Character in Twelfth Night
Sir Toby Belch ♂ male
332Lines Spoken
1.3First Scene
5.1Last Scene
13.4%Of Play Dialogue
Sir Toby Belch is the #2 role in Twelfth Night by line count (332 lines, 13.4% of the play), sharing the stage most often with Sir Andrew — 8 scenes together across Acts 1 to 5.
Sir Toby Belch’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Viola | 337 | 13.6% |
| 2 | Sir Toby Belch (this role) | 332 | 13.4% |
| 3 | Olivia | 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 Sir Toby Belch’s dialogue distributes across the play
Sir Toby Belch’s dramatic peak falls in Act 3 with 157 lines.
Every scene where Sir Toby Belch speaks
| Act / Scene | Lines spoken | Share of scene |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 3 | 57 | 44.9% |
| Act 1, Scene 5 | 6 | 2.0% |
| Act 2, Scene 3 | 54 | 29.8% |
| Act 2, Scene 5 | 34 | 17.3% |
| Act 3, Scene 1 | 5 | 3.1% |
| Act 3, Scene 2 | 31 | 39.2% |
| Act 3, Scene 4 | 121 | 31.8% |
| Act 4, Scene 1 | 7 | 11.3% |
| Act 4, Scene 2 | 11 | 8.7% |
| Act 5, Scene 1 | 6 | 1.4% |
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 3): “What a plague means my niece, to take the death of”
Longest speech (Act 3, Scene 4): “why I do call thee so, for I will show thee no reason for't.'”
Exit line (Act 5, Scene 1): “knave, a thin-faced knave, a gull!”
Who Sir Toby Belch shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Sir Andrew | 8 |
| Maria | 7 |
| Clown | 6 |
| Malvolio | 6 |
| Olivia | 5 |
| Viola | 4 |
| Fabian | 4 |
| Antonio | 2 |
| Sebastian | 2 |
| First Officer | 2 |
Questions about Sir Toby Belch
Is Sir Toby Belch the lead role in Twelfth Night?
Sir Toby Belch is ranked #2 by line count among 18 speaking characters in Twelfth Night — carrying 13.4% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Sir Toby Belch’s longest scene?
Act 3 Scene 4, where Sir Toby Belch speaks 121 lines.
Who does Sir Toby Belch speak to the most?
Sir Toby Belch shares the most scenes with Sir Andrew — 8 scenes together across Twelfth Night.