Act 2 of Henry VIII runs 752 lines across 4 scenes, carrying about 23.2% of the play’s total dialogue with 19 named speakers. It’s longer than the play’s average act (647 lines).
Act opens (Scene 1, Second Gentleman): “Even to the hall, to hear what shall become”
Act closes (Scene 4, King Henry Viii): “My comfort comes along. Break up the court:”
The 4 scenes of Act 2
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 195 | 5 | 25.9% |
| Scene 2 | 170 | 7 | 22.6% |
| Scene 3 | 128 | 3 | 17.0% |
| Scene 4 | 259 | 8 | 34.4% |
Who speaks in Act 2
The leading voice is King Henry Viii with 17% of Act 2’s dialogue (130 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| King Henry Viii ♂ | 130 | 17.3% |
| Queen Katharine ♀ | 87 | 11.6% |
| Cardinal Wolsey ♂ | 81 | 10.8% |
| Buckingham ♂ | 74 | 9.8% |
| First Gentleman ♂ | 67 | 8.9% |
| Anne ♀ | 58 | 7.7% |
| Chamberlain ♂ | 50 | 6.6% |
How Act 2 of Henry VIII compares to other historys
| Play | Act 2 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Henry IV, part 1 | 850 | 4 |
| Henry IV, part 2 | 786 | 4 |
| Henry VIII (this act) | 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 | 509 | 4 |
| Richard III | 425 | 4 |
About Act 2 of Henry VIII
How many lines are in Act 2 of Henry VIII?
752 lines spread across 4 scenes.
Who dominates Act 2?
King Henry Viii delivers 17% of the act’s dialogue (130 lines).