Taming of the Shrew, Act 4
708Lines
5Scenes
20Speakers
89% / 11%Male / Female Lines
Act 4 of Taming of the Shrew runs 708 lines across 5 scenes with 20 speaking characters — about 26.8% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — Grumio: “Fie, fie on all tired jades, on all mad masters, and”
Closes (Scene 5) — Hortensio: “Then hast thou taught Hortensio to be untoward.”
The 5 scenes of Act 4
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 199 | 10 | 28.1% |
| Scene 2 | 126 | 6 | 17.8% |
| Scene 3 | 197 | 6 | 27.8% |
| Scene 4 | 106 | 5 | 15.0% |
| Scene 5 | 80 | 4 | 11.3% |
Who speaks in Act 4
Leading voice: Petruchio with 29% of Act 4’s dialogue (204 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petruchio ♂ | 204 | 28.8% |
| Grumio ♂ | 123 | 17.4% |
| Tranio ♂ | 93 | 13.1% |
| Katharina ♀ | 70 | 9.9% |
| Hortensio ♂ | 42 | 5.9% |
| Pedant ♂ | 37 | 5.2% |
| Biondello ♂ | 35 | 4.9% |
Characters first heard in Act 4
Pacing across the 5 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 4 range from Scene 5 (80 lines, the shortest) to Scene 1 (199 lines, the longest), averaging about 142 lines per scene.
How Act 4 of Taming of the Shrew compares to other comedies
| Play | Act 4 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Love's Labours Lost | 731 | 3 |
| Taming of the Shrew (this act) | 708 | 5 |
| The Merry Wives of Windsor | 544 | 6 |
| The Merchant of Venice | 495 | 2 |
| The Comedy of Errors | 490 | 4 |
| Two Gentlemen of Verona | 474 | 4 |
| Much Ado About Nothing | 417 | 2 |
| As You Like It | 404 | 3 |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | 265 | 2 |
| Twelfth Night | 223 | 3 |
About Act 4 of Taming of the Shrew
How many lines are in Act 4 of Taming of the Shrew?
708 lines spread across 5 scenes.
Who dominates Act 4?
Petruchio delivers 29% of the act’s dialogue (204 lines).