Act 2 of Henry VI, part 2 runs 509 lines across 4 scenes with 26 speaking characters — about 16.3% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — Queen Margaret: “Believe me, lords, for flying at the brook,”
Closes (Scene 4) — Duchess: “Go, lead the way; I long to see my prison.”
The 4 scenes of Act 2
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 215 | 11 | 42.2% |
| Scene 2 | 83 | 4 | 16.3% |
| Scene 3 | 100 | 12 | 19.6% |
| Scene 4 | 111 | 7 | 21.8% |
Who speaks in Act 2
Leading voice: Gloucester with 26% of Act 2’s dialogue (130 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Gloucester ♂ | 130 | 25.5% |
| York ♂ | 70 | 13.8% |
| King Henry Vi ♂ | 63 | 12.4% |
| Duchess ♀ | 57 | 11.2% |
| Cardinal ♂ | 28 | 5.5% |
| Simpcox ♂ | 24 | 4.7% |
| Queen Margaret ♀ | 22 | 4.3% |
Characters first heard in Act 2
Pacing across the 4 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 2 range from Scene 2 (83 lines, the shortest) to Scene 1 (215 lines, the longest), averaging about 127 lines per scene.
How Act 2 of Henry VI, part 2 compares to other histories
| Play | Act 2 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Henry IV, part 1 | 850 | 4 |
| Henry IV, part 2 | 786 | 4 |
| Henry VIII | 752 | 4 |
| Henry VI, part 3 | 705 | 6 |
| Richard II | 649 | 4 |
| King John | 609 | 1 |
| Henry V | 566 | 5 |
| Henry VI, part 1 | 530 | 5 |
| Henry VI, part 2 (this act) | 509 | 4 |
| Richard III | 425 | 4 |
About Act 2 of Henry VI, part 2
How many lines are in Act 2 of Henry VI, part 2?
509 lines spread across 4 scenes.
Who dominates Act 2?
Gloucester delivers 26% of the act’s dialogue (130 lines).
Which scene is the heaviest in Act 2?
Scene 1, at 215 lines — well above the act’s scene average.