Act 5 of Henry IV, part 2 runs 536 lines across 5 scenes with 18 speaking characters — about 16.5% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — Shallow: “By cock and pie, sir, you shall not away to-night.”
Closes (Scene 5) — Lancaster: “before you; but, indeed, to pray for the queen.”
The 5 scenes of Act 5
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 81 | 4 | 15.1% |
| Scene 2 | 147 | 6 | 27.4% |
| Scene 3 | 133 | 6 | 24.8% |
| Scene 4 | 31 | 3 | 5.8% |
| Scene 5 | 144 | 7 | 26.9% |
Who speaks in Act 5
Leading voice: King Henry V with 19% of Act 5’s dialogue (101 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| King Henry V ♂ | 101 | 18.8% |
| Falstaff ♂ | 98 | 18.3% |
| Shallow ♂ | 72 | 13.4% |
| Lancaster ♂ | 55 | 10.3% |
| Pistol ♂ | 42 | 7.8% |
| Davy ♂ | 34 | 6.3% |
| Silence ♂ | 27 | 5.0% |
Characters first heard in Act 5
| Character | Lines in play |
|---|---|
| King Henry V ♂ | 101 |
| Davy ♂ | 34 |
| First Beadle ♂ | 9 |
Pacing across the 5 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 5 range from Scene 4 (31 lines, the shortest) to Scene 2 (147 lines, the longest), averaging about 107 lines per scene.
Who carries the voice in Act 5
Act 5 reflects the play’s overall balance — 4% female dialogue (play average: 9%).
Act 5
Male 514 · Female 22
How Act 5 of Henry IV, part 2 compares to other histories
| Play | Act 5 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Henry VIII | 653 | 5 |
| Henry VI, part 1 | 569 | 5 |
| Richard II | 565 | 6 |
| King John | 537 | 7 |
| Henry IV, part 2 (this act) | 536 | 5 |
| Henry IV, part 1 | 520 | 5 |
| Henry V | 516 | 3 |
| Henry VI, part 3 | 497 | 7 |
| Richard III | 482 | 5 |
| Henry VI, part 2 | 343 | 3 |