- Katherina (Kate) Minola – the "shrew" of the title
- Bianca Minola – sister of Katherina, the ingénue
- Baptista Minola – father of Katherina and Bianca
- Petruchio – suitor of Katherina
- Gremio – elderly suitor of Bianca
- Lucentio – suitor of Bianca
- Hortensio – suitor of Bianca and friend to Petruchio
- Grumio – Petruchio's manservant
- Tranio – Lucentio's manservant
- Biondello – servant of Lucentio
- Vincentio – father of Lucentio
- Widow – wooed by Hortensio
- Pedant – pretends to be Vincentio
- Haberdasher
- Tailor
- Curtis – servant of Petruchio
- Nathaniel – servant of Petruchio
- Joseph – servant of Petruchio
- Peter – servant of Petruchio
- Nicholas – servant of Petruchio
- Philip – servant of Petruchio
- Officer
Characters appearing in the Induction:
- Christopher Sly – a drunken tinker
- Hostess of an alehouse
- Lord – plays a prank on Sly
- Bartholomew – Lord's page boy
- Lord's Huntsman
- Players
- Servingmen
- Messenger
