Act 1 of Henry VI, part 2 runs 670 lines across 4 scenes with 21 speaking characters — about 21.5% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — Suffolk: “As by your high imperial majesty”
Closes (Scene 4) — York: “To sup with me to-morrow night. Away!”
The 4 scenes of Act 1
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 260 | 11 | 38.8% |
| Scene 2 | 107 | 4 | 16.0% |
| Scene 3 | 219 | 16 | 32.7% |
| Scene 4 | 84 | 7 | 12.5% |
Who speaks in Act 1
Leading voice: Gloucester with 16% of Act 1’s dialogue (107 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Gloucester ♂ | 107 | 16.0% |
| York ♂ | 103 | 15.4% |
| Queen Margaret ♀ | 66 | 9.9% |
| Suffolk ♂ | 65 | 9.7% |
| Duchess ♀ | 62 | 9.3% |
| King Henry Vi ♂ | 35 | 5.2% |
| Cardinal ♂ | 34 | 5.1% |
Pacing across the 4 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 1 range from Scene 4 (84 lines, the shortest) to Scene 1 (260 lines, the longest), averaging about 168 lines per scene.
Who carries the voice in Act 1
Act 1 reflects the play’s overall balance — 21% female dialogue (play average: 15%).
Act 1
Male 529 · Female 141
How Act 1 of Henry VI, part 2 compares to other histories
| Play | Act 1 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Richard III | 1,080 | 4 |
| Henry VIII | 732 | 4 |
| Henry VI, part 2 (this act) | 670 | 4 |
| Richard II | 656 | 4 |
| Henry IV, part 1 | 627 | 3 |
| Henry VI, part 1 | 611 | 6 |
| Henry IV, part 2 | 586 | 3 |
| Henry VI, part 3 | 585 | 4 |
| Henry V | 451 | 3 |
| King John | 278 | 1 |
About Act 1 of Henry VI, part 2
How many lines are in Act 1 of Henry VI, part 2?
670 lines spread across 4 scenes.
Which scene is the heaviest in Act 1?
Scene 1, at 260 lines — well above the act’s scene average.