Bianca is the younger sister of Katharina in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. In clear contrast to her sister, Bianca is sweet, submissive, docile and the favourite of the bachelors of Padua. Her name means "white" in Italian, a color the Elizabethans would have associated with purity, beauty, and other such desirable feminine qualities. However, after Katharina is "tamed" and marries Petruchio, Bianca's true nature is revealed: she manipulates her suitors so as to encourage Lucentio and discourage Hortensio, while willingly deceiving her father.
Subtly dispelling our initial impression, Shakespeare contrasts Bianca's actions with her words. She tells Katherina while they are fighting that she "well knows her duty to her elders". Yet at the same time she clearly asserts her own will, as when giving orders to Hortensio and Lucentio, and has no scruples about the deception being practiced on her father, nor any objections to a clandestine marriage with Lucentio.
Insiduously, Bianca achieves her desires while appearing compliant with the commands of authority. However, her behaviour at the marriage banquet clearly indicates that she herself may become shrewish in later life.