# Bianca — The Taming of the Shrew character guide

> Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** sweet Bianca, Bianca That, Bianca God, Bianca Sister, Bianca Cambio, Bianca Ay, Binaca

**First appearance:** 0000-the-taming-of-the-shrew

## Snapshot

Baptista's younger daughter, outwardly sweet and obedient, whose demure surface hides a sharp eye for exactly which suitor serves her best.

## Who they are

Bianca is the prized younger sister whose mild manners and beauty draw a crowd of suitors, but whose father refuses to let her marry until the dreaded Katharina is wed. She plays the dutiful daughter in public while quietly trading coded Latin barbs with her disguised tutor and keeping multiple admirers guessing. Her apparent gentleness throws her sister's temper into relief, and her eventual choice of husband — and her willingness to mock her would-be wooers — hints that her sweetness is more strategic than it looks.

## Relationships

### [Petruchio](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters/petruchio)

_social_

Bianca is the mild-mannered sister whose courtship is entangled with Petruchio's pursuit of Katharina, leading to polite but distant interactions.

### [Katharina](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters/katharina)

_family_

Sisters with a deeply strained relationship, where Katharina resents Bianca's favored status and Bianca appears meek but subtly defiant.

### [Tranio](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters/tranio)

_social_

Bianca interacts with Tranio, who is disguised as Lucentio, as part of the elaborate deception to win her hand.

### [Lucentio](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters/lucentio)

_romantic_

Bianca and Lucentio have a secret, romantic courtship conducted under the guise of a tutoring arrangement, ending in elopement.

### [Petruchio](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters/petruchio)

_social_

Bianca is the mild-mannered sister whose courtship is entangled with Petruchio's pursuit of Katharina, leading to polite but distant interactions.

### [Tranio](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters/tranio)

_social_

Bianca interacts with Tranio, who is disguised as Lucentio, as part of the elaborate deception to win her hand.

### [Katharina](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters/katharina)

_family_

Sisters with a deeply strained relationship, where Katharina resents Bianca's favored status and Bianca appears meek but subtly defiant.

### [Petruchio](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters/petruchio)

_social_

Bianca is the mild-mannered sister whose courtship is entangled with Petruchio's pursuit of Katharina, leading to polite but distant interactions.

### [Tranio](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters/tranio)

_social_

Bianca interacts with Tranio, who is disguised as Lucentio, as part of the elaborate deception to win her hand.

### [Lucentio](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters/lucentio)

_romantic_

Bianca and Lucentio have a secret, romantic courtship conducted under the guise of a tutoring arrangement, ending in elopement.

### [Lucentio](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters/lucentio)

_romantic_

Bianca and Lucentio have a secret, romantic courtship conducted under the guise of a tutoring arrangement, ending in elopement.

## In the story

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/chapters/act-i-scene-i)

Obediently agrees to her father's wishes, capturing Lucentio's admiration with her mild demeanor.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-i)

Pleads with Katharina, denies favoring any suitor, and is ordered to leave by Baptista.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-i)

Assertive in her learning and courtship, she deciphers Lucentio's hidden message but remains cautious.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-ii)

Engages in a romantic lesson with Lucentio, is observed kissing and courting him, and learns of the men's oaths.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/chapters/act-v-scene-i)

Marries Lucentio secretly and asks for pardon from her father.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/chapters/act-v-scene-ii)

Refuses to come when summoned by Lucentio, showing disobedience and costing him the wager.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters/bianca
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_taming_of_the_shrew_se/characters