Character in A Midsummer Night's Dream
Bottom ♂ male
204Lines Spoken
1.2First Scene
5.1Last Scene
9.4%Of Play Dialogue
Bottom is the #5 largest role in A Midsummer Night's Dream, speaking 204 lines (9.4% of the play) across 5 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Bottom shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Bottom’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theseus | 233 | 10.8% |
| 2 | Helena | 229 | 10.6% |
| 3 | Oberon | 226 | 10.5% |
| 4 | Puck | 209 | 9.7% |
| 5 | Bottom (this role) | 204 | 9.4% |
| 6 | Lysander | 178 | 8.2% |
| 7 | Hermia | 165 | 7.6% |
| 8 | Titania | 158 | 7.3% |
| 9 | Demetrius | 134 | 6.2% |
| 10 | Quince | 83 | 3.8% |
How Bottom’s dialogue distributes across the play
Bottom’s dramatic peak falls in Act 3 with 88 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 2): “You were best to call them generally, man by man,”
Representative speech (Act 3, Scene 1): “No, make it two more; let it be written in eight and eight.”
Who Bottom shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Quince | 3 |
| Titania | 3 |
| Flute | 3 |
| Starveling | 3 |
| Puck | 3 |
| Mustardseed | 2 |
| Snug | 2 |
| Peaseblossom | 2 |
| Hippolyta | 2 |
| Theseus | 2 |
Questions about Bottom
Is Bottom the lead role in A Midsummer Night’s Dream?
Bottom is ranked #5 by line count among 30 speaking characters in A Midsummer Night's Dream — a major role carrying 9.4% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Bottom’s longest scene?
Act 3 Scene 1, where Bottom speaks 88 lines.
Who does Bottom speak to the most?
Bottom shares the most scenes with Quince — 3 scenes together across A Midsummer Night's Dream.