Sunday, October 25, 2015

291 Quiz Answer

The play is “The Taming of the Shrew.”  In the Italian city of Padua, a wealthy old man named Baptista has declared that no one may court his beautiful daughter Bianca until first her older sister, the ill-tempered Katherine, is married. 

(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday; "P" is for "Pam")

The following should remind you of a well-known play.  Which play?

Hi, welcome to the weekly quiz.  Who am I?  I’m Pam, a girl – young woman, to be accurate – who has a problem.
I’m about average height, a bit above average intelligence and a placid nature.  People tell me so often I’m beautiful that I’m beginning to believe them.  So I’ll say no more about that.
To top things off, my father – Popsy, I call him – has money.  Quite a lot of it.

Now, you’d think that a mademoiselle with a resume’ like that wouldn’t have too much trouble finding some cool dude to marry.  Well, dudes have come and dudes have gone, and I’m still sitting here, un – as the saying goes - attached.
This nondescript problem can be summed up very simply: my old man.
My father is the quirky old-fashioned type who believes that everything - manners, customs, even civilization - all stopped short a century or so ago.  In those days if you had a number of daughters your job was to marry them off, and to the right type of person.
But there’s more.  The eldest daughter had to have first crack at whatever suitor walked through the door.  The eldest, who happens to be my sister, had to get married first; then the youngest, me, would have her chance.
This may seem to you to be a reasonable plan, well thought out, so what was the problem?
Well, if my first problem was my progenitor, as I humorously refer to my dad, the second, the bigger problem, was my sister herself.
Oh, she was attractive enough.  And once the blokes in this town were aware that she had a huge dowry, they all came calling.  They’d come to visit, get to know her, and then they’d take off, like huge birds heading off into the sunset.
And we’d never see them again.
You see, my sis is a special sort of person.  My theory is that she’d love to meet a nice chap and get hitched, but basically she’s insecure.  She hates to appear vulnerable and weak, so she’s very sharp with her suitors.  She’ll casually toss off quasi-nasty remarks to some poor guy who’s just doing his best to please, and soon he’s looking around for the exit.
And as for me, I remain un – as I’ve mentioned – attached.

(The answer will be posted Saturday.)

31 comments:

brudberg said...

This has to be Bianca from "the taming of the shrew" speaking... please send for Petruchio..

Bekkie Sanchez said...

The Taming Of The Shrew? I am so bad at this my very first guess was Cinderella and that was the step sisters. Lol! I don't have the education to get these I don't see enough plays and didn't take much about it in college.

Have a good week and thanks for your visits Berowne.

De Jackson said...

:) I know.

naturgesetz said...

Big sis sounds rather shrewish. I hope someone will come along who can accomplish "The Taming of the Shrew."

The Blog of Bee said...

First guess, The Taming of the Shrew?

Berowne said...

So who is it?

Berowne said...

All "winners": Blog of Bee, naturgesetz, Bekkie Sanchez and Brudberg all have the right answer.

Deepa said...

I love the story, though I dont know the answer

Kathleen said...

Austen-esque!

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

nice.

Berowne said...

And mucho thanx for the shout-out...

Altonian said...

Reads like The Taming of the shrew to me. Yep - that's it.

Berowne said...

Altonian has just joined us with the correct answer.

Tess Kincaid said...

I thought Austen too...but no clue Mr. B...

kaykuala said...

The Three Sisters perhaps.

Hank

Kathe W. said...

Taming of the Shrew?

Berowne said...

All hail to Kathe W, who also has the right answer.

Unknown said...

A sad story, realy... but i do not know who you mean ;-)

Have a nice abc-day / -week
♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (abc-w-team)

Roger Owen Green said...

I too thought Austen. Or Rachel and Leah from the Bible.
(sigh)

Leslie: said...

The Taming of the Shrew?

Leslie
abcw team

Berowne said...

Add Leslie to those who have the correct answer.

Unknown said...

a plain but insightful story,
i am sure your father disagree but respect you.

Anonymous said...

Is it from the Taming of the Shrew?

https://beataboutthebook.wordpress.com/2015/10/28/p-for-phantom/

Berowne said...

Another right answer, this time from beataboutthebook.

Jae Rose said...

Oh how I wish I knew - Jane Eyre...Pride and Prejudice..Mr Darcy...more than anything i am glad she is still (as yet) unattached

Sheilagh Lee said...

can't think of who

Su-sieee! Mac said...

Taming of the Shrew? Though, if it were 4 girls, I'd say it was Pride & Prejudice, but that's not a play.
The View from the Top of the Ladder

Berowne said...

Susieee-Mac has the correct answer.

Trubes said...

Hello Mr B, Sorry I'm a little late!
I think the second sister who cannot marry
before her elder sister is 'Bianca' from Shakespeare's 'The Taming
of the Shrew' the elder sister is 'Katherina'?

I loved Richard Burton's and Elizabeth Taylor's film version of 'The Taming
of the Shrew'. I really felt that they were acting out their real tempestuous
relationship.

Best wishes,
Di.
ABCW team.

Berowne said...

Another right answer, this time from Trubes.

Bekkie Sanchez said...

I got the right answer! Thank you Berowne I have hope for other quizzes! (Loved that play.)

 
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