Character in Taming of the Shrew
Hortensio ♂ male
206Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.2Last Scene
7.8%Of Play Dialogue
Hortensio is the #4 largest role in Taming of the Shrew, speaking 206 lines (7.8% of the play) across 8 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Hortensio shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Hortensio’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petruchio | 587 | 22.3% |
| 2 | Tranio | 293 | 11.1% |
| 3 | Katharina | 216 | 8.2% |
| 4 | Hortensio (this role) | 206 | 7.8% |
| 5 | Lucentio | 190 | 7.2% |
| 6 | Baptista | 175 | 6.6% |
| 7 | Grumio | 171 | 6.5% |
| 8 | Gremio | 170 | 6.4% |
| 9 | Lord | 138 | 5.2% |
| 10 | Biondello | 102 | 3.9% |
How Hortensio’s dialogue distributes across the play
Hortensio’s dramatic peak falls in Act 1 with 102 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 1): “Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates for you,”
Representative speech (Act 1, Scene 2): “and my good friend Petruchio! How do you all at Verona?”
Who Hortensio shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Petruchio | 5 |
| Tranio | 5 |
| Lucentio | 5 |
| Katharina | 5 |
| Bianca | 5 |
| Biondello | 4 |
| Gremio | 4 |
| Baptista | 3 |
| Grumio | 2 |
| Vincentio | 2 |
Questions about Hortensio
Is Hortensio the lead role in Taming of the Shrew?
Hortensio is ranked #4 by line count among 37 speaking characters in Taming of the Shrew — a major role carrying 7.8% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Hortensio’s longest scene?
Act 1 Scene 2, where Hortensio speaks 77 lines.
Who does Hortensio speak to the most?
Hortensio shares the most scenes with Petruchio — 5 scenes together across Taming of the Shrew.