Synopsis
Induction.
i. When Christopher Sly, a drunken beggar, is discovered asleep by a particular nobleman, he quickly becomes the focus of a practical joke. He is taken to the nobleman’s house and convinced by the nobleman’s servants that he is a great lord who has been ill and out of his mind. The arrival of some players, who are commissioned by the nobleman to perform, adds to the joke of the hour.
ii. When Sly awakens, he is offered food and fine clothing. Although Sly protests his real identity, the lord’s servants go so far as to provide a “wife” to convince Sly that he truly is this ill nobleman. Just as Sly begins to fall for the trick, the players come in, and Sly agrees to see a comedy.
Scene I.i. The wealthy young Lucentio, with his servant Tranio, arrives in Padua to attend university. The two are present when Baptista Minola enters with his two daughters, Katherina and Bianca, and Bianca’s suitors, Hortensio and Gremio. Baptista announces that no one will be permitted to have Bianca’s hand in marriage until his elder daughter, Katherina, is married. Lucentio and Tranio are amazed at Katherina’s temper, although Lucentio is more immediatley struck by Bianca's sweet and modest demeanor. In the hopes of gaining favor with Baptista (and therefore access to Bianca's hand), both Hortensio and Gremio set out to find instructors for Baptista’s daughters. Hortensio points out that their first task however should be to find a husband for the elder daughter, Katherina.
I.ii. Petruchio and his servant Grumio arrive in Padua, where Petrucio searches for his friend Hortensio. When they find one another, Hortensio immediately suggest that Petrucio take Katherina for his wife. He points out that although she may have a foul temper, her sizable dowry should more than make up for that. Petruchio asks to be immediately taken to the Minola household. In return, Hortensio asks Petruchio to introduce him (Hortensio) as a music teacher, so that he may court Bianca. Meanwhile, Gremio, unaware of Lucentio's true identity, plans to present him to Baptista as a literture and deportment instructor. At Baptista’s house, they all meet with Tranio (now disguised as Lucentio) who announces his plans to woo Bianca. The three suitors agree to help Petruchio win Katherina’s heart, in order to free Bianca for one of them.
II.i. Petruchio, Lucentio, Gremio, Hortensio, and Tranio present themselves at Baptista’s house. Petruchio introduces himself as Katherina’s suitor, and introduces Hortensio as Licio, a music andpermission to court Bianca. Baptista warns Pertuchio of Katherina's temper, but consents to a marriage if Petruchio can win her heart. Katherina and Petruchio’s first meeting does not seem to sway her, but Petruchio vows that he will marry her. He then tells Baptista that things went well, and the two will be married the following Sunday. Baptista accepts Petruchio’s word, and Petruchio leaves for Venice to prepare for the wedding. With this news, Gremio and Tranio bid for Bianca’s hand. Swayed by Tranio’s apparent wealth, Baptista promises him Tranio (as Lucentio) Bianca’s hand if he can bring assurance from his father Vincentio that the dowry promised will be paid. This leaves Tranio with the problem of finding a “Vincentio” to cover such an assurance.
III.i. The rivals Cambio (Lucentio) and Licio (Hortensio) “instruct” Bianca. During a supposed Latin lesson, Lucentio reveals his true identity to Bianca and explains his motives. Hortensio also reveals himself, but Bianca is not impressed. Hortensio senses Lucentio’s hidden intentions, and states that he will abandon his suit if Bianca’s affections can be gained by one so low as a schoolmaster.
III.ii. On the day of the wedding, Petruchio is late arriving for the ceremony and Katherina is humiliated. When he finally arrives, everyone is shocked at his attire and behavior. He refuses to change into more suitable attire, continues his antic behavior throughout the ceremony, and immediately after the ceremony, Petruchio announces that he and Katherina will leave before the onset of any wedding dinner. Katherina begs and rants, but Petruchio forcibly carries her off.
IV.i. Grumio describes to the other household servants the troubles met by his master and his new mistress, Katherina, on their way home from the wedding. When the exhausted couple arrive home, Petruchio continues to play the unsatisfied master, finding fault with the servants and food, and declaring that they will all go to bed without supper. Katherina spends her wedding night listening to a lecture, all a part of Petruchio’s plan to tame her with starvation and lack of sleep.
IV.ii. Hortensio and Tranio notice Bianca’s preference for Lucentio, and the two agree to swear off their suits for Bianca. Hortensio chooses instead a widow who loves him, leaving only Lucentio to woo Bianca. Biondello, who has been assigned to find someone to play the part of “Vincentio”, and Tranio find a pedant on the road who they quickly dupe into playing the part and rush off to Baptista’s house.
IV.iii. Petruchio’s plan to break Katherina is beginning to work. Although he promises that they will go to visit her father, he refuses the fine clothes prepared by the tailor, and announces they will go in poor clothing, much to Katherina’s dismay.
IV.iv. Tranio, with the pedant disguised an Vincentio, visits Baptista who agrees to settle on the terms of marriage between Lucentio (as Tranio) and Bianca. Biondello secretly urges the real Lucentio to make no haste in marrying Bianca himself.
IV.v. On the way to Baptista’s house, Petruchio finally breaks Katherina with petty arguments about the moon and the sun, an old man and a young girl. When the old man in question reveals himself to be Vincentio, the father of Lucentio, Petruchio tells him perhaps they are related, as Lucentio should have by now wed Bianca.
V.i. While Lucentio and Bianca are secretly married, Pertuchio and company arrive at Lucentio’s house to find the imposter Vincentio there. Biondello and Tranio try to cover the situation, but the real Vincentio is acknowledged when Lucentio enters with his new bride, asking his father’s pardon and explaining the situation.
V.ii. The three newly married couples, Petruchio and Katherina, Lucentio and Bianca, and Hortensio and his widow, dine together. In response to taunts about Katherina’s disposition, Petruchio wages that, of the three wives, his is the most obedient. His wager is won when both Bianca and the widow refuse to come at the request of their husbands, while Katherina responds with the two other women in tow. Katherina expresses her new philosophy toward the relationship between husbands and their wives. Petruchio is delighted with this response and kisses her soundly.
| Go Back! |