Character in Taming of the Shrew
Petruchio ♂ male
587Lines Spoken
1.2First Scene
5.2Last Scene
22.3%Of Play Dialogue
Petruchio is the #1 largest role in Taming of the Shrew, speaking 587 lines (22.3% of the play) across 8 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Petruchio shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Petruchio’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petruchio (this role) | 587 | 22.3% |
| 2 | Tranio | 293 | 11.1% |
| 3 | Katharina | 216 | 8.2% |
| 4 | Hortensio | 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 Petruchio’s dialogue distributes across the play
Petruchio’s dramatic peak falls in Act 4 with 204 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 2): “Verona, for a while I take my leave,”
Representative speech (Act 5, Scene 1): “come from Pisa, and is here at the door to speak with him.”
Who Petruchio shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Katharina | 7 |
| Tranio | 5 |
| Gremio | 5 |
| Hortensio | 5 |
| Lucentio | 4 |
| Baptista | 4 |
| Biondello | 4 |
| Grumio | 4 |
| Bianca | 4 |
| Vincentio | 3 |
Questions about Petruchio
Is Petruchio the lead role in Taming of the Shrew?
Petruchio is ranked #1 by line count among 37 speaking characters in Taming of the Shrew — a major role carrying 22.3% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Petruchio’s longest scene?
Act 2 Scene 1, where Petruchio speaks 163 lines.
Who does Petruchio speak to the most?
Petruchio shares the most scenes with Katharina — 7 scenes together across Taming of the Shrew.