Character in Taming of the Shrew
Tranio ♂ male
293Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.2Last Scene
11.1%Of Play Dialogue
Tranio is the #2 largest role in Taming of the Shrew, speaking 293 lines (11.1% of the play) across 8 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Tranio shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Tranio’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petruchio | 587 | 22.3% |
| 2 | Tranio (this role) | 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 Tranio’s dialogue distributes across the play
Tranio’s dramatic peak falls in Act 1 with 97 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 1): “Mi perdonato, gentle master mine,”
Representative speech (Act 1, Scene 1): “But, sirrah, not for my sake, but your master's, I advise”
Who Tranio shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Lucentio | 7 |
| Biondello | 7 |
| Baptista | 6 |
| Gremio | 6 |
| Bianca | 6 |
| Hortensio | 5 |
| Katharina | 5 |
| Petruchio | 5 |
| Pedant | 3 |
| Grumio | 2 |
Questions about Tranio
Is Tranio the lead role in Taming of the Shrew?
Tranio is ranked #2 by line count among 37 speaking characters in Taming of the Shrew — a major role carrying 11.1% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Tranio’s longest scene?
Act 4 Scene 2, where Tranio speaks 66 lines.
Who does Tranio speak to the most?
Tranio shares the most scenes with Lucentio — 7 scenes together across Taming of the Shrew.