Character in Othello
Iago ♂ male
1,098Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.2Last Scene
30.9%Of Play Dialogue
Iago is the #1 role in Othello by line count (1,098 lines, 30.9% of the play), sharing the stage most often with Othello — 11 scenes together across Acts 1 to 5.
Iago’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iago (this role) | 1,098 | 30.9% |
| 2 | Othello | 887 | 24.9% |
| 3 | Desdemona | 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% |
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 1): “'Sblood, but you will not hear me:”
Longest speech (Act 2, Scene 3): “[Aside to RODERIGO] Away, I say; go out, and cry a mutiny.”
Exit line (Act 5, Scene 2): “From this time forth I never will speak word.”
How Iago’s dialogue distributes across the play
Iago’s dramatic peak falls in Act 2 with 365 lines.
Every scene where Iago speaks
| Act / Scene | Lines spoken | Share of scene |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 1 | 107 | 54.9% |
| Act 1, Scene 2 | 27 | 23.1% |
| Act 1, Scene 3 | 87 | 20.4% |
| Act 2, Scene 1 | 151 | 45.3% |
| Act 2, Scene 3 | 214 | 54.9% |
| Act 3, Scene 1 | 5 | 8.1% |
| Act 3, Scene 2 | 1 | 14.3% |
| Act 3, Scene 3 | 219 | 41.1% |
| Act 3, Scene 4 | 9 | 4.0% |
| Act 4, Scene 1 | 133 | 42.9% |
| Act 4, Scene 2 | 59 | 21.9% |
| Act 5, Scene 1 | 74 | 51.4% |
| Act 5, Scene 2 | 12 | 2.8% |
Who Iago shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Othello | 11 |
| Cassio | 9 |
| Desdemona | 8 |
| Roderigo | 7 |
| Emilia | 7 |
| Lodovico | 3 |
| Bianca | 3 |
| Montano | 3 |
| Brabantio | 3 |
| First Officer | 2 |
Questions about Iago
Is Iago the lead role in Othello?
Iago is ranked #1 by line count among 28 speaking characters in Othello — carrying 30.9% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Iago’s longest scene?
Act 3 Scene 3, where Iago speaks 219 lines.
Who does Iago speak to the most?
Iago shares the most scenes with Othello — 11 scenes together across Othello.