Character in Henry VIII
Norfolk ♂ male
212Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.3Last Scene
6.6%Of Play Dialogue
Norfolk is the #4 largest role in Henry VIII, speaking 212 lines (6.6% of the play) across 5 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Norfolk shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Norfolk’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King Henry Viii | 476 | 14.7% |
| 2 | Cardinal Wolsey | 439 | 13.6% |
| 3 | Queen Katharine | 277 | 8.6% |
| 4 | Norfolk (this role) | 212 | 6.6% |
| 5 | Buckingham | 192 | 5.9% |
| 6 | Chamberlain | 151 | 4.7% |
| 7 | Cranmer | 136 | 4.2% |
| 8 | Second Gentleman | 115 | 3.6% |
| 9 | Katharine | 114 | 3.5% |
| 10 | First Gentleman | 107 | 3.3% |
How Norfolk’s dialogue distributes across the play
Norfolk’s dramatic peak falls in Act 1 with 114 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 1): “Healthful; and ever since a fresh admirer”
Representative speech (Act 1, Scene 1): “Which had they, what four throned ones could have weigh'd”
Who Norfolk shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Cardinal Wolsey | 4 |
| King Henry Viii | 4 |
| Suffolk | 3 |
| Chamberlain | 3 |
| Cromwell | 2 |
| Gardiner | 2 |
| Surrey | 2 |
| First Secretary | 1 |
| Buckingham | 1 |
| Keeper | 1 |
Questions about Norfolk
Is Norfolk the lead role in Henry VIII?
Norfolk is ranked #4 by line count among 46 speaking characters in Henry VIII — a major role carrying 6.6% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Norfolk’s longest scene?
Act 1 Scene 1, where Norfolk speaks 105 lines.
Who does Norfolk speak to the most?
Norfolk shares the most scenes with Cardinal Wolsey — 4 scenes together across Henry VIII.