Character in King Lear
Edmund ♂ male
319Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.3Last Scene
9.1%Of Play Dialogue
Edmund is the #5 largest role in King Lear, speaking 319 lines (9.1% of the play) across 9 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Edmund shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Edmund’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King Lear | 752 | 21.5% |
| 2 | Edgar | 395 | 11.3% |
| 3 | Kent | 369 | 10.5% |
| 4 | Gloucester | 342 | 9.8% |
| 5 | Edmund (this role) | 319 | 9.1% |
| 6 | Fool | 227 | 6.5% |
| 7 | Goneril | 202 | 5.8% |
| 8 | Regan | 190 | 5.4% |
| 9 | Albany | 161 | 4.6% |
| 10 | Cordelia | 118 | 3.4% |
How Edmund’s dialogue distributes across the play
Edmund’s dramatic peak falls in Act 1 with 125 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 2): “Thou, nature, art my goddess; to thy law”
Representative speech (Act 1, Scene 2): “business as I shall find means and acquaint you withal.”
Who Edmund shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Gloucester | 5 |
| Regan | 5 |
| Albany | 4 |
| Goneril | 4 |
| Cornwall | 4 |
| Edgar | 4 |
| Kent | 3 |
| Cordelia | 2 |
| King Lear | 2 |
| Oswald | 2 |
Questions about Edmund
Is Edmund the lead role in King Lear?
Edmund is ranked #5 by line count among 26 speaking characters in King Lear — a major role carrying 9.1% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Edmund’s longest scene?
Act 1 Scene 2, where Edmund speaks 122 lines.
Who does Edmund speak to the most?
Edmund shares the most scenes with Gloucester — 5 scenes together across King Lear.