Character in Macbeth
Macbeth ♂ male
718Lines Spoken
1.3First Scene
5.8Last Scene
30.1%Of Play Dialogue
Macbeth is the #1 largest role in Macbeth, speaking 718 lines (30.1% of the play) across 15 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Macbeth shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Macbeth’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macbeth (this role) | 718 | 30.1% |
| 2 | Lady Macbeth | 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 Macbeth’s dialogue distributes across the play
Macbeth’s dramatic peak falls in Act 3 with 265 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 3): “So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”
Representative speech (Act 1, Scene 3): “[Aside] If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me,”
Who Macbeth shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Lady Macbeth | 7 |
| Banquo | 5 |
| All | 4 |
| Malcolm | 4 |
| Lennox | 3 |
| Macduff | 3 |
| Ross | 3 |
| Siward | 2 |
| First Witch | 2 |
| Third Witch | 2 |
Questions about Macbeth
Is Macbeth the lead role in Macbeth?
Macbeth is ranked #1 by line count among 41 speaking characters in Macbeth — a major role carrying 30.1% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Macbeth’s longest scene?
Act 3 Scene 1, where Macbeth speaks 115 lines.
Who does Macbeth speak to the most?
Macbeth shares the most scenes with Lady Macbeth — 7 scenes together across Macbeth.