Act 3 of Cymbeline runs 840 lines across 7 scenes with 14 speaking characters — about 22.4% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — Cymbeline: “Now say, what would Augustus Caesar with us?”
Closes (Scene 7) — First Senator: “Will tie you to the numbers and the time”
Who carries the voice in Act 3
Female voices are notably stronger in Act 3 — 44% of this act’s dialogue vs. 29% across the full play.
Act 3
Male 470 · Female 370
The 7 scenes of Act 3
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 96 | 5 | 11.4% |
| Scene 2 | 88 | 2 | 10.5% |
| Scene 3 | 115 | 3 | 13.7% |
| Scene 4 | 221 | 2 | 26.3% |
| Scene 5 | 186 | 6 | 22.1% |
| Scene 6 | 115 | 4 | 13.7% |
| Scene 7 | 19 | 3 | 2.3% |
Who speaks in Act 3
Leading voice: Imogen with 30% of Act 3’s dialogue (254 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Imogen ♀ | 254 | 30.2% |
| Pisanio ♂ | 142 | 16.9% |
| Belarius ♂ | 124 | 14.8% |
| Cloten ♂ | 106 | 12.6% |
| Cymbeline ♀ | 60 | 7.1% |
| Queen ♀ | 56 | 6.7% |
| Caius Lucius ♂ | 29 | 3.5% |
Characters first heard in Act 3
| Character | Lines in play |
|---|---|
| Belarius ♂ | 346 |
| Guiderius ♂ | 170 |
| Arviragus ♂ | 145 |
| Caius Lucius ♂ | 105 |
| First Senator ♂ | 15 |
Pacing across the 7 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 3 range from Scene 7 (19 lines, the shortest) to Scene 4 (221 lines, the longest), averaging about 120 lines per scene.
How Act 3 of Cymbeline compares to other romances
| Play | Act 3 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Cymbeline (this act) | 840 | 7 |
| Winter's Tale | 434 | 3 |
| The Tempest | 393 | 3 |
| Pericles, Prince of Tyre | 342 | 4 |
About Act 3 of Cymbeline
How many lines are in Act 3 of Cymbeline?
840 lines spread across 7 scenes.
Who dominates Act 3?
Imogen delivers 30% of the act’s dialogue (254 lines).
Which scene is the heaviest in Act 3?
Scene 4, at 221 lines — well above the act’s scene average.