Act 5 of Cymbeline runs 950 lines across 5 scenes with 24 speaking characters — about 25.3% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — Posthumus Leonatus: “Yea, bloody cloth, I'll keep thee, for I wish'd”
Closes (Scene 5) — Cymbeline: “Ere bloody hands were wash'd, with such a peace.”
The 5 scenes of Act 5
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 33 | 1 | 3.5% |
| Scene 2 | 21 | 5 | 2.2% |
| Scene 3 | 106 | 4 | 11.2% |
| Scene 4 | 208 | 10 | 21.9% |
| Scene 5 | 582 | 12 | 61.3% |
Who speaks in Act 5
Leading voice: Posthumus Leonatus with 24% of Act 5’s dialogue (230 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Posthumus Leonatus ♂ | 230 | 24.2% |
| Cymbeline ♀ | 180 | 18.9% |
| Iachimo ♂ | 87 | 9.2% |
| Belarius ♂ | 83 | 8.7% |
| Cornelius ♂ | 48 | 5.1% |
| First Gaoler ♂ | 45 | 4.7% |
| Sicilius Leonatus ♂ | 40 | 4.2% |
Characters first heard in Act 5
| Character | Lines in play |
|---|---|
| First Gaoler ♂ | 45 |
| Sicilius Leonatus ♂ | 40 |
| Jupiter ♂ | 21 |
| First Brother ♂ | 14 |
| Mother ♀ | 12 |
| Second Brother ♂ | 8 |
| Second Captain ♂ | 7 |
| Lord ♂ | 7 |
Pacing across the 5 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 5 range from Scene 2 (21 lines, the shortest) to Scene 5 (582 lines, the longest), averaging about 190 lines per scene.
Who carries the voice in Act 5
Act 5 reflects the play’s overall balance — 24% female dialogue (play average: 29%).
Act 5
Male 721 · Female 229
How Act 5 of Cymbeline compares to other romances
| Play | Act 5 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Cymbeline (this act) | 950 | 5 |
| Winter's Tale | 636 | 3 |
| Pericles, Prince of Tyre | 459 | 3 |
| The Tempest | 383 | 1 |
About Act 5 of Cymbeline
How many lines are in Act 5 of Cymbeline?
950 lines spread across 5 scenes.
Who dominates Act 5?
Posthumus Leonatus delivers 24% of the act’s dialogue (230 lines).
Which scene is the heaviest in Act 5?
Scene 5, at 582 lines — well above the act’s scene average.