Character in The Merchant of Venice
Shylock ♂ male
355Lines Spoken
1.3First Scene
4.1Last Scene
13.3%Of Play Dialogue
Shylock is the #2 largest role in The Merchant of Venice — 355 lines (13.3% of the play) across 5 scenes from Act 1 through Act 4.
Shylock’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portia | 589 | 22.1% |
| 2 | Shylock (this role) | 355 | 13.3% |
| 3 | Bassanio | 336 | 12.6% |
| 4 | Antonio | 189 | 7.1% |
| 5 | Lorenzo | 179 | 6.7% |
| 6 | Gratiano | 175 | 6.6% |
| 7 | Launcelot | 168 | 6.3% |
| 8 | Salarino | 104 | 3.9% |
| 9 | Morocco | 103 | 3.9% |
| 10 | Jessica | 86 | 3.2% |
How Shylock’s dialogue distributes across the play
Shylock’s dramatic peak falls in Act 1 with 130 lines.
Every scene where Shylock speaks
| Act / Scene | Lines spoken | Share of scene |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 3 | 130 | 71.0% |
| Act 2, Scene 5 | 39 | 68.4% |
| Act 3, Scene 1 | 67 | 56.3% |
| Act 3, Scene 3 | 16 | 41.0% |
| Act 4, Scene 1 | 103 | 21.8% |
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 3): “Antonio shall become bound; well.”
Longest speech (Act 1, Scene 3): “Three thousand ducats for three months and Antonio bound.”
Exit line (Act 4, Scene 1): “I am not well: send the deed after me,”
Who Shylock shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Antonio | 3 |
| Bassanio | 2 |
| Salarino | 2 |
| Tubal | 1 |
| Launcelot | 1 |
| Portia | 1 |
| Duke | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
| Jessica | 1 |
| Nerissa | 1 |
Questions about Shylock
Is Shylock the lead role in The Merchant of Venice?
Shylock is ranked #2 by line count among 23 speaking characters in The Merchant of Venice — carrying 13.3% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Shylock’s longest scene?
Act 1 Scene 3, where Shylock speaks 130 lines.
Who does Shylock speak to the most?
Shylock shares the most scenes with Antonio — 3 scenes together across The Merchant of Venice.