Act 5 of Hamlet runs 731 lines across 2 scenes, carrying about 18.2% of the play’s total dialogue with 13 named speakers. It’s shorter than the play’s average act (805 lines).
Act opens (Scene 1, First Clown): “Is she to be buried in Christian burial that”
Act closes (Scene 2, Prince Fortinbras): “Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss.”
The 2 scenes of Act 5
Who speaks in Act 5
The leading voice is Hamlet with 48% of Act 5’s dialogue (354 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hamlet ♂ | 354 | 48.4% |
| First Clown ♂ | 94 | 12.9% |
| Horatio ♂ | 61 | 8.3% |
| Laertes ♂ | 53 | 7.3% |
| Osric ♂ | 48 | 6.6% |
| King Claudius ♂ | 37 | 5.1% |
| Prince Fortinbras ♂ | 19 | 2.6% |
How Act 5 of Hamlet compares to other tragedys
| Play | Act 5 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Hamlet (this act) | 731 | 2 |
| Coriolanus | 686 | 6 |
| Titus Andronicus | 578 | 3 |
| Othello | 567 | 2 |
| Antony and Cleopatra | 520 | 2 |
| King Lear | 477 | 3 |
| Romeo and Juliet | 441 | 3 |
| Macbeth | 398 | 8 |
| Timon of Athens | 381 | 4 |
| Julius Caesar | 379 | 5 |
About Act 5 of Hamlet
How many lines are in Act 5 of Hamlet?
731 lines spread across 2 scenes.
Who dominates Act 5?
Hamlet delivers 48% of the act’s dialogue (354 lines).