Character in Romeo and Juliet
Nurse ♀ female
281Lines Spoken
1.3First Scene
4.5Last Scene
9.1%Of Play Dialogue
Nurse is the #4 role in Romeo and Juliet by line count (281 lines, 9.1% of the play), sharing the stage most often with Juliet — 7 scenes together across Acts 1 to 4.
Nurse’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romeo | 612 | 19.9% |
| 2 | Juliet | 544 | 17.7% |
| 3 | Friar Laurence | 351 | 11.4% |
| 4 | Nurse (this role) | 281 | 9.1% |
| 5 | Capulet | 273 | 8.9% |
| 6 | Mercutio | 261 | 8.5% |
| 7 | Benvolio | 160 | 5.2% |
| 8 | Prince | 76 | 2.5% |
| 9 | Paris | 70 | 2.3% |
| 10 | Montague | 41 | 1.3% |
Who Nurse shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Juliet | 7 |
| Capulet | 5 |
| Romeo | 5 |
| Lady Capulet | 5 |
| Second Servant | 3 |
| First Servant | 2 |
| Benvolio | 2 |
| Servant | 2 |
| Peter | 2 |
| Friar Laurence | 2 |
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 3): “Now, by my maidenhead, at twelve year old,”
Longest speech (Act 4, Scene 5): “Mistress! what, mistress! Juliet! fast, I warrant her, she:”
Exit line (Act 4, Scene 5): “For, well you know, this is a pitiful case.”
Every scene where Nurse speaks
| Act / Scene | Lines spoken | Share of scene |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 3 | 61 | 55.5% |
| Act 1, Scene 5 | 15 | 9.7% |
| Act 2, Scene 2 | 2 | 1.0% |
| Act 2, Scene 4 | 55 | 26.4% |
| Act 2, Scene 5 | 36 | 45.0% |
| Act 3, Scene 2 | 31 | 21.1% |
| Act 3, Scene 3 | 22 | 12.3% |
| Act 3, Scene 5 | 25 | 9.8% |
| Act 4, Scene 2 | 2 | 4.2% |
| Act 4, Scene 4 | 4 | 12.9% |
| Act 4, Scene 5 | 28 | 19.7% |
How Nurse’s dialogue distributes across the play
Nurse’s dramatic peak falls in Act 2 with 93 lines.
Questions about Nurse
Is Nurse the lead role in Romeo and Juliet?
Nurse is ranked #4 by line count among 34 speaking characters in Romeo and Juliet — carrying 9.1% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Nurse’s longest scene?
Act 1 Scene 3, where Nurse speaks 61 lines.
Who does Nurse speak to the most?
Nurse shares the most scenes with Juliet — 7 scenes together across Romeo and Juliet.