Act 2 of King Lear runs 678 lines across 4 scenes with 12 speaking characters — about 19.4% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — Curan: “And you, sir. I have been with your father, and”
Closes (Scene 4) — Cornwall: “My Regan counsels well; come out o' the storm.”
The 4 scenes of Act 2
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 141 | 6 | 20.8% |
| Scene 2 | 177 | 6 | 26.1% |
| Scene 3 | 21 | 1 | 3.1% |
| Scene 4 | 339 | 8 | 50.0% |
Who speaks in Act 2
Leading voice: King Lear with 24% of Act 2’s dialogue (164 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| King Lear ♂ | 164 | 24.2% |
| Kent ♂ | 132 | 19.5% |
| Regan ♀ | 90 | 13.3% |
| Edmund ♂ | 64 | 9.4% |
| Cornwall ♂ | 57 | 8.4% |
| Gloucester ♂ | 57 | 8.4% |
| Fool ♂ | 40 | 5.9% |
Pacing across the 4 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 2 range from Scene 3 (21 lines, the shortest) to Scene 4 (339 lines, the longest), averaging about 170 lines per scene.
How Act 2 of King Lear compares to other tragedies
| Play | Act 2 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Antony and Cleopatra | 883 | 7 |
| Coriolanus | 762 | 3 |
| Hamlet | 748 | 2 |
| Othello | 735 | 3 |
| Romeo and Juliet | 685 | 7 |
| King Lear (this act) | 678 | 4 |
| Julius Caesar | 552 | 4 |
| Titus Andronicus | 538 | 4 |
| Macbeth | 396 | 4 |
| Timon of Athens | 291 | 2 |
About Act 2 of King Lear
How many lines are in Act 2 of King Lear?
678 lines spread across 4 scenes.
Who dominates Act 2?
King Lear delivers 24% of the act’s dialogue (164 lines).
Which scene is the heaviest in Act 2?
Scene 4, at 339 lines — well above the act’s scene average.