Character in Macbeth
Malcolm ♂ male
212Lines Spoken
1.2First Scene
5.8Last Scene
8.9%Of Play Dialogue
Malcolm is the #3 largest role in Macbeth, speaking 212 lines (8.9% of the play) across 8 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Malcolm shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Malcolm’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macbeth | 718 | 30.1% |
| 2 | Lady Macbeth | 265 | 11.1% |
| 3 | Malcolm (this role) | 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 Malcolm’s dialogue distributes across the play
Malcolm’s dramatic peak falls in Act 4 with 143 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 2): “Who like a good and hardy soldier fought”
Representative speech (Act 4, Scene 3): “Put on their instruments. Receive what cheer you may:”
Who Malcolm shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Macduff | 6 |
| Macbeth | 4 |
| Siward | 4 |
| Ross | 3 |
| All | 2 |
| Duncan | 2 |
| Lennox | 2 |
| Banquo | 2 |
| Porter | 1 |
| Donalbain | 1 |
Questions about Malcolm
Is Malcolm the lead role in Macbeth?
Malcolm is ranked #3 by line count among 41 speaking characters in Macbeth — a major role carrying 8.9% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Malcolm’s longest scene?
Act 4 Scene 3, where Malcolm speaks 143 lines.
Who does Malcolm speak to the most?
Malcolm shares the most scenes with Macduff — 6 scenes together across Macbeth.