Katherine: She is called the shrew, even by her father. She is always put second
in her fathers eyes, next to her sister. She alters dramatically from an ill
mannered shrew to a obedient and happy wife when she discovers her husband cares
enough to try to change her for her own good, as well as his own. The shrew is
not a shrew at all beneath the surface. Petruchio: he is Katherine's husband but
he only marries her for her fathers money. During and after the wedding. His
behavior seems very unreasonable, for example, he is late for the wedding, he
carries his wife immediately afterwards, starves her, and keeps her from
sleeping. But this all comes out in loving apparel. He is not exactly Gentle,
but he is exactly what Katherine needs. Bianca: Apparently gentle in her
behavior, she is a unkind sister and a disobedient wife. She has her fathers
attitude of favoritism for herself and dislike for Katherine by playing the part
of the victim. Ironically as it seams towards the end of the play, she is more
of a shrew than her sister. Lucentio: Is Bianca's husband, devoted to her for
obscure reasons. Both he and Bianca are selfish in their love, they are a
typical pair of immature lovers, they think only of themselves and each
considers their own wishes before their beloved. Baptista: He is the father of
both Katherine and Bianca. He has much difficulty marrying both of them because
of one being a notorious shrew. He ignores the question of his daughters'
happiness in seeking mates for them. In the case of Bianca, to make a good
bargain and attain the highest possible financial concessions from the suitors
and, in Kate's case, simply to be rid of a problem child. He practically
auctions off his favorite, offering her to whichever suitor will give the
highest bid, without asking her. He will give Katherine to anyone who will take
her off his hands. Vincentio: Is Lucentio's father, he is extremely fond of his
son and is grief-stricken when he discovers his son may have come to harm.