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The Taming of the Shrew, Act 4, Scene 5

William Shakespeare
Every note, for your class

The story so far

Earlier in the play

Petruchio has married Katherina, denied her food and sleep, and rejected her new clothes. He refuses to visit her father until she accepts his stated time. Hortensio abandons Bianca for a widow. Lucentio courts Bianca disguised as Cambio; Tranio impersonates Lucentio and recruits a false father.

In the last scene: Act 4, Scene 4

The Pedant poses as Vincentio and offers the marriage settlement Baptista requires. Baptista consents to Bianca’s marriage and goes with Tranio and the Pedant to settle the details privately. Biondello urges Lucentio to marry Bianca meanwhile at Saint Luke’s, where a priest is ready. Lucentio decides to proceed if Bianca agrees.

SCENE V. A public road.

Enter Petruchio, Katherina, Hortensio and Servants.
PETRUCHIO
Come on, i’ God’s name; once more toward our father’s.Good Lord, how bright and goodly shines the moon!
KATHERINA
The moon! The sun; it is not moonlight now.
PETRUCHIO
I say it is the moon that shines so bright.
KATHERINA
I know it is the sun that shines so bright.
PETRUCHIO
Now by my mother’s son, and that’s myself,It shall be moon, or star, or what I list,Or ere I journey to your father’s house.Go on and fetch our horses back again.Evermore cross’d and cross’d; nothing but cross’d!
HORTENSIO
Say as he says, or we shall never go.
KATHERINA
Forward, I pray, since we have come so far,And be it moon, or sun, or what you please;And if you please to call it a rush-candle,Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me.
PETRUCHIO
I say it is the moon.
KATHERINA
I know it is the moon.
PETRUCHIO
Nay, then you lie; it is the blessed sun.
KATHERINA
Then, God be bless’d, it is the blessed sun;But sun it is not when you say it is not,And the moon changes even as your mind.What you will have it nam’d, even that it is,And so it shall be so for Katherine.
HORTENSIO
Petruchio, go thy ways; the field is won.
PETRUCHIO
Well, forward, forward! thus the bowl should run,And not unluckily against the bias.But, soft! Company is coming here.
Enter Vincentio, in a travelling dress.
PETRUCHIO
Good morrow, gentle mistress; where away?Tell me, sweet Kate, and tell me truly too,Hast thou beheld a fresher gentlewoman?Such war of white and red within her cheeks!What stars do spangle heaven with such beautyAs those two eyes become that heavenly face?Fair lovely maid, once more good day to thee.Sweet Kate, embrace her for her beauty’s sake.
HORTENSIO
A will make the man mad, to make a woman of him.
KATHERINA
Young budding virgin, fair and fresh and sweet,Whither away, or where is thy abode?Happy the parents of so fair a child;Happier the man whom favourable starsAllot thee for his lovely bedfellow.
PETRUCHIO
Why, how now, Kate! I hope thou art not mad:This is a man, old, wrinkled, faded, wither’d,And not a maiden, as thou sayst he is.
KATHERINA
Pardon, old father, my mistaking eyes,That have been so bedazzled with the sunThat everything I look on seemeth green:Now I perceive thou art a reverend father;Pardon, I pray thee, for my mad mistaking.
PETRUCHIO
Do, good old grandsire, and withal make knownWhich way thou travellest: if along with us,We shall be joyful of thy company.
VINCENTIO
Fair sir, and you my merry mistress,That with your strange encounter much amaz’d me,My name is called Vincentio; my dwelling Pisa;And bound I am to Padua, there to visitA son of mine, which long I have not seen.
PETRUCHIO
What is his name?
VINCENTIO
Lucentio, gentle sir.
PETRUCHIO
Happily met; the happier for thy son.And now by law, as well as reverend age,I may entitle thee my loving father:The sister to my wife, this gentlewoman,Thy son by this hath married. Wonder not,Nor be not griev’d: she is of good esteem,Her dowry wealthy, and of worthy birth;Beside, so qualified as may beseemThe spouse of any noble gentleman.Let me embrace with old Vincentio;And wander we to see thy honest son,Who will of thy arrival be full joyous.
VINCENTIO
But is this true? or is it else your pleasure,Like pleasant travellers, to break a jestUpon the company you overtake?
HORTENSIO
I do assure thee, father, so it is.
PETRUCHIO
Come, go along, and see the truth hereof;For our first merriment hath made thee jealous.
Exeunt all but Hortensio.
HORTENSIO
Well, Petruchio, this has put me in heart.Have to my widow! and if she be froward,Then hast thou taught Hortensio to be untoward.
Exit.

Characters

Speaking

  • 12 speeches
  • 7 speeches
  • 5 speeches
  • 3 speeches

Mentioned

All the characters ›

Themes

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Questions on this scene

  • Reading

    What does Petruchio initially call the sun?

Locations

Also mentioned

  • Petruchio’s country house?characters travel here or from here
  • Road to Padua?characters travel here or from here