The Taming of the Shrew

Part 1

Katharine was the oldest daughter of Baptista ,a rich gentleman of Padua .She was a lady with such an ungovernable temper and such a loud and angry tongue that she was known in Padua by no other name than Katharine the Shrew.It seemed unlikely,even impossible,that any gentleman would ever be found who would dare to marry this lady.So Baptista was much critisized because he refused to give his agreement to many excellent offers that were made to her gentle sister ,Bianca,saying that until the oldest sister was married,young Bianca would not be free to take a husband.
But it happened that a gentleman named Petruchio came to Padua with the aim of looking for a wife.Not being discouraged by these accounts of Katharine's temper,and hearing that she was rich and beautiful,he was determined to marry this famous shrew and to tame  her into a gentle wife who would obey him.
No one was so suitable to attempt this as Petruchio.He was as spirited as Katharine and he was an amusing and good -natured person .He was also clever and wise enough to know how to pretend to be angry and cold when he was in fact so calm that he could have laughed happily at his own ability to pretend .So he begged Baptista 's permission to try to win ahis gentle daughter Katharine,as Petruchio called her ,as his wife .He said that,having heard of her love.Though her father wished her to be married, he was forced to admit that Katharine's character was quite different from this. What gentleness she had soon became very clear,when her music teacher rushed into the room to complain that his had dared to find fault with her performance.
When Petruchio heard this,he said ,'What an excellent lady! I love her more than ever ,and only want to talk to her ,'Begging her father to agree to this ,he said,' I am in a hurry,sir;I cannot come every day to try to win her.You knew my father :he is dead , and has left me heir to all his lands and goods .Tell me ,if I win your daughter's love ,what money you will give with her.'
Baptista thought his manner was rather rough for a lover,but because he would be glad to get Katharine married,he answered that he would give her twenty thousand crowns and half his possessions on his death. So this strange marriage was quickly agreed to,and Baptista went to tell his shrewish daughter that she had a lover,and sent her in to Petruchio to listen to his lovemaking.
While this was happening,Petruchio was deciding on the way in which he would tell her of his love .He said,'lf she is angry with me,I will tell her that she sings as sweetly asa bird ;and if she looks cross ,I will say she looks as clear as roses newly washed with rain.If she  will not speak a word,I will praise the beauty of her language ;and if she tells me to leave her,I will thank her as if she had asked me to stay with her for a week.'