Petruchio (/pɪˈtruːkioʊ, -tʃioʊ/ pih-TROO-kee-oh, -⁠chee-oh; an anglicisation of the Italian name Petruccio, pronounced [peˈtruttʃo]) is the male protagonist in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew (c. 1590–1594).

During his first encounter with Kate, he matches her fierce temper and manages to convince her father that she passionately loves him but only pretends to hate him in public.

The two are married, with Petruchio arriving at the wedding late and forcing Kate to leave the ceremony feast early.

One popular opinion is that Petruchio is, for the most part, a selfish misogynist determined to tame Katharine for his own convenience and pride.

His ridiculous actions, including his unconventional attire at his wedding and his treatment of Katharine once they are married, are sometimes viewed as a reflection of his descent into madness.

[2] Petruchio's character is very powerful in that the light in which we view him can change the play from a story of male chauvinism to an absurdist comedy.

On their journey back to Padua, Petruccio refuses to continue until Katharine agrees with him that the midday sun is the moon.