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  • Title: The Taming of the Shrew (Folio, 1623)
  • Editor: Erin Kelly

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-468-4

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Erin Kelly
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Taming of the Shrew (Folio, 1623)

    The Taming of the Shrew. 229
    Wid. Come, come, your mocking: we will haue no
    2690telling.
    Pet. Come on I say, and first begin with her.
    Wid. She shall not.
    Pet. I say she shall, and first begin with her.
    Kate. Fie, fie, vnknit that thretaning vnkinde brow,
    2695And dart not scornefull glances from those eies,
    To wound thy Lord, thy King, thy Gouernour.
    It blots thy beautie, as frosts doe bite the Meads,
    Confounds thy fame, as whirlewinds shake faire budds,
    And in no sence is meete or amiable.
    2700A woman mou'd, is like a fountaine troubled,
    Muddie, ill seeming, thicke, bereft of beautie,
    And while it is so, none so dry or thirstie
    Will daigne to sip, or touch one drop of it.
    Thy husband is thy Lord, thy life, thy keeper,
    2705Thy head, thy soueraigne: One that cares for thee,
    And for thy maintenance. Commits his body
    To painfull labour, both by sea and land:
    To watch the night in stormes, the day in cold,
    Whil'st thou ly'st warme at home, secure and safe,
    2710And craues no other tribute at thy hands,
    But loue, faire lookes, and true obedience;
    Too little payment for so great a debt.
    Such dutie as the subiect owes the Prince,
    Euen such a woman oweth to her husband:
    2715And when she is froward, peeuish, sullen, sowre,
    And not obedient to his honest will,
    What is she but a foule contending Rebell,
    And gracelesse Traitor to her louing Lord?
    I am asham'd that women are so simple,
    2720To offer warre, where they should kneele for peace:
    Or seeke for rule, supremacie, and sway,
    When they are bound to serue, loue, and obay.
    Why are our bodies soft, and weake, and smooth,
    Vnapt to toyle and trouble in the world,
    2725But that our soft conditions, and our harts,
    Should well agree with our externall parts?
    Come, come, you froward and vnable wormes,
    My minde hath bin as bigge as one of yours,
    My heart as great, my reason haplie more,
    2730To bandie word for word, and frowne for frowne;
    But now I see our Launces are but strawes:
    Our strength as weake, our weakenesse past compare,
    That seeming to be most, which we indeed least are.
    Then vale your stomackes, for it is no boote,
    2735And place your hands below your husbands foote:
    In token of which dutie, if he please,
    My hand is readie, may it do him ease.
    Pet. Why there's a wench: Come on, and kisse mee
    Kate.
    2740Luc. Well go thy waies olde Lad for thou shalt ha't.
    Vin. Tis a good hearing, when children are toward.
    Luc. But a harsh hearing, when women are froward,
    Pet. Come Kate, weee'le to bed,
    We three are married, but you two are sped.
    2745'Twas I wonne the wager, though you hit the white,
    And being a winner, God giue you good night.
    Exit Petruchio
    Horten. Now goe thy wayes, thou hast tam'd a curst
    Shrow.
    2750Luc.Tis a wonder, by your leaue, she wil be tam'd so.

    FINIS.



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