Peter McCusker

Ms. Elkins

1st Hour

04/05/2017

Act VI

Act VI Summary: Kate and Petruchio are both drunk from the wedding and they refuse to stay

with Baptista and Lucentio. They are determined to make to their home, unassisted. Kate and

Petruchio get in an argument about which one of them is the most beautiful and they eventually

begin wrestling in the the

muddy road. When they eventually reach a stalemate, they forgive each other, Katherina

promises to never drink alcohol again and they finally leave for their journey.

Petruchio: (slurred) It tears at my heart to say this Baptista but even we, the most energetic and

excitable people, are worn out from this wedding party and so Kate and I must now beg leave to

return to our abode.

Baptista: Oh no! We have beds and room aplenty at our house just down the street. I pray, stay

with me this night and set upon your journey homeward on the morrow.

Katherina: (Even more unintelligible than Petruchio) Say no more father, we need not your pity

or charity. We shall depart presently.

Baptista: (aside) Good riddance to the lot, with the smell of alcohol so thick in their breath it is a

miracle that I myself am not succumbed to drunkenness.

Petruchio: Come Kate we must away before that villain binds and gags us and forces us into his

house. (Exits church with Katherina in tow)

Kate: (Staring at the night sky, talking to herself but loud enough for Petruchio to hear, voice still

slurred from the wedding) Tis a shame that my beauty is that of the stars above yet I have been

cast below into a world where dirtiness and ugliness reign supreme.

Petruchio: Perhaps it be that you gaze upon the cratered and battered moon and see in it yourself

and you mistake this resemblance for beauty.

Katherina: Ha! You speak as a king would to a poor stable girl who yearns to become a princess.

My beauty is that of grace and eloquence, of royalty and of splendor.

Petruchio: Only in thy dreams, I speak as a king because I have an aura of complete control and

command! Men weep when they see my flawless face for they know they shall never have what I

have. I am the apex of beauty and rugged handsomeness while you are in the foothills of

mediocrity.

Katherina: Have at thee coward! (Puts her fists in the air, ready to fight)

Petruchio: You darest challenge me? I shall come at thee at let the winner be declared the fairest

of all!

(They wrestled in the muddy road, Eventually they must call a draw as they are in a stalemate)

Katherina: (more aware now) I begeth thee for forgiveness lord. The wine clouded my mind, for

I believed this all to be a dream, nay a nightmare.

Petruchio: (also awoken from his drunken stupor) Both of us hast been duped by the drink of the

vine, so let us both forgive and forget and ergo let us return home hand-in-hand and heart-in-

heart.
Katherina: Thou are most kind, my lord, I henceforth declared that I shall never again partake of

inebriating beverages lest I shall embarrass myself further.

Petruchio: Thou doest as thou will, I will make no such promise. Now I am cold and wet, let us

be on our way.

(Muddy and wet they hold hands and finish they journey home.)

(Exeunt)