Character in King John
King John ♂ male
441Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.7Last Scene
16.7%Of Play Dialogue
King John is the #2 largest role in King John, speaking 441 lines (16.7% of the play) across 9 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who King John shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
King John’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bastard | 523 | 19.8% |
| 2 | King John (this role) | 441 | 16.7% |
| 3 | Constance | 264 | 10.0% |
| 4 | King Philip | 193 | 7.3% |
| 5 | Cardinal Pandulph | 164 | 6.2% |
| 6 | Salisbury | 158 | 6.0% |
| 7 | Lewis | 154 | 5.8% |
| 8 | Hubert | 141 | 5.3% |
| 9 | Arthur | 120 | 4.5% |
| 10 | Pembroke | 79 | 3.0% |
How King John’s dialogue distributes across the play
King John’s dramatic peak falls in Act 4 with 121 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 1): “Now, say, Chatillon, what would France with us?”
Representative speech (Act 1, Scene 1): “From henceforth bear his name whose form thou bear'st:”
Who King John shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Bastard | 8 |
| Queen Elinor | 4 |
| Salisbury | 3 |
| Arthur | 3 |
| Hubert | 3 |
| Blanch | 2 |
| Chatillon | 2 |
| King Philip | 2 |
| Lewis | 2 |
| Pembroke | 2 |
Questions about King John
Is King John the lead role in King John?
King John is ranked #2 by line count among 28 speaking characters in King John — a major role carrying 16.7% of the play’s dialogue.
What is King John’s longest scene?
Act 4 Scene 2, where King John speaks 121 lines.
Who does King John speak to the most?
King John shares the most scenes with Bastard — 8 scenes together across King John.