Shakespeare has written dozens of masterpieces throughout his lifetime, all of which include magnificent, developed characters. Every character Shakespeare has included in his plays is relevant, and has their own importance to the plot of the play. From the main character that has lines on every page to the minor character that only speaks once, they all have significance. Otherwise Shakespeare would not have included them in the play. In The Taming of the Shrew, one of Shakespeare's lighter comedies there are many characters involved in the development of the play.
Obviously Kate is the main character whom the play is named after. Kate is the shrew, who in the end is tamed by her husband. Bianca on the other hand is the complete opposite of Kate. Bianca is Kate's younger sister, who unlike Kate has men fighting over her hand in marriage. In contrast to Kate, Bianca would be considered the ideal wife. She is attractive, quiet, and obedient.
At the beginning of the play, Kate is seen as the forceful sister and Bianca as the clever one. Kate is describes by Grumio as the "fiend of hell". He tells Baptista, " Why will you mew her up, Seignior Baptista, for this fiend of hell and make her bear the penance of her tongue." (I, i, 88-90) Kate is describes by Tranio as "crust and shrewd" (I, i, 180) In contrast, Lucentio sees in Bianca's silence "mild behavior and sobriety" (I, i, 72) Early in the play, Kate forcefully binds Bianca's hands and beats her and a weeping Bianca resorts to her father to get away from Kate.
"Good sister, wrong me not nor wrong yourself to make a bandmaid and a slave of me. That I disdain. But for these other gawds, unbind my hands, I"ll pull them off myself, yeah, all my raiment, to my petticoat, or what you will command me will I do, so well I know my duty to my elders." (II, i, 1-8) .
Bianca does not use force but instead relies on cleverness to get her way.
