting, with his train.)

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