Character in Othello
Desdemona ♀ female
388Lines Spoken
1.3First Scene
5.2Last Scene
10.9%Of Play Dialogue
Desdemona is the #3 largest role in Othello, speaking 388 lines (10.9% of the play) across 9 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Desdemona shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
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% |
How Desdemona’s dialogue distributes across the play
Desdemona’s dramatic peak falls in Act 3 with 151 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 3): “I do perceive here a divided duty:”
Representative speech (Act 2, Scene 1): “merit, did justly put on the vouch of very malice itself?”
Who Desdemona shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Othello | 9 |
| Iago | 8 |
| Cassio | 6 |
| Emilia | 6 |
| Roderigo | 4 |
| Lodovico | 3 |
| Montano | 3 |
| All | 2 |
| Bianca | 2 |
| Fourth Gentleman | 1 |
Questions about Desdemona
Is Desdemona the lead role in Othello?
Desdemona is ranked #3 by line count among 28 speaking characters in Othello — a major role 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.