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All Site ContentTaming of the ShrewAct 5Scene 2
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“jarring notes”
Metaphor
Act 5,
Scene 2
Lines 1-11

An explanation of the metaphor of "jarring notes" in Act 5, Scene 2 of myShakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. 

[Late in the day of Lucentio and Bianca’s wedding. The church ceremony and the main wedding feast have taken place. The wedding party has now arrived at Lucentio’s house where he’s hosting a banquet, a final course of fruit, desserts, and wine. Enter Signor Baptista, Signor Vincentio, the elderly suitor Gremio, the Merchant, Lucentio with Bianca, Petruchio with Katherina, Hortensio with his widow bride, and the servants Tranio, Biondello, and Grumio.]

Lucentio

At last, though long, our jarring notes agree,    
And time it is when raging war is done
To smile at scapes and perils overblown.    
My fair Bianca, bid my father welcome
While I with self-same kindness welcome thine.    
Brother Petruchio, sister Katherina,    
And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow,
Feast with the best, and welcome to my house.
My banquet is to close our stomachs up    
After our great good cheer. Pray you, sit down,    
For now we sit to chat as well as eat.

Lucentio is employing a musical metaphor to describe his assembled guests. Instead of clashing with each other as before, they’re now all acting in harmony, or to use a different metaphor, they’re now all on the same page.