Character in Twelfth Night
Malvolio ♂ male
275Lines Spoken
1.5First Scene
5.1Last Scene
11.1%Of Play Dialogue
Malvolio is the #5 role in Twelfth Night by line count (275 lines, 11.1% of the play), sharing the stage most often with Sir Toby Belch — 6 scenes together across Acts 1 to 5.
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.
Every scene where Malvolio speaks
| Act / Scene | Lines spoken | Share of scene |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 5 | 32 | 10.8% |
| Act 2, Scene 2 | 12 | 30.0% |
| Act 2, Scene 3 | 19 | 10.5% |
| Act 2, Scene 5 | 106 | 54.1% |
| Act 3, Scene 4 | 50 | 13.2% |
| Act 4, Scene 2 | 38 | 30.2% |
| Act 5, Scene 1 | 18 | 4.3% |
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 5): “Yes, and shall do till the pangs of death shake him:”
Longest speech (Act 4, Scene 2): “I am not mad, Sir Topas: I say to you, this house is dark.”
Exit line (Act 5, Scene 1): “I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you.”
Who Malvolio shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Sir Toby Belch | 6 |
| Maria | 5 |
| Viola | 4 |
| Clown | 4 |
| Sir Andrew | 4 |
| Olivia | 3 |
| Fabian | 3 |
| Antonio | 2 |
| First Officer | 2 |
| Sebastian | 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 — 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.