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Katherina In The Taming Of The Shrew

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A merchant decrees that he will not allow his youngest daughter to marry until his eldest does so. Three suitors vie for one daughter's love while a bachelor tempers the other's wild spirit through various psychological experiments. In the midst of this comedic chaos, a seemingly minor character reminds the audience that first impressions are not as accurate as one might believe.
Set against the backdrop of the Italian Renaissance, William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew chronicles a headstrong fortune seeker's tumultuous relationship with an equally headstrong noblewoman and his attempt to force her into submission. But while Shakespeare primarily focuses on leading characters Petruchio and Katherina, he also directs attention towards Katherina's demure sister …show more content…

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Put finger in the eye, an she knew why (1.1.78-79).
This suggests that Bianca uses her "mild behavior and sobriety" to mislead those around her, specifically when it comes to convincing Baptista that Katherina takes pleasure in her misery. By making Katherina out to be spiteful under the guise of gentle sadness, Bianca essentially reveals that she is not the subservient young woman everyone believes her to be.
Up until the play's third act, little to nothing is known about Bianca apart from three key facts – Katherina detests her, Baptista dotes on her and the men of Padua worship her. The moment she is left to her own devices, however, Bianca completely abandons her angelic façade and allows the audience to see another aspect of her personality. When Lucentio and Hortensio disagree over which "tutor" shall instruct Bianca first, she promptly puts an end to the argument:
Why, gentlemen, you do me double wrong
To strive for that which resteth in my choice.
I am no breeching scholar in the schools,
I'll not be tied to hours nor 'pointed

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