Act 3 of Hamlet runs 930 lines across 4 scenes, carrying about 23.1% of the play’s total dialogue with 15 named speakers. It’s longer than the play’s average act (805 lines).
Act opens (Scene 1, King Claudius): “And can you, by no drift of circumstance,”
Act closes (Scene 4, Hamlet): “Come, sir, to draw toward an end with you.”
The 4 scenes of Act 3
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 202 | 7 | 21.7% |
| Scene 2 | 391 | 14 | 42.0% |
| Scene 3 | 102 | 5 | 11.0% |
| Scene 4 | 235 | 4 | 25.3% |
Who speaks in Act 3
The leading voice is Hamlet with 54% of Act 3’s dialogue (502 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hamlet ♂ | 502 | 54.0% |
| King Claudius ♂ | 96 | 10.3% |
| Queen Gertrude ♀ | 59 | 6.3% |
| Lord Polonius ♂ | 52 | 5.6% |
| Ophelia ♀ | 49 | 5.3% |
| Player King ♂ | 44 | 4.7% |
| Rosencrantz ♂ | 38 | 4.1% |
How Act 3 of Hamlet compares to other tragedys
| Play | Act 3 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Hamlet (this act) | 930 | 4 |
| Antony and Cleopatra | 885 | 13 |
| Othello | 826 | 4 |
| Romeo and Juliet | 821 | 5 |
| Coriolanus | 764 | 3 |
| Julius Caesar | 633 | 3 |
| King Lear | 630 | 7 |
| Timon of Athens | 577 | 6 |
| Macbeth | 509 | 6 |
| Titus Andronicus | 388 | 2 |
About Act 3 of Hamlet
How many lines are in Act 3 of Hamlet?
930 lines spread across 4 scenes.
Who dominates Act 3?
Hamlet delivers 54% of the act’s dialogue (502 lines).