Character in Measure for Measure
Duke Vincentio ♂ male
851Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.1Last Scene
30.0%Of Play Dialogue
Duke Vincentio is the #1 largest role in Measure for Measure, speaking 851 lines (30.0% of the play) across 10 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Duke Vincentio shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Duke Vincentio’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke Vincentio (this role) | 851 | 30.0% |
| 2 | Isabella | 420 | 14.8% |
| 3 | Angelo | 321 | 11.3% |
| 4 | Lucio | 302 | 10.7% |
| 5 | Escalus | 188 | 6.6% |
| 6 | Provost | 163 | 5.8% |
| 7 | Pompey | 156 | 5.5% |
| 8 | Claudio | 113 | 4.0% |
| 9 | Elbow | 68 | 2.4% |
| 10 | Mariana | 68 | 2.4% |
How Duke Vincentio’s dialogue distributes across the play
Duke Vincentio’s dramatic peak falls in Act 5 with 255 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 1): “Of government the properties to unfold,”
Representative speech (Act 4, Scene 1): “be I will call upon you anon, for some advantage to yourself.”
Who Duke Vincentio shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Provost | 6 |
| Isabella | 4 |
| Lucio | 3 |
| Escalus | 3 |
| Pompey | 3 |
| Claudio | 2 |
| Mariana | 2 |
| Friar Peter | 2 |
| Abhorson | 2 |
| Angelo | 2 |
Questions about Duke Vincentio
Is Duke Vincentio the lead role in Measure for Measure?
Duke Vincentio is ranked #1 by line count among 26 speaking characters in Measure for Measure — a major role carrying 30.0% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Duke Vincentio’s longest scene?
Act 5 Scene 1, where Duke Vincentio speaks 255 lines.
Who does Duke Vincentio speak to the most?
Duke Vincentio shares the most scenes with Provost — 6 scenes together across Measure for Measure.