The Taming of the Shrew

by

William Shakespeare

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Gremio Character Analysis

Read our modern English translation.
Gremio is a rather old, wealthy suitor of Bianca, competing for her hand in marriage with Lucentio and Hortensio, as well as others. When Baptista decides to marry Bianca to Lucentio, he adds that she will marry Gremio if Lucentio's financial guarantees don't check out. When Lucentio gets the merchant, disguised as Vincentio, to guarantee his dower, Gremio is out of luck with Bianca.

Gremio Quotes in The Taming of the Shrew

The The Taming of the Shrew quotes below are all either spoken by Gremio or refer to Gremio. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Gender and Misogyny Theme Icon
).
Act 1, Scene 2 Quotes

But will you woo this wildcat?

Related Characters: Gremio (speaker), Katherine, Petruchio
Related Symbols: Animals
Page Number: 2.1.198
Explanation and Analysis:
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Gremio Character Timeline in The Taming of the Shrew

The timeline below shows where the character Gremio appears in The Taming of the Shrew. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, Scene 1
Gender and Misogyny Theme Icon
Marriage Theme Icon
Baptista enters with his two daughters, Katherine and Bianca. Two men, Gremio and Hortensio, enter as well, seeking to woo Bianca. Baptista reminds them that he has... (full context)
Gender and Misogyny Theme Icon
Marriage Theme Icon
...leave and go inside, and she is polite and deferential, in contrast to Katherine's rudeness. Gremio and Hortensio protest Baptista's condition for the marriage of Bianca, but he says that his... (full context)
Gender and Misogyny Theme Icon
...keep only schoolmasters in his house, to instruct Bianca in music and poetry. He asks Gremio and Hortensio if they know of any teachers, then exits, telling Katherine to stay. Katherine... (full context)
Gender and Misogyny Theme Icon
Marriage Theme Icon
Gremio insults Katherine, then says that he would gladly find a teacher for Bianca. Hortensio agrees,... (full context)
Act 1, Scene 2
Education Theme Icon
Gremio enters with Lucentio, who is disguised as a schoolmaster named Cambio. Gremio tells Lucentio to... (full context)
Gender and Misogyny Theme Icon
Marriage Theme Icon
Hortensio greets Gremio, who tells him that he is on the way to Baptista's house, to bring Cambio... (full context)
Act 2, Scene 1
Gender and Misogyny Theme Icon
Marriage Theme Icon
...with any of them. Katherine says perhaps Bianca desires a wealthy husband, in which case Gremio would do just fine. Katherine hits Bianca. (full context)
Theater, Performance, and Identity Theme Icon
Gremio enters with Lucentio (disguised as Cambio). Petruchio enters with Hortensio (disguised as a tutor named... (full context)
Education Theme Icon
Gremio interrupts to introduce "Cambio" (really Lucentio) as a teacher of Greek, Latin, and other languages.... (full context)
Gender and Misogyny Theme Icon
Theater, Performance, and Identity Theme Icon
Marriage Theme Icon
Baptista enters with Gremio and Tranio (disguised as Lucentio). Katherine complains to her father that he has wed her... (full context)
Marriage Theme Icon
Baptista now sets his mind to figuring out who Bianca's husband will be. Gremio claims that he loved Bianca first, but Tranio says he loves her more. Baptista breaks... (full context)
Social Hierarchy Theme Icon
Marriage Theme Icon
...Petruchio's wedding, provided that Lucentio's father guarantees Lucentio's inheritance. Otherwise, Bianca will be married to Gremio. Baptista leaves. Gremio is confident that Lucentio's father will not turn over all his property... (full context)
Act 3, Scene 2
Marriage Theme Icon
It is Katherine and Petruchio's wedding day, and Baptista, Gremio, Katherine, Bianca, Tranio (disguised as Lucentio), and Lucentio (disguised as Cambio) are all present for... (full context)
Gender and Misogyny Theme Icon
Theater, Performance, and Identity Theme Icon
Gremio enters, having just come from the church where Katherine and Petruchio were wed. He calls... (full context)
Gender and Misogyny Theme Icon
Marriage Theme Icon
...he will leave now, skipping the traditional wedding feast that has been arranged. Tranio and Gremio ask him to stay, but Petruchio insists that he must leave, offering no explanation for... (full context)
Act 5, Scene 1
Theater, Performance, and Identity Theme Icon
...runs off with Bianca and Biondello to the church where he will marry Bianca. Meanwhile, Gremio waits outside Lucentio's door, remarking on how long Cambio is taking to bring Bianca. After... (full context)
Act 5, Scene 2
Marriage Theme Icon
It is finally time for Lucentio and Bianca's wedding banquet. Baptista, Vincentio, Gremio, the merchant who had pretended to be Vincentio, Lucentio, Bianca, Petruchio, and Katherine are all... (full context)