Character in Henry IV, part 2
Falstaff ♂ male
715Lines Spoken
1.2First Scene
5.5Last Scene
22.0%Of Play Dialogue
Falstaff is the #1 role in Henry IV, part 2 by line count (715 lines, 22.0% of the play), sharing the stage most often with Bardolph — 5 scenes together across Acts 1 to 5.
Falstaff’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Falstaff (this role) | 715 | 22.0% |
| 2 | King Henry Iv | 323 | 9.9% |
| 3 | Prince Henry | 196 | 6.0% |
| 4 | Shallow | 185 | 5.7% |
| 5 | Mistress Quickly | 176 | 5.4% |
| 6 | Archbishop Of York | 150 | 4.6% |
| 7 | Lancaster | 145 | 4.5% |
| 8 | Northumberland | 113 | 3.5% |
| 9 | Westmoreland | 111 | 3.4% |
| 10 | King Henry V | 101 | 3.1% |
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 2): “Sirrah, you giant, what says the doctor to my water?”
Longest speech (Act 2, Scene 1): “Lord Chief-Justice What foolish master taught you these manners, Sir John?”
Exit line (Act 5, Scene 5): “Lord Chief-Justice I cannot now speak: I will hear you soon.”
How Falstaff’s dialogue distributes across the play
Falstaff’s dramatic peak falls in Act 1 with 217 lines.
Every scene where Falstaff speaks
| Act / Scene | Lines spoken | Share of scene |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 2 | 217 | 88.2% |
| Act 2, Scene 1 | 73 | 40.8% |
| Act 2, Scene 4 | 105 | 28.5% |
| Act 3, Scene 2 | 122 | 39.0% |
| Act 4, Scene 3 | 100 | 75.8% |
| Act 5, Scene 1 | 29 | 35.8% |
| Act 5, Scene 3 | 31 | 23.3% |
| Act 5, Scene 5 | 38 | 26.4% |
Who Falstaff shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Bardolph | 5 |
| Shallow | 4 |
| Pistol | 3 |
| Silence | 2 |
| Davy | 2 |
| Mistress Quickly | 2 |
| Page | 2 |
| Lancaster | 2 |
| Mouldy | 1 |
| Feeble | 1 |
Other plays featuring a character named Falstaff
| Play | Lines |
|---|---|
| Falstaff in Henry IV, part 1 | 616 |
| Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor | 433 |
Questions about Falstaff
Is Falstaff the lead role in Henry IV, part 2?
Falstaff is ranked #1 by line count among 47 speaking characters in Henry IV, part 2 — carrying 22.0% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Falstaff’s longest scene?
Act 1 Scene 2, where Falstaff speaks 217 lines.
Who does Falstaff speak to the most?
Falstaff shares the most scenes with Bardolph — 5 scenes together across Henry IV, part 2.