Act 4 of Henry VI, part 1 runs 559 lines across 7 scenes with 21 speaking characters — about 20.2% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — Gloucester: “Lord bishop, set the crown upon his head.”
Closes (Scene 7) — Charles: “All will be ours, now bloody Talbot's slain.”
The 7 scenes of Act 4
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 196 | 11 | 35.1% |
| Scene 2 | 56 | 2 | 10.0% |
| Scene 3 | 53 | 3 | 9.5% |
| Scene 4 | 46 | 3 | 8.2% |
| Scene 5 | 55 | 2 | 9.8% |
| Scene 6 | 57 | 2 | 10.2% |
| Scene 7 | 96 | 7 | 17.2% |
Who speaks in Act 4
Leading voice: Talbot with 28% of Act 4’s dialogue (158 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Talbot ♂ | 158 | 28.3% |
| Lucy ♂ | 77 | 13.8% |
| King Henry Vi ♂ | 63 | 11.3% |
| John Talbot ♂ | 47 | 8.4% |
| Gloucester ♂ | 38 | 6.8% |
| York ♂ | 36 | 6.4% |
| General ♂ | 27 | 4.8% |
Characters first heard in Act 4
| Character | Lines in play |
|---|---|
| York ♂ | 95 |
| Lucy ♂ | 77 |
| John Talbot ♂ | 47 |
| General ♂ | 27 |
Pacing across the 7 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 4 range from Scene 4 (46 lines, the shortest) to Scene 1 (196 lines, the longest), averaging about 80 lines per scene.
Who carries the voice in Act 4
Act 4 reflects the play’s overall balance — 3% female dialogue (play average: 10%).
Act 4
Male 543 · Female 16
How Act 4 of Henry VI, part 1 compares to other histories
| Play | Act 4 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Henry V | 997 | 9 |
| Richard III | 879 | 5 |
| Henry IV, part 2 | 878 | 5 |
| Henry VI, part 2 | 762 | 10 |
| King John | 589 | 3 |
| Henry VI, part 3 | 563 | 8 |
| Henry VI, part 1 (this act) | 559 | 7 |
| Henry IV, part 1 | 387 | 4 |
| Henry VIII | 362 | 2 |
| Richard II | 340 | 1 |
About Act 4 of Henry VI, part 1
How many lines are in Act 4 of Henry VI, part 1?
559 lines spread across 7 scenes.
Who dominates Act 4?
Talbot delivers 28% of the act’s dialogue (158 lines).
Which scene is the heaviest in Act 4?
Scene 1, at 196 lines — well above the act’s scene average.