Character in King Lear
King Lear ♂ male
752Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.3Last Scene
21.5%Of Play Dialogue
King Lear is the #1 largest role in King Lear, speaking 752 lines (21.5% of the play) across 10 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who King Lear shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
King Lear’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King Lear (this role) | 752 | 21.5% |
| 2 | Edgar | 395 | 11.3% |
| 3 | Kent | 369 | 10.5% |
| 4 | Gloucester | 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 King Lear’s dialogue distributes across the play
King Lear’s dramatic peak falls in Act 1 with 257 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 1): “Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloucester.”
Representative speech (Act 1, Scene 5): “If your diligence be not speedy, I shall be there afore you.”
Who King Lear shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Kent | 9 |
| Fool | 6 |
| Gloucester | 5 |
| Gentleman | 5 |
| Goneril | 4 |
| Edgar | 4 |
| Cordelia | 3 |
| Albany | 3 |
| Regan | 3 |
| Edmund | 2 |
Questions about King Lear
Is King Lear the lead role in King Lear?
King Lear is ranked #1 by line count among 26 speaking characters in King Lear — a major role carrying 21.5% of the play’s dialogue.
What is King Lear’s longest scene?
Act 2 Scene 4, where King Lear speaks 164 lines.
Who does King Lear speak to the most?
King Lear shares the most scenes with Kent — 9 scenes together across King Lear.