A Lord  who tricks Christopher Sly
Christopher Sly a drunken tinker who awakens to find himself a "nobleman"
Petruchio  an adventurer from Verona, looking to "wive it wealthily in Padua"
Grumio  Petruchio's servant
Curtis  another of Petruchio's servants
Katherina  the unruly "shrew"
Bianca  her younger sister, with many suitors
Baptista Minola a wealthy merchant of Padua, father to Katherina and Bianca
Hortensio  one of Bianca's suitors, and friend to Petruchio
Lucentio  one of Bianca's suitors
Vincentio  Lucentio's father
Gremio  an elderly suitor to Bianca
Tranio  Lucentio's servant
Biondello  another servant to Lucentio