Act 3

Grumio arrives at Petruchio’s country house and complains about how he had to come before the others to make sure the slaves prepare for Petruchio and Kate. Grumio tells a servant named Citrus about the journey, and how Kate fell into some mud, Petruchio got angry, and the horses ran away. Kate and Petruchio arrive. Petruchio became furious and thinks that the servants have not attended him properly, even though the servants are doing their best. When the dinner that Petruchio demanded arrives, he yells that the meat is burnt and he pushed the whole meal off of the table. Kate pleads for him to be more patient with the servants. He tells her that he does it all out of love for her, and that all he wants is perfection for her. Then he whisks her away without feeding her a meal. He returns to the stage afterward and says that he does this purposefully to try and “tame” Katie. He speaks that he is going to prevent her from sleeping by complaining about how the bed is made.

Back in Padua, Tranio,who is still disguised as Lucentio, and Lucentio, who is still disguised as the schoolmaster, are trying to finish their scheme to get Bianca to be with Lucentio. Hortensio,  depressed because he lost Bianca to his rival, tells Lucentio that he too is out of luck in his pursuit of Bianca. Tranio plays along, surprised once he sees the real Lucentio and Bianca “hooking up” during a “lesson.” He pretends angry and foreswear Bianca’s charms, and he convinces Hortensio to also- so then there is no competition.

After Hortensio leaves Tranio tells Bianca and Lucentio what happened. Hortensio decided to marry a wealthy widow instead of Bianca and is now leaving to go to Petruchio’s to go to “taming-school.” He wants to see what Petruchio does with Kate so that he can do the same thing to his own marriage. As Tranio finishes telling Bianca and Lucentio about the events, Biondello runs into the scene with good news: he has just seen a man entering Padua who could pass as Lucentio’s father

Tranio learns that the newcomer is a pedant schoolmaster from Mantua. He then comes up with a story to put the old man in his debt: he says the dukes of Mantua and Padua are “at odds” with each other, and the duke of Padua demanded that any person from Mantua found in Padua will be exicuted. The then frightened pedant, promises a favor to Tranio as long as he protects him. Tranio says that he needs someone to pretend to be his father (meaning Lucentio’s father, Vincentio), and so they make an agreement.

Act 2

With Lucentio posing as the school master Cambio, Tranio disguised as Lucentio, Hortensio disguised as Litio and Pertruchio intending to court Katherine, the story soon gets very confusing.

Katherine wrestles Bianca and attempts to imprison her into telling her which suitor she prefers. As the large party of potential suitor arrives, both sisters separate leaving Baptista to listen to all the lies.

The two illegitimate school masters are left to consult and teach Bianca while Pertruchio tries to “woo” Katherine. Pertruchio and Katherine confront in a battle of wit, using a metaphors over metaphors over puns over metaphors in rebuttal. Katherine becomes very frustrated, then when Pertruchio tell Baptista that he will marry Katherine on Sunday, she does not object. Baptista and Pertruchio then proceed to discuss a substantial dowry.

After that, Baptista discusses who has the biggest fortune to offer if Bianca was to become a widow. Tranio disguised as Lucentio claims he has ten times whatever Gremio offers.

Baptista agrees to award Bianca to Tranio as soon as his father can guarantee the wealth he has claimed.

Act 1

In Act One, Scene One, a young rich man named Lucentio arrives in Padua with his servant, Tranio, to study at the great universities there. Lucentio is very enthusiastic about learning but Tranio reminds him not to lose touch with his emotions, feelings and desires. Tranio is obviously more than just a servant, he is a genuine friend to Lucentio. Lucentio and Tranio happen to overhear a quarrel and see that a rich man, Baptista, refuses to marry away his youngest daughter, Bianca, to the two suitors, Hortensio and Gremio, until her eldest daughter, Katherine, is married. Katherine is very ill tempered and poorly mannered and no one seems to want to marry her. Katherine is the shrew in Taming of the Shrew. Lucentio immediately falls in love with Bianca without even meeting her.

Lucentio decides to switch dress with Tranio and pretend to be a school teacher so he can “woo” Bianca while he educates her in music and philosophy. Tranio will have to pretend to be Lucentio.

A man named Petrucio arrives in Padua with his servant Grumio, not to be confused with Gremio, to visit his friend Hortensio. Apon arrival, Hertensio becomes aware that Petrucio wishes to marry into a rich dowry, despite the wife, causing Hertensio to want to use him to remove Kathrine from the picture.

Introduction, Scene 2

Sly, is now surrounded by servants, he asks if someone can get him a beer, and the servants ask persuasively whether he would not like finer delicacies such a wine, cloths and fruit. Sly tells the servants that he has never had any of these luxuries and is no honor or lord. The real Lord, dressed as a servant, purposed that it was a shame that a man of such power and nobility have been infected with such an illness. Sly says to the servants “What, are you trying to make me crazy? I’m Christopher Sly, son of old Sly of Barton-on-Heath, a peddler by birth, a cardmaker by trade, a keeper of trained bears by bad luck, and now, by present profession, a tinker.” And he tells them to go ask an old friend of his that he owes a great tab in a bar to.

This is why your wife is mourning, and why your servants hold their heads in shame, said the prisoners. The lord asks him to try and recall his last time sane, and asks if there is anything he wants the servants to do. The Lord continues to try and pursue him by offering great luxuries that only a king could have means to attain. The servants tell him of lustful paintings of Greek gods, and of how his wife was the fairest creature on the planet before tears covered her beautiful face, and even now she has no equal.

Sly appears to start to believe the servants into thinking that he is actually a lord. And they tell him that he has slept the past fifteen years, and for the small moments when he woke, he would only yell things referring to his landlady’s daughter Circely Hacket. And they tell him none of these people actually exist. Sly thanks the servants and assures them that he will not forget their help. A Page enters the room disguised as a Nobel lady and accompanied by servants, she tells him that he shall address her by madam, and she to him Lord. He tells her to sleep with him, and she says that she is forbidden, due to risk of his dreams coming back. Sly says that he is really turned on, but will wait, no matter how his body feels about it. A messenger come in and suggests that he watches a comedy routine to make him feel better. Sly asks what it is about, and the messenger says it’s a story, so sly tells the “Nobel lady” to sit by him, and for them to forget their cares, as they are not getting any younger.

Introduction, Scene 1

Sly, a poor tramp, falls asleep after a quarrel with innkeeper of his inn. Seconds later, a Lord rides down the street with his party. The Lord decides he should play a trick on sly, and gently carries him to his mansion, where he is waited upon servants of the Lord who convince him of his nobility, simply dismissing his pervious life as the effects of insanity. Aiming to impress his guest, Sly, the Lord presents him with a play known as "The Taming Of The Shrew", performed by an acting company who have performed for the king before. To add further to the confusion, the Lord outfits his boy-servant as Sly's wife, and the mayhem ensues.