Character in Twelfth Night
Olivia ♀ female
308Lines Spoken
1.5First Scene
5.1Last Scene
12.4%Of Play Dialogue
Olivia is the #3 largest role in Twelfth Night, speaking 308 lines (12.4% of the play) across 6 scenes from Act 1 through Act 5. Below: scene-by-scene line counts, who Olivia shares the stage with most, and key speech examples.
Olivia’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Viola | 337 | 13.6% |
| 2 | Sir Toby Belch | 332 | 13.4% |
| 3 | Olivia (this role) | 308 | 12.4% |
| 4 | Clown | 308 | 12.4% |
| 5 | Malvolio | 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 Olivia’s dialogue distributes across the play
Olivia’s dramatic peak falls in Act 1 with 114 lines — the act where the role carries the most weight on stage.
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 5): “Go to, you're a dry fool; I'll no more of you:”
Representative speech (Act 1, Scene 5): “Well, sir, for want of other idleness, I'll bide your proof.”
Who Olivia shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Sir Toby Belch | 5 |
| Sir Andrew | 4 |
| Viola | 4 |
| Clown | 4 |
| Malvolio | 3 |
| Sebastian | 3 |
| Fabian | 2 |
| Antonio | 2 |
| First Officer | 2 |
| Maria | 2 |
Questions about Olivia
Is Olivia the lead role in Twelfth Night?
Olivia is ranked #3 by line count among 18 speaking characters in Twelfth Night — a major role carrying 12.4% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Olivia’s longest scene?
Act 1 Scene 5, where Olivia speaks 114 lines.
Who does Olivia speak to the most?
Olivia shares the most scenes with Sir Toby Belch — 5 scenes together across Twelfth Night.