Character in King Lear
Gloucester ♂ male
342Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.2Last Scene
9.8%Of Play Dialogue
Gloucester is the #4 largest role in King Lear, speaking 342 lines (9.8% of the play) across 12 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Gloucester shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Gloucester’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 (this role) | 342 | 9.8% |
| 5 | Edmund | 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 Gloucester’s dialogue distributes across the play
Gloucester’s dramatic peak falls in Act 4 with 108 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 1): “It did always seem so to us: but now, in the”
Representative speech (Act 3, Scene 3): “some strange thing toward, Edmund; pray you, be careful.”
Who Gloucester shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Edgar | 7 |
| Cornwall | 5 |
| King Lear | 5 |
| Kent | 5 |
| Edmund | 5 |
| Regan | 5 |
| Goneril | 3 |
| Oswald | 3 |
| Fool | 3 |
| Gentleman | 2 |
Questions about Gloucester
Is Gloucester the lead role in King Lear?
Gloucester is ranked #4 by line count among 26 speaking characters in King Lear — a major role carrying 9.8% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Gloucester’s longest scene?
Act 4 Scene 6, where Gloucester speaks 63 lines.
Who does Gloucester speak to the most?
Gloucester shares the most scenes with Edgar — 7 scenes together across King Lear.