Character in Othello
Desdemona ♀ female
388Lines Spoken
1.3First Scene
5.2Last Scene
10.9%Of Play Dialogue
Desdemona is the #3 role in Othello by line count (388 lines, 10.9% of the play), sharing the stage most often with Othello — 9 scenes together across Acts 1 to 5.
Desdemona’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iago | 1,098 | 30.9% |
| 2 | Othello | 887 | 24.9% |
| 3 | Desdemona (this role) | 388 | 10.9% |
| 4 | Cassio | 277 | 7.8% |
| 5 | Emilia | 245 | 6.9% |
| 6 | Brabantio | 139 | 3.9% |
| 7 | Roderigo | 114 | 3.2% |
| 8 | Lodovico | 76 | 2.1% |
| 9 | Duke Of Venice | 73 | 2.1% |
| 10 | Montano | 61 | 1.7% |
Who Desdemona shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Othello | 9 |
| Iago | 8 |
| Emilia | 6 |
| Cassio | 6 |
| Roderigo | 4 |
| Lodovico | 3 |
| Montano | 3 |
| Bianca | 2 |
| All | 2 |
| Senator | 1 |
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 3): “I do perceive here a divided duty:”
Longest speech (Act 2, Scene 1): “merit, did justly put on the vouch of very malice itself?”
Exit line (Act 5, Scene 2): “Commend me to my kind lord: O, farewell!”
Every scene where Desdemona speaks
| Act / Scene | Lines spoken | Share of scene |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 3 | 28 | 6.6% |
| Act 2, Scene 1 | 30 | 9.0% |
| Act 2, Scene 3 | 1 | 0.3% |
| Act 3, Scene 3 | 72 | 13.5% |
| Act 3, Scene 4 | 79 | 35.3% |
| Act 4, Scene 1 | 14 | 4.5% |
| Act 4, Scene 2 | 64 | 23.8% |
| Act 4, Scene 3 | 58 | 51.8% |
| Act 5, Scene 2 | 42 | 9.9% |
How Desdemona’s dialogue distributes across the play
Desdemona’s dramatic peak falls in Act 3 with 151 lines.
Questions about Desdemona
Is Desdemona the lead role in Othello?
Desdemona is ranked #3 by line count among 28 speaking characters in Othello — carrying 10.9% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Desdemona’s longest scene?
Act 3 Scene 4, where Desdemona speaks 79 lines.
Who does Desdemona speak to the most?
Desdemona shares the most scenes with Othello — 9 scenes together across Othello.