William Shakespeare
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

Some scholars have argued that this is the same play as 'Love's Labour's Won' referred to in Meres' Palladis Tamia.

circa 1594–circa 1598

a synoptic, alphabetical character list

ANTONIO
A "ghost character." The deceased father of Petruchio. After Antonio's death, Petruchio uses his inheritance to see the world and to find a wife.

BAPTISTA MINOLA
Baptista is a wealthy gentleman of Padua and the father of Katherine and Bianca. He favors his youngest daughter, Bianca, lavishing care and attention on her to the neglect of the elder Katherine. However, he declares to the dismay of Bianca and her several suitors that she shall not marry before Katherine. During the final banquet scene, Lucentio and he wager that Bianca will be the first wife to come when summoned by her husband.

BARTHOLOMEW
A young page to the Lord in the play's induction. Bartholomew is commanded to dress as a woman and pretend to be Christopher Sly's wife as part of the practical joke the Lord plays on Sly. When the players enter, Bartholomew sits with Sly to watch them perform the play within the play, which is The Taming of the Shrew. Shortly after the play begins, Bartholomew and Sly disappear from the text.

BIANCA MINOLA
Bianca is the younger daughter of Baptista, a wealthy gentleman of Padua. Because of her beauty and mild temperament, she is favored by her father and by several suitors, including Hortensio and Gremio. She has a secret affair with Lucentio, disguised as her private tutor Cambio, and they eventually elope. During the final banquet scene, Lucentio and her father wagers that she will be the first wife to come when summoned by her husband; when she refuses her husband's command, she proves to be shrewish herself. Katherine then lectures her, along with the Widow Hortensio marries, on the duty a wife has to her husband.

BIONDELLO
One of Lucentio's servants. Biondello primarily acts as a messenger and helps to perpetrate the hoax that Tranio is really Lucentio. Biondello heralds Petruchio's arrival to marry Katherine by describing Petruchio's outlandish apparel, and during the banquet he is sent to summon Bianca and the widow that Hortensio has married; he reports that they will not come when their husbands send for them.

CAMBIO
Cambio is the disguise assumed by Lucentio. As Cambio, Lucentio acts as one of Bianca's tutors, thereby allowing him to woo her in secret.

CHRISTOPHER SLY
In the play's induction, Christopher Sly is a drunken tinker. Thrown out of a tavern for breaking glasses, Sly falls asleep outside, where he is found by a Lord's hunting party. As a practical joke played by the Lord, Sly is made to think that he himself is a lord who has been ill. To entertain Sly, travelling players stage a performance of The Taming of the Shrew as a play within a play. Sly finds the play tiresome and, along with Bartholomew (who is pretending to be Sly's wife), disappears from the text.

CURTIS
One of Petruchio's servants. Curtis, along with fellow servants Nathaniel, Peter, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, and Sugarsop, remains in Verona while Petruchio and Grumio travel to Padua to find a wife for Petruchio.

GREMIO
A wealthy old man of Padua, Gremio is one of Bianca's suitors. When Baptista declares that Bianca may not marry before Katherine, Gremio supports Petruchio's suit to marry the elder sister, for with Katherine married Gremio will be free to pursue Bianca. He is gulled when he hires the disguised Lucentio (as Camio) to become Bianca's tutor. Gremio's plan is to make "Camio" his go between, but the young man woos for himself instead. He describes Petruchio and Katherine's wedding to the others.

GRUMIO
Petruchio's chief servant. A clownish character, Grumio accompanies his master to Padua to find a wife for Petruchio. When Petruchio goes to wed Katherine, he and Grumio dress in outlandish attire and disrupt the wedding ceremony; immediately afterward, they carry Katherine off to Verona against her will.

HABERDASHER
A hat-maker of Verona, the Haberdasher is commissioned by Petruchio to make a hat for Katherine. When he brings the hat he has made to Petruchio and Katherine for inspection, Petruchio refuses to let Katherine have it as part of his plan for taming her.

HORTENSIO
One of Bianca's suitors, and friend to Petruchio. When Petruchio and Grumio first arrive in Padua, they visit with Hortensio, who informs Petruchio about Katherine and tells him of Baptista's decree that Bianca shall not marry before Katherine. Petruchio agrees to woo Katherine and to present Hortensio, disguised as Licio, to Baptista as a music tutor for Baptista's daughters. As Licio, he has a lute broken over his head by Katherine, and he unsuccessfully tries to woo Bianca. When he fails to win Bianca, he goes to visit Petruchio in Verona, where he participates in Katherine's taming by following Petruchio's directions to eat her food and secretly to pay for a dress Petruchio has made for her and then destroyed. It is Hortensio who, while on the road back to Padua, convinces Katherine to give into Petruchio's demands and thereby gain what she wants. Finally, Hortensio is inspired to marry a wealthy widow of Padua and become a tamer himself.

HOSTESS
A tavern-keeper. In the play's induction, the Hostess throws Christopher Sly out of her tavern for breaking glasses.

JOSEPH
One of Petruchio's servants. Joseph, along with fellow servants Curtis, Nathaniel, Peter, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, and Sugarsop, remains in Verona while Petruchio and Grumio travel to Padua to find a wife for Petruchio.

KATHERINE MINOLA
A bad-tempered woman, Katherine is the elder daughter of Baptista, a wealthy gentleman of Padua. Because of her temperament, Katherine is disliked by most of the play's other characters, particularly the men. When Baptista declares that Katherine must marry before her younger sister, Bianca, who has many suitors, both Bianca and her suitors are dismayed because they believe that Katherine is too much a shrew ever to attract a husband. When Petruchio comes to Padua looking for a wife, his friend Hortensio, one of Bianca's suitors, mentions Katherine to him; far from being put off, however, Petruchio is intrigued, especially by Hortensio's report of her father's wealth. Petruchio decides to marry her, quite against her will, and to tame her harsh, stubborn character. After they are married, Katherine (under the humorous guise of caring for her and giving her only the best) is denied food, sleep, and clothing until she complies with her husband's opinions. Finally, Hortensio helps Katherine realize that by cooperating with Petruchio, she can get what she wants. During the final banquet scene, Katherine surprises everyone by being the first wife to come to her husband when summoned, winning a wager for Petruchio. The reformed shrew then lectures her sister and a wealthy widow whom Hortensio marries on a wife's duty to her husband.

LICIO
A disguise assumed by Hortensio. In order to woo Bianca secretly, Hortensio has himself presented to Baptista as a music tutor for Bianca and Katherine. The disguise does not work. As Lucio, Hortensio has a lute broken over his head (by Katherine) and fails in his attempt to win Bianca.

LORD
In the play's induction, the Lord finds Christopher Sly, a drunken tinker, asleep outside a tavern. To amuse himself and his hunting party, the Lord decides to play a practical joke on Sly. Sly is taken to the Lord's house, dressed in the Lord's clothes, and put in the Lord's bed; when he awakes, he is told that he is a Lord who has been ill and is just now recovering his memory. To complete the illusion, the Lord orders his young page, Bartholomew, to dress as a woman and pretend to be Sly's wife. He also has the players perform for Sly the play within the play, which is The Taming of the Shrew.

LUCENTIO
The son of Vincentio, a gentleman of Pisa, Lucentio comes to Padua to attend university. Shortly after arriving with his servant, Tranio, Lucentio sees and immediately falls in love with the mild-mannered Bianca. Overhearing her father Baptista's declaration that she shall not marry before her shrewish elder sister, Katherine, Lucentio devises a plot to woo Bianca secretly. He has Tranio assume his identity and publicly press his suit with Baptista, while he disguises himself as a tutor named Cambio in order to woo Bianca directly. His rival, Gremio, is fooled and presents "Cambio" to Baptista as a gift to tutor Bianca, and, Gremio intends, to act as go between for himself and Bianca. Instead, Lucentio and Bianca elope, and when Vincentio arrives to visit his son and is presented with Tranio as his son, Lucentio is forced to admit the plot. During the final banquet scene, Lucentio along with Baptista wagers that Bianca will be the first wife to come when summoned by her husband; when she fails to answer his summons, Lucentio realizes that she is really shrewish herself.

NATHANIEL
One of Petruchio's servants. Nathaniel, along with fellow servants Curtis, Joseph, Peter, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, and Sugarsop, remains in Verona while Petruchio and Grumio travel to Padua to find a wife for Petruchio.

NICHOLAS
One of Petruchio's servants. Nicholas, along with fellow servants Curtis, Nathaniel, Joseph, Peter, Philip, Walter, and Sugarsop, remains in Verona while Petruchio and Grumio travel to Padua to find a wife for Petruchio.

PEDANT
A schoolmaster from Mantua, the Pendant passes through Padua on his way to Rome and Tripoli. When Baptista refuses to seal the marriage bond between Bianca and Tranio (who is disguised as Lucentio) until he meets Lucentio's father, Vincentio, Tranio is forced to find someone to impersonate Vincentio. Tranio happens upon the Pedant. By telling the Pedant that Mantuans are to be executed in Padua, and under guise of saving the old man's life, he tricks him into the impersonation.

PETER
One of Petruchio's servants. Peter, along with fellow servants Curtis, Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, and Sugarsop, remains in Verona while Petruchio and Grumio travel to Padua to find a wife for Petruchio.

PETRUCHIO
Son of the deceased Antonio, a wealthy landowner of Verona, Petruchio uses his inheritance to travel the world, ending up in Padua looking for a wife. When Petruchio's friend Hortensio tells him of Katherine, a shrewish woman of Padua whom everyone dislikes, Petruchio is intrigued, especially by Hortensio's report of her father Baptista's wealth. Petruchio meets with Katherine and tells her in no uncertain terms that he will marry her and tame her harsh, stubborn temperament. He begins by showing up late for the wedding ceremony, dressed in embarrassingly outlandish attire, and carries Katherine off to Verona immediately afterward. While in Verona, Petruchio denies Katherine food, sleep, and clothing (under the humorous guise of caring for her and furnishing her only the best) until she learns to agree with him. Finally, while travelling back to Padua to visit her father, Katherine learns that by cooperating with Petruchio she can get what she wants. During the final banquet scene, Petruchio wagers that Katherine will be the first wife to come when summoned by her husband; everyone is surprised when she does, indeed, obey.

PHILIP
One of Petruchio's servants. Philip, along with fellow servants Curtis, Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Peter, Walter, and Sugarsop, remains in Verona while Petruchio and Grumio travel to Padua to find a wife for Petruchio.

PLAYERS
In the induction, the players are a travelling troupe of actors whom the Lord recruits for his practical joke on Christopher Sly. To help make Sly think that he is the lord, the players perform for him as a play within a play, The Taming of the Shrew.

PRIEST
The Priest is the clergyman who marries Katherine and Petruchio. During the ceremony, the Priest is startled by Petruchio's cursing and drops his book. When he stoops to pick it up, Petruchio strikes him and knocks him down.

SUGARSOP
One of Petruchio's servants. Sugarsop, along with fellow servants Curtis, Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Peter, Philip, and Walter, remains in Verona while Petruchio and Grumio travel to Padua to find a wife for Petruchio.

TAILOR
A dressmaker of Verona, the Tailor is hired by Petruchio to make dress for Katherine. When the dress is brought for inspection, Petruchio, as part of his plan to tame Katherine, insults the Tailor and refuses to let her have the dress. Claiming it is unworthy for his Katherine, Petruchio tears it to pieces in front of her. The Tailor is secretly paid for his troubles when Petruchio sends Hortensio after him.

TRANIO
Along with Biondello, one of Lucentio's servants. Tranio arrives in Padua with his master, who is on his way to attend university. When Lucentio falls in love with Bianca and overhears that she shall not be married before her elder sister Katherine, he has Tranio assume his identity to publicly press his suit with Baptista, Bianca's father. Meanwhile, Lucentio disguises himself as a tutor named Cambio in order to woo Bianca secretly and in person. Tranio relishes his role as Lucentio, and when Baptista refuses to seal the marriage bond between him and Bianca without first meeting Lucentio's father, Vincentio, Tranio tricks a Mantuan Pedant into impersonating him.

VINCENTIO
A wealthy gentleman of Pisa, Vincentio is the father of Lucentio. While travelling to Padua to visit his son, whom he believes is attending university there, Vincentio is met by Petruchio, Katherine, and their entourage on their way to Baptista's house, Katherine's father. Deciding to travel with them, he is outraged to arrive at Baptista's to find that Tranio, his son's servant, is impersonating Lucentio and the Pedant impersonating himself. Thinking that Tranio has murdered his son, Vincentio calls for Tranio to be arrested. Baptista, believing Vincentio to be insane, calls for him to be arrested. Finally, Lucentio and Bianca, returning from their elopement, appear and sort out the confusion.

WALTER
One of Petruchio's servants. Walter, along with fellow servants Curtis, Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Peter, Philip, and Sugarsop, remains in Verona while Petruchio and Grumio travel to Padua to find a wife for Petruchio.

WIDOW
A wealthy widow of Padua, Hortensio marries her after being refused by Bianca. During the final banquet scene, Hortensio wagers that she will come when he summons her; when she does not, Katherine lectures her and Bianca on the duty a wife owes to her husband.

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Plays to be compared:

The anonymous The Taming of a Shrew for the main plot.

George Gascoigne's The Supposes for the Bianca subplot.