Character in Measure for Measure
Isabella ♀ female
420Lines Spoken
1.4First Scene
5.1Last Scene
14.8%Of Play Dialogue
Isabella is the #2 largest role in Measure for Measure — 420 lines (14.8% of the play) across 8 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5.
Isabella’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke Vincentio | 851 | 30.0% |
| 2 | Isabella (this role) | 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% |
Who Isabella shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Provost | 4 |
| Duke Vincentio | 4 |
| Lucio | 4 |
| Angelo | 3 |
| Mariana | 3 |
| Servant | 2 |
| Friar Peter | 2 |
| Escalus | 1 |
| Barnardine | 1 |
| Francisca | 1 |
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 4): “And have you nuns no farther privileges?”
Longest speech (Act 3, Scene 1): “it will let this man live! But how out of this can she avail?”
Exit line (Act 5, Scene 1): “That perish'd by the way: thoughts are no subjects;”
Every scene where Isabella speaks
| Act / Scene | Lines spoken | Share of scene |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 4 | 27 | 27.3% |
| Act 2, Scene 2 | 94 | 42.3% |
| Act 2, Scene 4 | 78 | 39.2% |
| Act 3, Scene 1 | 91 | 32.4% |
| Act 4, Scene 1 | 25 | 32.9% |
| Act 4, Scene 3 | 9 | 5.1% |
| Act 4, Scene 6 | 9 | 52.9% |
| Act 5, Scene 1 | 87 | 15.0% |
How Isabella’s dialogue distributes across the play
Isabella’s dramatic peak falls in Act 2 with 172 lines.
Questions about Isabella
Is Isabella the lead role in Measure for Measure?
Isabella is ranked #2 by line count among 26 speaking characters in Measure for Measure — carrying 14.8% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Isabella’s longest scene?
Act 2 Scene 2, where Isabella speaks 94 lines.
Who does Isabella speak to the most?
Isabella shares the most scenes with Provost — 4 scenes together across Measure for Measure.