How many lines does Hortensio have in The Taming of the Shrew?

The size of the part, every scene it speaks in, its longest speeches, and how long it takes to learn.

The Offbook team

Oct 8, 2026

Hortensio has about 204 lines in The Taming of the Shrew: 1,568 words in 69 speeches, 7.7% of the play, and the 4th-largest part. The role speaks in 8 of the 14 scenes, and its longest wait is 2 scenes in a row without a line.

Hortensio’s biggest scene is Act 1, Scene 2, where he greets his old friend Petruchio and steers him toward Katharina. He then disguises himself as a music teacher to court Bianca, and his longest speech reports Katharina breaking a lute over his head. He gives up on Bianca, marries a widow, and joins the final wager.

Lines: 204
Words: 1,568
Share of play: 7.7%
Speech time: 11 min

74% of the words are verse. 69 speeches means about 69 cues to learn.

Scene by scene

Scene	Words	Minutes
Act 1, Scene 1	208	1.5
Act 1, Scene 2	581	4.2
Act 2, Scene 1	125	0.9
Act 3, Scene 1	221	1.6
Act 4, Scene 2	203	1.4
Act 4, Scene 3	72	0.5
Act 4, Scene 5	62	0.4
Act 5, Scene 2	96	0.7

The longest speeches

Speech	Scene	Words
“Why, no; for she hath broke the lute to me.”	Act 2, Scene 1	101
“Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee,”	Act 1, Scene 2	83
“Petruchio, since we are stepp’d thus far in,”	Act 1, Scene 2	79
“Would all the world but he had quite forsworn!”	Act 4, Scene 2	72
“Faith, as you say, there’s small choice in rotten …”	Act 1, Scene 1	69
“Gremio, ’tis now no time to vent our love:”	Act 1, Scene 2	57
“So will I, Signior Gremio: but a word, I pray. Tho…”	Act 1, Scene 1	53
“Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace,”	Act 1, Scene 2	52

How many lines a day to learn

New lines a day to be off book in time, learning five days a week. Review what you already know on the other days.

Time until off book	New lines a day
2 weeks	21
3 weeks	14
4 weeks	11
6 weeks	7

Questions actors ask