Act 4 of Hamlet runs 693 lines across 7 scenes, carrying about 17.2% of the play’s total dialogue with 17 named speakers. It’s shorter than the play’s average act (805 lines).
Act opens (Scene 1, King Claudius): “There's matter in these sighs, these profound heaves:”
Act closes (Scene 7, King Claudius): “Now fear I this will give it start again;”
The 7 scenes of Act 4
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 42 | 2 | 6.1% |
| Scene 2 | 31 | 5 | 4.5% |
| Scene 3 | 73 | 3 | 10.5% |
| Scene 4 | 68 | 4 | 9.8% |
| Scene 5 | 235 | 7 | 33.9% |
| Scene 6 | 33 | 3 | 4.8% |
| Scene 7 | 211 | 4 | 30.4% |
Who speaks in Act 4
The leading voice is King Claudius with 40% of Act 4’s dialogue (280 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| King Claudius ♂ | 280 | 40.4% |
| Laertes ♂ | 94 | 13.6% |
| Hamlet ♂ | 91 | 13.1% |
| Ophelia ♀ | 76 | 11.0% |
| Queen Gertrude ♀ | 49 | 7.1% |
| Horatio ♂ | 29 | 4.2% |
| Gentleman ♂ | 24 | 3.5% |
How Act 4 of Hamlet compares to other tragedys
| Play | Act 4 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| King Lear | 763 | 7 |
| Coriolanus | 707 | 7 |
| Antony and Cleopatra | 695 | 15 |
| Hamlet (this act) | 693 | 7 |
| Othello | 691 | 3 |
| Timon of Athens | 626 | 3 |
| Macbeth | 548 | 3 |
| Titus Andronicus | 547 | 4 |
| Julius Caesar | 461 | 3 |
| Romeo and Juliet | 407 | 5 |
About Act 4 of Hamlet
How many lines are in Act 4 of Hamlet?
693 lines spread across 7 scenes.
Who dominates Act 4?
King Claudius delivers 40% of the act’s dialogue (280 lines).