What does the line about Bianca as the appendix reveal about gender attitudes in this scene?

• A. That women are seen as dependent on men.
• B. That women are valued for their wit.
• C. That women are equal partners in marriage.
• D. That women are worthless.

Answer: (B)

The line uses Bianca as something added to the scene, a way to show how women are valued in social interactions. In this moment, Bianca’s worth is tied to her wit—her cleverness and quick, entertaining speech—rather than to passive obedience or mere appearance. That emphasis on wit as the measure of a woman’s appeal reveals a mindset that a woman’s significance in courtship and social life comes from her verbal cleverness and charm. The other possibilities aren’t supported here because the passage doesn’t frame women as dependent on men, as equal partners in a literal sense, or as worthless; it centers on the value placed on wit.