Character in Twelfth Night
Malvolio ♂ male
275Lines Spoken
1.5First Scene
5.1Last Scene
11.1%Of Play Dialogue
Malvolio is the #5 largest role in Twelfth Night, speaking 275 lines (11.1% of the play) across 7 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Malvolio shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Malvolio’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Viola | 337 | 13.6% |
| 2 | Sir Toby Belch | 332 | 13.4% |
| 3 | Olivia | 308 | 12.4% |
| 4 | Clown | 308 | 12.4% |
| 5 | Malvolio (this role) | 275 | 11.1% |
| 6 | Duke Orsino | 220 | 8.9% |
| 7 | Sir Andrew | 147 | 5.9% |
| 8 | Maria | 141 | 5.7% |
| 9 | Sebastian | 125 | 5.0% |
| 10 | Fabian | 109 | 4.4% |
How Malvolio’s dialogue distributes across the play
Malvolio’s dramatic peak falls in Act 2 with 137 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 5): “Yes, and shall do till the pangs of death shake him:”
Representative speech (Act 4, Scene 2): “I am not mad, Sir Topas: I say to you, this house is dark.”
Who Malvolio shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Sir Toby Belch | 6 |
| Maria | 5 |
| Sir Andrew | 4 |
| Viola | 4 |
| Clown | 4 |
| Fabian | 3 |
| Olivia | 3 |
| Antonio | 2 |
| First Officer | 2 |
| Servant | 1 |
Questions about Malvolio
Is Malvolio the lead role in Twelfth Night?
Malvolio is ranked #5 by line count among 18 speaking characters in Twelfth Night — a major role carrying 11.1% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Malvolio’s longest scene?
Act 2 Scene 5, where Malvolio speaks 106 lines.
Who does Malvolio speak to the most?
Malvolio shares the most scenes with Sir Toby Belch — 6 scenes together across Twelfth Night.