The Taming of the Shrew: Act V, Scene ii – First Folio

 

The Taming of the Shrew.         Act 5, Scene 2.            Katerina

(This text is featured in our interview with Gabra Zackman)

Click here to see a fully scanned version of the speech

Click here to see the the non folio version.

2694:  Fie, fie, vnknit that threatning vnkinde brow,
2695:  And dart not scornefull glances from those eies,
2696:  To wound thy Lord, thy King, thy Gouernour.
2697:  It blots thy beautie, as frosts doe bite the Meads,
2698:  Confounds thy fame, as whirlewinds shake faire budds,
2699:  And in no sence is meete or amiable.
2700:  A woman mou’d, is like a fountaine troubled,
2701:  Muddie, ill seeming, thicke, bereft of beautie,
2702:  And while it is so, none so dry or thirstie
2703:  Will daigne to sip, or touch one drop of it.
2704:  Thy husband is thy Lord, thy life, thy keeper,
2705:  Thy head, thy soueraigne: One that cares for thee,
2706:  And for thy maintenance. Commits his body
2707:  To painfull labour, both by sea and land:
2708:  To watch the night in stormes, the day in cold,
2709:  Whil’st thou ly’st warme at home, secure and safe,
2710:  And craues no other tribute at thy hands,
2711:  But loue, faire lookes, and true obedience;
2712:  Too little payment for so great a debt.
2713:  Such dutie as the subiect owes the Prince,
2714:  Euen such a woman oweth to her husband:
2715:  And when she is froward, peeuish, sullen, sowre,
2716:  And not obedient to his honest will,
2717:  What is she but a foule contending Rebell,
2718:  And gracelesse Traitor to her louing Lord?
2719:  I am asham’d that women are so simple,
2720:  To offer warre, where they should kneele for peace:
2721:  Or seeke for rule, supremacie, and sway,
2722:  When they are bound to serue, loue, and obay.
2723:  Why are our bodies soft, and weake, and smooth,
2724:  Vnapt to toyle and trouble in the world,
2725:  But that our soft conditions, and our harts,
2726:  Should well agree with our externall parts?
2727:  Come, come, you froward and vnable wormes,
2728:  My minde hath bin as bigge as one of yours,
2729:  My heart as great, my reason haplie more,
2730:  To bandie word for word, and frowne for frowne;
2731:  But now I see our Launces are but strawes:
2732:  Our strength as weake, our weakenesse past compare,
2733:  That seeming to be most, which we indeed least are.
2734:  Then vale your stomackes, for it is no boote,
2735:  And place your hands below your husbands foote:
2736:  In token of which dutie, if he please,
2737:  My hand is readie, may it do him ease.

  One Response to “The Taming of the Shrew: Act V, Scene ii – First Folio”

  1. […] Click here for a First Folio version of the text. […]

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