And then, with mutual explanations, they travel together to Signior Lucentio's house. A bounteous feast is prepared: and all the guests are assembled to celebrate the wedding of Signior Lucentio to the pretty Bianca. Among these, we see old Signior Vincentio, and his travelling friends Petrucio and Katharina: besides the pedant Gremio, and, of course, the new Bride and Bridegroom: with a group of visitors, including Tranio, Biondello, and Grumio. But see in yonder shady corner sit another newly married pair: it is Hortensio and the "wealthy widow," whom he had prudently selected to console himself for the loss of the pretty Bianca. But, hush the happy bridegroom Lucentio is about to address his friends: Luc. At 'last, though 'long, our jarring notes agree: And time it is, when raging 'war is done, To smile at 'scapes and perils overblown. My fair Bianca, bid 'my father welcome, While I, with self-same kindness, welcome 'thine.Brother Petrucio,-sister Katharina,— And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow,— Feast with the best, and welcome to my house. Pray you, sit down, to 'chat, as well as eat. Pet. Nothing but sit and sit, and eat and eat! Bap. 'Padua affords this kindness, son Petrucio. Pet. Padua affords nothing but what 'is kind. Hortensio, the newly married man, says: They sit Lat table. Hor. For 'both our sakes, I would that word were 'true. Petrucio cries out: Pet. Now, for my life, Hortensio 'fears' his widow! The Widow merrily interposes: Wid. Then never trust me, if 'I be afeard. Pet. You 're very sensible, and yet you miss 'my sense: Wid. He that is 'giddy thinks the 'world turns round. Katharine asks: Kath. Mistress, how 'mean you that? Wid. 'Your husband, being troubled with a 'shrew, Kath. A very 'mean meaning! And so the merriment proceeds till the Ladies retire. The Gen tlemen continue their jests by making comparison of their wives: Baptista says: Bap. Now, in good sadness, son Petrucio, I think 'thou hast the veriest shrew of all. Pet. Well, 'I say 'no: and therefore, for assurance, (To come at 'first when he doth send for her,) Shall 'win the wager which we will propose. Hor. Content. What is the wager? Luc. Pet. 'Twenty crowns! Twenty crowns. I'll venture so much on my hawk or hound, But 'twenty times so much upon my 'wife! Luc. A 'hundred, then? Pet. Content. Luc. Who shall begin? That will 'I. Go, Biondello, bid your mistress come to me. Bion. Sir, my Gre. Exit Bioneello. Biondello re turns alone. you word Ay, and a 'kind one too : Hortensio says: Hor. Sirrah Biondello, go, and entreat 'my wife To come to me forthwith. Pet. O ho! 'entreat her! Hor. I am afraid, sir, [Biondello Exit Nay,then, she must 'needs come. Do what you can, 'yours will not be entreated. Now, where 's my wife? [Biondello again returns alone. Bion. She says, you have some goodly 'jest in hand; She 'will not come: she bids you come to 'her. Sirrah Grumio, go to 'your mistress; say, Exit Grumio. and there an end! Hor. I know her answer. She will 'not. Pet. The 'fouler fortune mine Hortensio's prediction is falsified, and the general expectation defeated, by the immediate entrance of Katharine. Kath. What is your will, sir, that you 'send for me? a O. R. of. ... Pet. Where is your sister? and Hortensio's wife? Pet. Go, 'fetch them hither: if they 'deny to come, 'Swinge me them soundly forth unto their husbands. And, to be short, What 'not, that's sweet and happy? Bap. Now fair befall thee, good Petrucio! The wager 'thou hast won! and I will add, For she 'is changed, as she had never been. Pet. Nay, I will win my wager 'better yet. See, where she comes, and 'brings your froward wives Katharine returns, with her sister Bianca and the Widow. She at once pulls off her cap and throws it down. Wid. O let me never have a cause to sigh, Bianca adds: Bian. Fie! what a 'foolish duty call you this? Her husband replies: Luc. I would, 'your duty were as foolish too. Pet. Katharine, I charge thee, tell these headstrong women 'What duty they do owe their lords and husbands? The Widow is "shocked": Wid. Come, come, you 're mocking: we will have 'no telling. The obedient Katharine, therefore, begins with the Widow : Kath. Fie, fie! unknit that threatening unkind brow, And dart not 'scornful glances from those eyes, a predicts, foretells. To wound thy lord,-thy king, thy governor! When they are bound to 'serve, 'love, and 'obey. Pet. Why, there's a wench! Come on, and kiss me, Kate. She does not refuse him this time. Hortensio says to Petrucio : Hor. Now go thy ways, thou hast tamed a curséd shrew. Lucentio adds: Luc. "T is wonder, by your leave, she 'is tamed soa. And the exultant Petrucio concludes: Pet. 'I won the wager, though 'you hit the white ;" And 'being a winner, Heaven give you all "Good night!" [Exeunt. END OF THE TAMING OF THE SHREW. a O. R. do. b meadows. CO. R. thou hast tam'd a curst shrow. d O. R. 'Tis a wonder, by your leave, she will be tam'd so. e a phrase in archery : the central part of the "bull's eye" was usually painted white; also a punning allusion to the name of Bianca (white). f two transposed lines. A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM. The beautifully poetic Comedy of "A Midsummer-Night's Dream," (which has been aptly described as “a play of fancy, and a plea for fancy.") was twice printed in 1600; but it must have been performed at least two years earlier, as it is mentioned in Meres' list of 1598. (See p. 6.) Love is the general theme; but the lovers are like Tennyson s "Pleiades "_"A nest of fire-flies tangled in a silver braid."-There were many legendary sources whence the loves of Theseus and Hippolyta might have been obtained :-Statius in his Thebaid". Boccaccio in his "Teseide "—or Chaucer in his "Knight's Tale."Besides, fairy lore and witch tradition were fashionable in Shakespeare's day; and the poet was evidently well acquainted with all the folk-lore superstitions of the King and Queen of the Fairies, Oberon and Titania, (or Mab, as he elsewhere calls her) and of Puck, or Robin Good-fellow-the "lob " of spirits, his royal master's jester, companion, and chief agent in mischief, rough and shockpated; contrasting with the dainty-limbed delicacy of spiritual refinement, and the clumsy grotesqueness of dull-brained humanity. The story of "Pyramus and Thisbe is also a time-honoured theme with poets-from Ovid, (a translation of whose "Metamorphoses," by Golding, appeared in 1527) to Saxe, the American humourist. The performance of "the most lamentable comedy' by the "great unwashed" of Athens, may have had its prototype among the Poet's fellow-townsmen in Stratford-on-Avon. " "I am convinced," writes Coleridge, "that Shakespeare availed himself of the title of this Play in his own mind, and worked upon it as a 'Dream' throughout;" and though the story of the "most cruel comedy" be the "silliest stuff," yet the remark of Theseus redeems it from 'folly :-" The 'best in this kind are but shadows, and the worst are no worse, if Imagination amend them." This Comedy consists of four incongruous histories :—that of Theseus and Hippolyta of the four Athenian lovers, Lysander and Demetrius, Helena and Hermia;—of the hard-handed mechanics who would fain become great actors in the classic city of Athens; and of the Fairies, headea by Oberon and Titania, their King and Queen, with Puck as their Prime Minister in mischief. The following is the entry on the "Stationers' Register" of October 8, 1600: "A Midsommer nights dreame: As it hath beene sundry times publickely acted by the Right honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his seruants. Written by William Shakespeare. Imprinted at London for Thomas Fisher, and are to be soulde at his shoppe at the signe of the White Hart in Fleete streete, 1600 " The second Quarto, (known as Roberts',) is nearly the same, but with the addition of a few stage directions: it appeared shortly after, in the same year: "A Midsommer nights dreame, As it hath beene sundry times publikely acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his seruants. Written by William Shakespeare. Printed by Iames Roberts, 1600." |