Act 1 of Henry V belongs to Canterbury, who delivers 49% of the act’s dialogue (223 of 451 lines) across 3 scenes.
Opens (Scene 0) — Chorus: “O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend”
Closes (Scene 2) — King Henry V: “That this fair action may on foot be brought.”
The 3 scenes of Act 1
Who speaks in Act 1
Leading voice: Canterbury with 49% of Act 1’s dialogue (223 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Canterbury ♂ | 223 | 49.4% |
| King Henry V ♂ | 120 | 26.6% |
| Chorus ♂ | 34 | 7.5% |
| Ely ♂ | 27 | 6.0% |
| First Ambassador ♂ | 17 | 3.8% |
| Exeter ♂ | 16 | 3.5% |
| Westmoreland ♂ | 14 | 3.1% |
Pacing across the 3 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 1 range from Scene 0 (34 lines, the shortest) to Scene 2 (315 lines, the longest), averaging about 150 lines per scene.
About Act 1 of Henry V
How many lines are in Act 1 of Henry V?
451 lines spread across 3 scenes.
Who dominates Act 1?
Canterbury delivers 49% of the act’s dialogue (223 lines).
Which scene is the heaviest in Act 1?
Scene 2, at 315 lines — well above the act’s scene average.