William Shakespeare - The Complete Works/William Shakespeare - The Complete Works on CD-ROM.iso/library/line/shr/shr9.txt

Text File | 1994-05-22 | 7.8 KB | 222 lines

Act 4 Scene 1

Grumio has returned, ahead of his master, to
PetruccioÆs home. He tells the servants about their
new mistress, Katherine, and recounts the horrors
of their journey from Padua. Grumio instructs the
servingmen about the reception they must give to
the newly-married couple, and this comical
episode prepares the audience for the arrival of
Petruccio, who enters in a rage and starts abusing
his servants. Katherine speaks very little: she is
tired, and frightened. When she has gone to bed,
Petruccio addresses the audience with one of the
most important speeches in the play. He describes
the method he will use for taming his shrew ù and
an Elizabethan audience would know that this is
the recognized method of taming and training a
hawk.
1    jades: nags, weak horses.
2    ways: roads.
3    rayed: muddied.
am sent before: have been sent ahead.
5    a little pot: Grumio is apparently small in
stature; he refers to a proverbial saying that a small
pot boils quickly (i.e. a little person easily gets
angry).
8    come by: find.
blowing the fire: fanning the embers; there was a
proverbial saying, ôLet him that is a-cold blow at
the coalö.
9    taller: stronger (as well as bigger).
10    take: catch.
Curtis: This seems a strange name for an Italian
servant; it was, in fact, the name of an actor who
played small parts in ShakespeareÆs company.
13    no greater a run: i.e. to get up speed.
16, 17    fire . . . water: An adaptation of a popular
catch ôScotlandÆs burning . . . Fire, fire! Cast on
water!ö; Grumio needs fire, not water.
18    hot: intense.
20    winter. . . beast: The proverb is ôWinter
and wedlock tame both man and beastö.
22    fellow Curtis: Grumio allows Curtis to
identify himself as his ôfellowö ù and by
implication a beast.
23    three-inch fool: little fool; Curtis alludes
only to GrumioÆs height, but Grumio takes it in
another sense.
24    thy horn: Grumio refers to the horn that
was said to grow from a cuckoldÆs forehead; he
claims to equal its length ù the implication being
that it is he who cuckolded Curtis.
28    cold comfort: discomfort.
hot office: job of making a fire.
29, 30    how goes the world: whatÆs the news.
32    have thy duty: i.e. take what is due to you.
36    Jack boy, ho boy: Another popular song
or catch.
38    cony-catching: trickery ù with some play
on GrumioÆs fondness for catches.
41    trimmed: tidied.
41    rushes: the normal floor-covering.
42    fustian: coarse (and cheap) fabric,
suitable for servingmenÆs livery.
43    wedding-garment: This may be no more
than a token, like the carnation worn nowadays;
but see St Matthew 22:12.
jacks: lads; also containers, often made of leather,
for liquor ù which could be mouldy inside.
44    Jills: lasses; also drinking-vessels made of
metal ù and likely to need polishing.
without: outside.
carpets: woollen tablecloths.
50    thereby hangs a tale: thereÆs a good story
about that.
52    haÆt: have it.
53    Lend thine ear: listen.
57    sensible: capable of being felt ù
appreciated by the sense; also reasonable, easily
understood.
59    Inprimis: first of all; Grumio attempts
legal jargon.
61    of: on.
64    crossed: interrupted.
67    miry: muddy.
bemoiled: covered in mud.
73    of worthy memory: worth recording.
74    unexperienced: ignorant.
76    By this reckoning: from this account.
more shrew: more of a shrew; the word is
applicable to either sex.
78    what: why.
80    and the rest: Shakespeare probably did
not know which, or how many, actors would be
available to play these servingmen.
81    blue coats: normal servant uniform.
82    indifferent: alike, matching.
83    left legs: a sign of respect; to curtsy, or
bow, with the right leg was a gesture of defiance.
84    kiss their hands: an elaborately courteous
gesture.
88    countenance: to pay respect to; Grumio,
of course, wilfully misunderstands.
93    credit: honour; Grumio chooses to
understand ôoffer financial creditö.
93s.d.    four or five: Shakespeare asks again ù
as at 4, 1, 80 ù for whatever actors are available.
101    spruce companions: fine fellows.
102    neat: tidy.
104    EÆen at hand: very close indeed.
alighted: dismounted.
105    CockÆs passion: GodÆs (i.e. ChristÆs)
suffering.
106    at door: to open the door.
107    hold my stirrup: i.e. to keep it steady
whilst the rider dismounted.
111    logger-headed: block-headed; Petruccio
has a fine command of abusive terms.
112    regard: respect.
duty: obedience.
115    peasant swain: country oaf.
whoreson: son of a whore.
malt-horse: heavy horse turning a treadmill to
grind malt; the epitome of mindless drudgery.
116    meet me in the park: i.e. before the party
arrived at the house.
119    pumps . . . heel: light shoes, whose heels
should have been decorated with a pattern of small
holes (pinked); Grumio is inventing excuses ù in
a manner (and in verse) which suggests that he is
an accomplice in PetruccioÆs scheme.
120    link: torch, whose smoke could be used to
darken the hat.
121    sheathing: being fitted with a sheath.
122    fine: properly dressed.
126    Petruccio sings an old ballad.
129    Why, when: Exclamations of impatience.
131    The opening words of a ballad.
133    pluck . . . awry: pull my foot the wrong
way (as the servant pulls off his boot).
134    mend: improve.
136    Troilus: The name of a faithful lover in
Greek legend; spaniels are noted for fidelity to
their masters.
137    cousin Ferdinand: No such character ever
appears ù and perhaps there is no need for anyone
to take notice of this order, which is only part of
the scheme to confuse Katherine.
140    wash: i.e. wash your hands ù fingers
were commonly used, with knives and spoons, for
eating.
143    beetle-headed: A ôbeetleö was a heavy
mallet.
flap-eared: with flapping ears (like a donkey).
144    have a stomach: are hungry.
145    give thanks: say grace.
149    dresser: side table on which the food was
prepared.
151    trenchers: wooden plates.
152    joltheads: blockheads.
153    be with you straight: see to you at once.
154    disquiet: distressed; Kate is already
somewhat subdued.
157    expressly: especially.
158    it engenders . . . anger: It was generally
thought that over-cooked meat produced an excess
of the choleric humour, which caused anger.
160    of ourselves: naturally.
161    it: i.e. their choler.
162    mended: improved.
163    for company: together.
166    kills . . . humour: beats her at her own
game ù PetruccioÆs bad temper is defeating
KatherineÆs temper; Peter should be speaking for
the audience as they begin to recognize the
ôtamingö technique.
169    of continency: about self-control.
170    rails: shouts.
rates: scolds.
that: so that.
172    new risen: just woken up.
173    Away, away: It is essential that the stage
should be cleared at this point, so that PetruccioÆs
address is spoken directly to the audience, taking
them into his confidence, and reminding them of
the process of taming a hawk; compare Appendix
p.104.
174    politicly: with cunning.
176    sharp: hungry.
passing: exceedingly.
177    stoop: submit; in falconry, this term
denotes the birdÆs sudden descent on to its prey.
full-gorged: fully fed.
178    then: i.e. when she is fully fed.
lure: artificial bird, made of feathers, with which
the hawk is trained.
179    man my haggard: tame my wild (female)
hawk.
180    her keeperÆs call: Each falconer has a
distinct note for his bird.
181    to watch her: keep her awake.
these kites: those wretched falcons.
182    bate and beat: rage and beat their wings
with frustrated anger.
183    meat: food.
189    hurly: commotion.
intend: shall pretend.
190    reverent: respectful.
191    watch: stay awake.
192    nod: fall asleep.
rail: shout.
brawl: cause an uproar.
193    still: always.
194    to . . . kindness: Petruccio really means
just the opposite of this proverbial utterance,
referring to someone who is harmed by excessive
care.
196    shrew: The word was clearly pronounced
to rhyme with ôshowö.
197    Ætis charity: it would help everybody.