Modern Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew Kris Burghgraef @Teachers Pay Teachers 2014 Page 1
Dear TpT Buyer, Learn grow achieve Thank you for purchasing this product. It is my hope that this benefits both you and the students you teach. After looking through it, would you please take a moment to rate this product on my store by clicking on the following link? http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/kris-burghgraef Your input and comments are valued and appreciated. They help me to determine what other products to make available as well. Please follow my store to see what products are new! Best wishes, Kris Burghgraef http:poppydreamzdigitalart.blogspot.com Kris Burghgraef @Teachers Pay Teachers 2014 Page 2
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare Characters: Baptista Minola-- the father Katherina--the shrew, oldest daughter of Baptista Bianca younger daughter of Baptista (not a speaking part) Lucentio a suitor Tranio---servant to Lucentio Petruchio a visitor Hortensio a suitor Vincentio an old man Townspeople (#1, #2, #3) Messenger Man #1 Man #2 Man #3 Man #4 Scene I: a quaint Italian village called Padua, in the village courtyard Lucentio: have you seen her? Tranio: Seen who? Kris Burghgraef @Teachers Pay Teachers 2014 Page 3
Lucentio: You know who? Bianca Milona, that s who. She is divine, isn t she? Tranio: Well, I guess Lucentio: You guess?! Can you not see, man?! She is a breath of fresh air, a cool breeze on a hot summer s day, a fragrant smell for one s nose Tranio: Ok, I get the message. You like her. Lucentio: Yes, I do! But there is only one problem. Her father won t let me come and call on her. Tranio: Why not? Lucentio: I don t know why. The town says that he is very protective of her older sister. Tranio: I didn t know that she had an older sister, Lucentio. Lucentio: Well, apparently she does, although no one has ever seen her. Rumors say that she is kept locked up in the dungeon of their wealthy home and that she is only let out at night when no one is around! (laughs) Tranio: (joins in the laughter) Or how about this: She howls like a wolf all night long, and devours her food like an animal! Ha ha! (Old man Vincentio walks by and sits down) Vincentio: What could possibly be so funny, young men, that you would spend all of your hard energy laughing hysterically in the middle of the afternoon? Tranio: We were just talking about Bianca Milona and her wild sister. Vincentio: Oh, you mean the shrew. Lucentio and Tranio: The shrew?! Vincentio: Oh, yes. Mark my words. That young lass is a shrew if I have ever seen one. Why, I met her once when I was a bit younger, and she nearly bit my arm off. Tranio: Really? Vincentio: On my honor. She is a mean young lady---oh, lady would not be the appropriate word for her. I have never seen her eat with utensils, and I know her father Baptista Milona quite well. He has never taken her out in public. She is quite strong willed, to say the least. Lucentio: All said and done, she sounds like quite a character to say. But she is not the daughter I am interested in. My heart is for Bianca. Kris Burghgraef @Teachers Pay Teachers 2014 Page 4
Vincentio: Ah, if it is Bianca you are interested in, then you must go through her sister, Katherina. Lucentio: Whatever do you mean? Vincentio: Have you not heard of Baptista Milona s decree? If any suitor wishes to court Bianca, then he must see to it that Katherina is married first. After all, she is the oldest daughter. Tranio: The shrew---get married??! But that might be never, according to how you have described her! Vincentio: Well, best wishes in your endeavor, my friends. I must be off now, as my afternoon nap is waiting. (Vincentio exits) Lucentio: What will I do? I must be able to see Bianca. I must! (looks at Tranio and suddenly gets an idea) Tranio, you are trained in education, are you not? Tranio: Well, yes, I am. Lucentio: So, if a certain young maiden in town needed a tutor, you would be able to help her learn? Tranio: Well, yes. Lucentio: That s it! Tranio: You want me to tutor Bianca? Lucentio: No! I want me to tutor Bianca! Tranio: But you re not trained. Lucentio: But if I go as you, then I would be, wouldn t I? (Tranio thinks for a moment and suddenly understands) Tranio: Then we must switch our clothes, and you must talk like me, and walk like me, and act like me and sleep and eat like me. And don t do anything that would embarrass me, understand? Lucentio: And likewise for you, for now you are a nobleman. Tranio: I will Lucentio, and good luck! (both exit) Kris Burghgraef @Teachers Pay Teachers 2014 Page 5
Scene II: Later, in the courtyard (Petruchio enters as townspeople walk around) Petruchio: Excuse me, kind sir. Could you direct me to Padua? Townsperson #1: Why, you re standing in it! Petruchio: Oh, my! I have been traveling all the way from Florence and did not realize that I was already here. How foolish of me! (laughs) Townsperson #2: What brings you here, young gentleman? Petruchio: I am all out of money and am actually here to visit an old friend of mine, Hortensio, to see if I might have a place to sleep for the night. Townsperson #3: Here he comes now! (Enter Hortensio) Petruchio: Hortensio! It is good to see you, old friend! Hortensio: And likewise, dear friend! Petruchio: And how are you? Well? Happy? Hortensio: My work is going fine, and my health is good. But my heart is sad. Petruchio: And why is that? Hortensio: I have found someone charming, someone beautiful, but I may not see her. Petruchio: Why? Hortensio: Her father! He has laid down the most ridiculous rule. In order to marry this wonderful girl, her older sister must get married first. Petruchio: And what is so hard about that, Hortensio? Hortensio: Well, I don t know, but no one has ever really seen this older sister. There are stories around, though Petruchio: Do tell me about this most intriguing family. Hortensio: The mother died years ago, so the father has raised two girls on his own. Many say that the older sister turned into a nightmare---mean, ugly, belligerent, and strong willed. I have never seen her myself. Thank goodness that the father does not have to work to support his daughters. Kris Burghgraef @Teachers Pay Teachers 2014 Page 6
Petruchio: And why is that? Hortensio: Because he is intensely wealthy! The younger sister s dowry alone is close to five million drachmas. Petruchio: Hortensio, that is equal to 10 million dollars! And that is just the young sister? (begins thinking) Hortensio: Yes. Who is to say that the older sister would be worth much, much more? Petruchio: Hmmmmmm.I would like to meet this older sister, and see for myself if these rumors are quite true. Shall we call a visit on the Milona family? Hortensio: We shall! (both exit) Scene III: the Milona house (knock at the door) Baptista: Coming, coming! I can t walk very fast in my old age, you know! Hortensio: Senor Milona, I am Hortensio Vilisio, and this is my good friend, Petruchio, who wishes to court your daughter. Baptista: Oh, but you have heard of my conditions, have you not? My daughter Bianca is not to be courted until my older daughter Katherina is married. Petruchio: Well, kind sir, I have come to court your older daughter. Baptista: My older daughter? Are you out of your mind?! Petruchio: No, I am quite sane. Baptista: Alright then. I will bring her down from her room. She doesn t get out much. Prepare yourselves. (Baptista exits) Hortensio: I am beginning to think that you are indeed out of your mind. I am here to court your daughter which may soon mean the same as I am here to get my eyes plucked out by a wild animal. Oh, yes, you re insane. Petruchio: Hush! Here they come. Kris Burghgraef @Teachers Pay Teachers 2014 Page 7
(Baptista enters with Katherina) Baptista: Gentlemen, this is my eldest daughter, Katherina. (both Petruchio and Hortensio look at Katherina. Her hair has not been combed in a long time, her clothes are filthy, and she drools, and glared at them. Petruchio finally speaks, although in a forced tone.) Petruchio: Well, what a lovely sight! Katherina, it is hard to imagine that you are not already married. Katherina: (sniffs) You smell like a pig. Baptista: Katherina! You should not say things like that! Petruchio: At least she did not say that I look like a pig. Katherina: I didn t get that fat. Baptista: Katherina! You will behave! Katherina: No, I will not! I will do as I please! I am an adult and I have a mind of my own, and I will say whatever I like, and if I think that your guest smell like pigs, then I will say it! Petruchio: I must say that you have a very interesting way of charming your guests. I do hope that I will see you again. For now, I must tend to other activities. Come Hortensio! (both Petruchio and Hortensio exit) Katherina: They won t be back. Ha ha! They are probably common criminals looking for a free meal. I am going to my room. Baptista: Ugh! What am I to do? *To the surprise of everyone, Petruchio claims that he finds Katherina charming and pleasant. A marriage is arranged, and Petruchio immediately sets out to tame Katherina s wild behavior through a series of increasingly worse tricks This even involves showing up late for his own wedding. Scene IV: right after Petruchio and Katherina are married Petruchio: (bored) What a nice wedding. Katherina: (bored) Oh yes, when it finally did happen. Kris Burghgraef @Teachers Pay Teachers 2014 Page 8
Petruchio: Well at least the sun is out. Katherina: Petruchio, have you lost your mind? It is raining outside, and the sun is nowhere to be seen. Petruchio: No, my dear wife. The sun is indeed out. Katherina: No, it is not. Petruchio: Yes, it is. Katherina: No, it is not! Petruchio: Yes, it is. Katherina: No! Petruchio: Yes! And because you cannot see that the sun is out, there will be no dinner for you. Katherina: What? You cannot take away my dinner! You cannot do this to me! Petruchio: I can, and I will. **Later, the next day** Petruchio: Dear wife, I do think that the floor needs to be mopped. Katherina: Then mop it yourself. Petruchio: You will mop it if you want to see your lunch today. Katherina: I will not be made to be a servant and get down on my hands and knees and scrub a floor! Food does not mean that much to me. Petruchio: Then no lunch. Katherina: You cannot do this to me! You cannot treat me like an animal! Petruchio: I can, and I will. **Later on, a week later** Petruchio: Katherina, I would like some onion soup for dinner. Katherina: I don t know how to make onion soup, so make it yourself. Kris Burghgraef @Teachers Pay Teachers 2014 Page 9
Petruchio: Let s try this again. Please make some onion soup. Katherina: No, and you can t make me! Petruchio: Hmmmmmm..no dinner then. Katherina: You can t keep doing this to me! Petruchio: I can, and I will. **A day later** Petruchio: Have you washed my shirts yet? Katherina: What do I look like a washing machine? Petruchio: Oh, not a good answer Katherina: Let me guess no dinner for me? Petruchio: Right on, because Katherina: you can, and you will. **A week later** Petruchio: Let us have a picnic today, Katherina. Go and fix a large feast! Katherina: (thinking first) Well.ok. Petruchio: What did you say? Katherina: I said ok, mainly because it would involve food, and I am pretty hungry. **Two weeks later** Petruchio: Katherina, are you going to wash the windows today? Katherina: Well, I was planning to, but I will probably get to it after I finish baking the bread. Is there anything else you would like, dear husband? Kris Burghgraef @Teachers Pay Teachers 2014 Page 10
Petruchio: No, good wife. (From that point on Katherina continues to be tamed by her husband, Petruchio, so much that she becomes an obedient woman. Although she becomes civilized, her constant absence among town still leads to rumors that all is not well in the house of Petruchio. Finally, Bianca and Lucentio become engaged, and a wedding is planned. Petruchio and Katherina attend the celebration. At the wedding feast Petruchio makes a bet with the other married men.) Scene V: at the wedding feast. The men are in one room, and the women in another. Petruchio: I shall make a bet with all of you married men. Townspeople: A bet! A bet! Man #1: And what shall this bet consist of, Petruchio? Petruchio: It is a bet to see who has the most obedient wife. Man #2: Certainly my wife is the most obedient wife! She will do anything I command. Man #3: Oh, no! My wife is more obedient. She waits on me hand and foot. Man #4: How is this supposed to work, Petruchio? Petruchio: Each many must send one messenger to the other room to fetch his wife. The messenger may only say the words, Your husband requests your presence. The wife that obeys the command will be the most obedient wife. Man #2: Hear, hear! I am game for this kind of bet. Man #1: I am in also! Man #3: Let me go first. After my wife obeys, the rest of you will not need to go. Messenger, go deliver the message to my wife. (Messenger exits, and soon returns) Man #3: Messenger, where is my wife? Messenger: I am sorry sir, but I delivered the message to her, and she started laughing and then said, Ya, right. Man #3: What?! Kris Burghgraef @Teachers Pay Teachers 2014 Page 11
(all the other men laugh) Petruchio: And who shall go next? Man #2: Messenger, go fetch my wife. (Messenger exits, and soon returns) Messenger: Sir, your wife state that if you want to see her so badly, you should get up off of your comfortable couch and go to her. She is quite content where she is. Man #2: This is not true! (Others laugh) Lucentio: Surely my wife, as happy as she is, will want to join me. Messenger, bring her back, will you? (Messenger exits, and soon returns) Lucentio: Well, where is she? Messenger: She smiled sweetly and said that she will be able to see you every day for the rest of your lives. Right now she wishes to spend time with her friends. Lucentio: I can t believe it! I can t believe it! Petruchio: Well, I believe that leaves only me. Messenger, please go and deliver the message to my wife. (Messenger exits. Moments later, Katherina enters, dragging the other wives with her.) Katherina: I do believe that these disobedient wives belong to you gentlemen. Am I correct? Men: Why, yes Katherina: It is too bad that they do not know the importance of obedience, that obedience shows love and honesty. That is what I have learned, isn t it, dear husband? Man #3: Why, Petruchio! Your wife is indeed the most obedient of all! Man #2: Yes, indeed! and Petruchio and Katherina lived happily ever after. Kris Burghgraef @Teachers Pay Teachers 2014 Page 12