A bridegroom, say you? ‘Tis a groom indeed,
A grumbling groom, and that the girl shall find.
The next day, the company all wait in preparation for Katharina's wedding. Petruchio, however, is no where to be seen. Katharina, for her part, breaks down and runs from the scene weeping, and for once Baptista sympathizes with her. At that moment Biondello rushes in and says that Petruchio is on his way, wearing outrageously distasteful clothes, riding a diseased horse only a step away from death, and accompanied by a servant as badly dressed as his master. When Petruchio finally appears, with Grumio at his side, his appearance lives up to Biondello's fanciful account. Baptista and the others are mortified. Petruchio, however, refuses to dignify his appearance, and they follow him to his wedding.
Lucentio and Tranio remain while the rest attend Petruchio's wedding. Tranio explains that Baptista requires Vincentio's assurance and declares his intention to disguise someone as Vincentio. Their plotting is cut short, however, as Gremio appears and provides a detailed account of the raucous wedding, wherein Petruchio scandalized the company.
The wedding party arrives and Petruchio claims that he must leave and cannot stay for his own wedding dinner. Katharina entreats that her husband wait for her. However, Petruchio sweeps Katharina away dramatically. The scene ends with the dazed Baptista telling Tranio that the feast will go on as planned, and that he and Bianca may take the seats of the bride and bridegroom.
