Character in Coriolanus
Menenius ♂ male
589Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.4Last Scene
15.7%Of Play Dialogue
Menenius is the #2 role in Coriolanus by line count (589 lines, 15.7% of the play), sharing the stage most often with Sicinius — 10 scenes together across Acts 1 to 5.
Menenius’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coriolanus | 680 | 18.1% |
| 2 | Menenius (this role) | 589 | 15.7% |
| 3 | Volumnia | 314 | 8.3% |
| 4 | Sicinius | 305 | 8.1% |
| 5 | Cominius | 286 | 7.6% |
| 6 | Aufidius | 275 | 7.3% |
| 7 | Brutus | 247 | 6.6% |
| 8 | Marcius | 218 | 5.8% |
| 9 | First Senator | 90 | 2.4% |
| 10 | First Citizen | 79 | 2.1% |
How Menenius’s dialogue distributes across the play
Menenius’s dramatic peak falls in Act 2 with 173 lines.
Every scene where Menenius speaks
| Act / Scene | Lines spoken | Share of scene |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 1 | 93 | 31.2% |
| Act 2, Scene 1 | 119 | 40.9% |
| Act 2, Scene 2 | 41 | 21.8% |
| Act 2, Scene 3 | 13 | 4.6% |
| Act 3, Scene 1 | 89 | 21.1% |
| Act 3, Scene 2 | 21 | 12.2% |
| Act 3, Scene 3 | 14 | 8.2% |
| Act 4, Scene 1 | 5 | 7.8% |
| Act 4, Scene 2 | 5 | 7.1% |
| Act 4, Scene 6 | 57 | 28.6% |
| Act 5, Scene 1 | 40 | 46.5% |
| Act 5, Scene 2 | 56 | 49.1% |
| Act 5, Scene 4 | 36 | 52.2% |
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 1): “What work's, my countrymen, in hand? where go you”
Longest speech (Act 5, Scene 4): “and, he returning to break our necks, they respect not us.”
Exit line (Act 5, Scene 4): “I'd not have given a doit. Hark, how they joy!”
Who Menenius shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Sicinius | 10 |
| Brutus | 9 |
| Cominius | 9 |
| Coriolanus | 8 |
| First Senator | 6 |
| First Citizen | 4 |
| Volumnia | 4 |
| Citizens | 4 |
| Messenger | 4 |
| Second Citizen | 3 |
Questions about Menenius
Is Menenius the lead role in Coriolanus?
Menenius is ranked #2 by line count among 61 speaking characters in Coriolanus — carrying 15.7% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Menenius’s longest scene?
Act 2 Scene 1, where Menenius speaks 119 lines.
Who does Menenius speak to the most?
Menenius shares the most scenes with Sicinius — 10 scenes together across Coriolanus.