Act 5 Scene 2

The three married couples — Katherine and Petruccio, Bianca and Lucentio, and Hortensio with his Widow — are sharing a wedding banquet. The women argue, whilst the men enjoy the fun. The women go into another room, and the husbands decide to place bets on their wives’ obedience. Petruccio is the winner, and Katherine teaches a lesson to Bianca and the Widow.
os.d	banquet: final course of sweets, fruit, and wine that followed the main meal# dessert.
1	though long: only after a long time.
jarring: discordant.
agree: are in harmony.
3	scapes: escapes.
overblown: blown over, passed away.
5	kindness: courtesy# and kinship.
8	with the best: on the best food.
welcome to my house: The full wedding-feast would have been eaten in Baptista’s house.
9	close . . . up: finish off our meal.
10	great good cheer: splendid reception.
13	Padua affords this kindness: this is normal hospitality in Padua# by calling Petruccio “son”, Baptista implies that he is now part of the society in Padua.
15	would: wish.
16	for my life: upon my life.
fears: is frightened of# but the Widow misunderstands.
17	“Believe me, I’m not scared.”
18	sensible: sensitive# and intelligent.
sense: meaning.
20	The Widow answers Petruccio with a trite proverb, meaning that people always judge everything from their own position  — i.e. because Petruccio is afraid of his wife, he assumes that Hortensio must feel the same.
21	Roundly: smartly.
23	conceive by: understand# Petruccio wilfully misunderstands.
24	likes Hortensio: does Hortensio like.
25	conceives her tale: understands the meaning.
26	mended: saved.
30	shrew: The modern equivalent insult would be “bitch”.
31	his: his own — i.e. Petruccio’s.
33	mean: cheap and nasty# but Katherine next uses the adjective in the sense of “moderate”, “respectable” — and even “chaste” (since it was popularly thought that widows who remarried must be lustful).
35	To her: The husbands urge on their wives as though they were at a prize-fight — and then lay bets on the outcome.
37	put her down: beat the Widow.
38	my office: my job (as a husband).
39	ha’ to thee: here’s to you.
41	butt together: bang their heads together (like young cattle).
42	Head and butt: are you talking of butting heads.
hasty-witted body: quick-thinking person.
43	horn: Bianca alludes to the horn said to grow on a cuckold’s head# she has no particular reason to insult Gremio like this, but Shakespeare is preparing her character for a change in function.
44	awakened you: Vincentio notes Bianca’s sudden arousal.
47	Have at you: be prepared.
48	bird: i.e. what you are hunting now.
shift my bush: go somewhere else.
49	pursue . . . bow: you will have to follow me when you shoot.
50	You . . . all: The polite remark from a hostess as she leads the ladies out.
51	prevented me: got there before me# Petruccio concedes defeat.
Signor Tranio: For a moment Tranio becomes a social equal with the other gentlemen.
52	slipped: unleashed.
56	swift: quick-witted.
somewhat currish: rather more like a mongrel (than a greyhound).
58	deer: Tranio puns on “deer” and “dear”# the stag is said to be “at bay” when it turns and holds off the hounds.
60	gird: thrust.
62	A: he.
galled: touched.
63	glance away: bounce off.
64	maimed: wounded.
65	good sadness: quite seriously.
66	veriest: truest.
67	Sir Assurance: to put it to the test.
75	of: on.
84	be your half: go halves with you (in the bet).
93	must needs: is sure to.
96	you have . . . hand: you’re playing some funny trick.
103	there an end: that’s all there is to it.
104	by my halidom: by all that I hold sacred.
107	conferring: gossiping.
108	deny: refuse.
109	Swinge me . . . forth: drive them out (Petruccio’s words suggest the use of physical force).
114	aweful: commanding great respect.
right: proper.
115	what not that’s: everything else that is.
116	fair befall thee: good luck to you, congratulations.
118	their losses: i.e. the money that Lucentio and Hortensio have lost to Petruccio.
120	as . . . been: into a different person.
122	show more sign: give more evidence.
123	new-built: new-found# the repetition of “obedience” in this line may be due to a printer’s error (Shakespeare does not usually repeat himself without good reason).
124	froward: disobedient.
126	becomes you not: doesn’t suit you.
127	bauble: piece of nonsense.
throw it under foot: stamp on it.
129	brought . . . pass: forced to do such a silly thing.
134	laying: laying a bet.
141	Katherine’s speech forms the climax of the play, articulating many Elizabethan commonplaces about marriage, yet appearing to spring directly from her own experience and feelings.
141	unkind: unfriendly# and unnatural.
142	dart . . . eyes: The image of wounding darts shot from a mistress” eyes is a commonplace of Elizabethan love poetry — as are the allusions to meadows, flowers, and fountains.
144	blots: stains.
meads: meadows.
145	Confounds thy fame: ruins your reputation.
whirlwinds: In Sonnet xviii Shakespeare described how “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May” — i.e. blow the buds off the trees.
146	meet: appropriate.
147	moved: bad-tempered.
148	ill-seeming: not worth looking at.
thick: not clear.
bereft: robbed.
149	none . . . thirsty: there is no-one, no matter how dry or thirsty he may be.
152	Thy head: See Ephesians, 5:23: “the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church.”
153	maintenance: support.
commits: risks.
154	painful: difficult, painstaking.
155	watch: be on watch through.
156	secure: free from worry.
157	craves: asks.
at thy hands: from you.
158	fair: kind.
160	the subject: See Ephesians, 5:24: “as the Church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”
164	contending: rebellious.
165	graceless: ungrateful.
166	so simple: so simple-minded as.
167	offer: declare.
171	Unapt to: unfitted for.
172	soft conditions: gentle natures.
174	unable: impotent.
175	big: arrogant.
one of yours: either of yours (that of Bianca and of the Widow).
176	heart: i.e. the seat of courage.
haply: perhaps.
177	bandy: exchange, hit back and forth (as at tennis).
179	as weak: i.e. as straws.
past compare: beyond comparison.
180	“Seeming to be most that (i.e. strong) which in fact we are least.”
181	vail your stomachs: stop being so proud of yourselves# “vail” was used especially for the lowering of a ship’s flag, and “stomach” was a common metaphor for conceit.
it is no boot: there’s nothing you can do about it.
182	place . . . foot: as a sign of submission.
185	kiss me, Kate: The words are used for the third time (compare 2, 1, 326, and 5, 1, 127)# this time the kiss confirms their partnership.
186	go thy ways: well done.
ha’t: have it — the prize# Petruccio has won the wager.
187	a good hearing: good news.
toward: obedient.
188	a harsh hearing: bad news.
froward: wayward# the couplets which end the play are disappointingly banal.
190	We three: i.e. himself, Lucentio, and Hortensio.
you two: i.e. Lucentio and Hortensio.
sped: ruined.
191	the white: the centre of the target in archery# also Bianca, the Italian for “white”.
192	being a winner: whilst I am still winning.
194	by your leave: if you don’t mind my saying so.