Character in Richard II
Duke Of York ♂ male
290Lines Spoken
2.1First Scene
5.3Last Scene
10.4%Of Play Dialogue
Duke Of York is the #3 largest role in Richard II, speaking 290 lines (10.4% of the play) across 8 scenes from Act 2 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Duke Of York shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Duke Of York’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King Richard Ii | 758 | 27.1% |
| 2 | Henry Bolingbroke | 413 | 14.8% |
| 3 | Duke Of York (this role) | 290 | 10.4% |
| 4 | John Of Gaunt | 191 | 6.8% |
| 5 | Northumberland | 142 | 5.1% |
| 6 | Thomas Mowbray | 135 | 4.8% |
| 7 | Queen | 115 | 4.1% |
| 8 | Duchess Of York | 94 | 3.4% |
| 9 | Duke Of Aumerle | 85 | 3.0% |
| 10 | Bishop Of Carlisle | 63 | 2.3% |
How Duke Of York’s dialogue distributes across the play
Duke Of York’s dramatic peak falls in Act 2 with 164 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 2, Scene 1): “Vex not yourself, nor strive not with your breath;”
Representative speech (Act 5, Scene 2): “Did scowl on gentle Richard; no man cried 'God save him!'”
Who Duke Of York shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Henry Bolingbroke | 5 |
| Duke Of Aumerle | 4 |
| Henry Percy | 4 |
| Northumberland | 4 |
| King Richard Ii | 3 |
| Bushy | 2 |
| Green | 2 |
| Lord Willoughby | 2 |
| Queen | 2 |
| Duchess Of York | 2 |
Questions about Duke Of York
Is Duke Of York the lead role in Richard II?
Duke Of York is ranked #3 by line count among 35 speaking characters in Richard II — a major role carrying 10.4% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Duke Of York’s longest scene?
Act 2 Scene 1, where Duke Of York speaks 74 lines.
Who does Duke Of York speak to the most?
Duke Of York shares the most scenes with Henry Bolingbroke — 5 scenes together across Richard II.