A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 1 of The Taming of the Shrew from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Original Text |
Translated Text |
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| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library | |
Enter Biondello, Lucentio as himself, and Bianca. BIONDELLO Softly and swiftly, sir, for the priest is LUCENTIO I fly, Biondello. But they may chance to Lucentio exits with Bianca. BIONDELLO Nay, faith, I’ll see the church a’ your back, 5 He exits. GREMIO I marvel Cambio comes not all this while. Enter Petruchio, Katherine, Vincentio, Grumio, with PETRUCHIO VINCENTIO He knocks. GREMIO, coming forward They’re busy within. You were best knock louder. 15 Merchant looks out of the window. MERCHANT, as Vincentio What’s he that knocks as VINCENTIO Is Signior Lucentio within, sir? MERCHANT, as Vincentio He’s within, sir, but not to VINCENTIO What if a man bring him a hundred pound MERCHANT, as Vincentio Keep your hundred PETRUCHIO, to Vincentio Nay, I told you your son was MERCHANT, as Vincentio Thou liest. His father is VINCENTIO Art thou his father? MERCHANT, as Vincentio Ay, sir, so his mother says, 35 PETRUCHIO, to Vincentio Why, how now, gentleman! MERCHANT, as Vincentio Lay hands on the villain. I 40 Enter Biondello. BIONDELLO, aside I have seen them in the church VINCENTIO, to Biondello Come hither, crack-hemp. BIONDELLO I hope I may choose, sir. VINCENTIO Come hither, you rogue! What, have you BIONDELLO Forgot you? No, sir. I could not forget you, VINCENTIO What, you notorious villain, didst thou BIONDELLO What, my old worshipful old master? Yes, 55 VINCENTIO Is ’t so indeed? He beats Biondello. BIONDELLO Help, help, help! Here’s a madman will Biondello exits. MERCHANT, as Vincentio Help, son! Help, Signior 60 He exits from window. PETRUCHIO Prithee, Kate, let’s stand aside and see the They move aside. Enter Merchant with Servants, and Baptista and TRANIO, as Lucentio Sir, what are you that offer to VINCENTIO What am I, sir? Nay, what are you, sir! O TRANIO, as Lucentio How now, what’s the matter? BAPTISTA What, is the man lunatic? TRANIO, as Lucentio Sir, you seem a sober ancient VINCENTIO Thy father! O villain, he is a sailmaker in BAPTISTA You mistake, sir, you mistake, sir! Pray, what VINCENTIO His name? As if I knew not his name! I have MERCHANT, as Vincentio Away, away, mad ass! His VINCENTIO Lucentio? O, he hath murdered his master! TRANIO, as Lucentio Call forth an officer. Enter an Officer. Carry this mad knave to the jail.—Father Baptista, I VINCENTIO Carry me to the jail? GREMIO Stay, officer. He shall not go to prison. BAPTISTA Talk not, Signior Gremio. I say he shall go to GREMIO Take heed, Signior Baptista, lest you be cony-catched 100 MERCHANT, as Vincentio Swear, if thou dar’st. GREMIO Nay, I dare not swear it. TRANIO, as Lucentio Then thou wert best say that I 105 GREMIO Yes, I know thee to be Signior Lucentio. BAPTISTA Away with the dotard, to the jail with him. VINCENTIO Thus strangers may be haled and abused.— Enter Biondello, Lucentio and Bianca. BIONDELLO O, we are spoiled, and yonder he is! Deny Biondello, Tranio, and Merchant LUCENTIO Lucentio and Bianca kneel. | Lucentio and Bianca run off to get married at St. Luke's church. Meanwhile, Petruchio, Kate, and Vincentio arrive at Lucentio's house, where the Merchant is pretending to be Lucentio's father while he hangs out with Baptista. The Merchant (as Vincentio) comes to the front door and faces the man he is impersonating. He insists that he is Lucentio's father and makes the real Vincentio look like a crazy imposter. When Biondello and Tranio (still disguised as Lucentio) see Vincentio and realize the jig is up, they deny knowing Vincentio to avoid the beating that's surely coming their way. Poor Vincentio thinks that Tranio has murdered his kid in order to assume Lucentio's identity, which makes him look even crazier. The cops are called and Vincentio is about to be carted off to the slammer when the newly married Lucentio shows up with his wife, Bianca. Lucentio immediately kneels at his father's feet and asks for forgiveness. |
VINCENTIO Lives my sweet son? BIANCA BAPTISTA How hast thou offended? LUCENTIO Here’s Lucentio, GREMIO VINCENTIO BAPTISTA BIANCA LUCENTIO VINCENTIO I’ll slit the villain’s nose that would have BAPTISTA But do you hear, sir, have you married my VINCENTIO Fear not, Baptista, we will content you. Go He exits. BAPTISTA And I to sound the depth of this knavery. 140 He exits. LUCENTIO Look not pale, Bianca. Thy father will not They exit. GREMIO KATHERINE Husband, let’s follow to see the end of 145 PETRUCHIO First kiss me, Kate, and we will. KATHERINE What, in the midst of the street? PETRUCHIO What, art thou ashamed of me? KATHERINE No, sir, God forbid, but ashamed to kiss. 150 PETRUCHIO KATHERINE PETRUCHIO They exit. | Bianca thinks this is a pretty good idea and says what amounts to "sorry dad" while kneeling before Baptista. Baptista demands to know what the heck is going on. Lucentio comes clean, admitting that he's not really Cambio—he's actually Lucentio and he has just married Baptista's daughter. Apparently, Vincentio is a very forgiving and indulgent father because he comes to his son's defense and assures Baptista that they will make the marriage worth his while. He's not quite ready to forgive Tranio for almost having him thrown in jail, though. Baptista storms out, miffed about all the deception, but Lucentio assures Bianca her dad will come around. Now that the whole mess is straightened out, everyone heads inside to the wedding reception. Petruchio and Kate, who are normally the ones causing a spectacle, have been watching the whole scene unfold. Petruchio asks Kate for a little kiss. She wants to kiss him, but is a little embarrassed to do it in public. Petruchio says okay, so let's go home and kiss. Kate, however, wants to stay, so she gives him a peck, and they head into the reception as a happy couple. |