Character in Macbeth
Lady Macbeth ♀ female
265Lines Spoken
1.5First Scene
5.1Last Scene
11.1%Of Play Dialogue
Lady Macbeth is the #2 largest role in Macbeth, speaking 265 lines (11.1% of the play) across 9 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Lady Macbeth shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Lady Macbeth’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macbeth | 718 | 30.1% |
| 2 | Lady Macbeth (this role) | 265 | 11.1% |
| 3 | Malcolm | 212 | 8.9% |
| 4 | Macduff | 180 | 7.5% |
| 5 | Ross | 135 | 5.7% |
| 6 | Banquo | 113 | 4.7% |
| 7 | Lennox | 74 | 3.1% |
| 8 | Duncan | 70 | 2.9% |
| 9 | First Witch | 62 | 2.6% |
| 10 | Porter | 46 | 1.9% |
How Lady Macbeth’s dialogue distributes across the play
Lady Macbeth’s dramatic peak falls in Act 1 with 127 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 5): “'They met me in the day of success: and I have”
Representative speech (Act 1, Scene 5): “And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou'ldst have, great Glamis,”
Who Lady Macbeth shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Macbeth | 7 |
| Banquo | 3 |
| First Murderer | 2 |
| Lennox | 2 |
| Lords | 1 |
| Both Murderers | 1 |
| Macduff | 1 |
| Donalbain | 1 |
| Messenger | 1 |
| All | 1 |
Questions about Lady Macbeth
Is Lady Macbeth the lead role in Macbeth?
Lady Macbeth is ranked #2 by line count among 41 speaking characters in Macbeth — a major role carrying 11.1% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Lady Macbeth’s longest scene?
Act 1 Scene 5, where Lady Macbeth speaks 73 lines.
Who does Lady Macbeth speak to the most?
Lady Macbeth shares the most scenes with Macbeth — 7 scenes together across Macbeth.