Act 1 of Macbeth runs 534 lines across 7 scenes with 14 speaking characters — about 22.4% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — First Witch: “When shall we three meet again”
Closes (Scene 7) — Macbeth: “False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”
Who carries the voice in Act 1
Female voices are notably stronger in Act 1 — 34% of this act’s dialogue vs. 20% across the full play.
Act 1
Male 353 · Female 181
The 7 scenes of Act 1
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 13 | 4 | 2.4% |
| Scene 2 | 76 | 5 | 14.2% |
| Scene 3 | 169 | 8 | 31.6% |
| Scene 4 | 65 | 4 | 12.2% |
| Scene 5 | 82 | 3 | 15.4% |
| Scene 6 | 37 | 3 | 6.9% |
| Scene 7 | 92 | 2 | 17.2% |
Who speaks in Act 1
Leading voice: Lady Macbeth with 24% of Act 1’s dialogue (127 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Lady Macbeth ♀ | 127 | 23.8% |
| Macbeth ♂ | 119 | 22.3% |
| Duncan ♂ | 70 | 13.1% |
| Banquo ♂ | 52 | 9.7% |
| Sergeant ♂ | 35 | 6.6% |
| Ross ♂ | 34 | 6.4% |
| First Witch ♀ | 33 | 6.2% |
Pacing across the 7 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 1 range from Scene 1 (13 lines, the shortest) to Scene 3 (169 lines, the longest), averaging about 76 lines per scene.
How Act 1 of Macbeth compares to other tragedies
| Play | Act 1 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| King Lear | 951 | 5 |
| Hamlet | 921 | 5 |
| Coriolanus | 842 | 10 |
| Othello | 739 | 3 |
| Romeo and Juliet | 725 | 5 |
| Antony and Cleopatra | 582 | 5 |
| Timon of Athens | 576 | 2 |
| Julius Caesar | 574 | 3 |
| Macbeth (this act) | 534 | 7 |
| Titus Andronicus | 502 | 1 |
About Act 1 of Macbeth
How many lines are in Act 1 of Macbeth?
534 lines spread across 7 scenes.
Who dominates Act 1?
Lady Macbeth delivers 24% of the act’s dialogue (127 lines).
Which scene is the heaviest in Act 1?
Scene 3, at 169 lines — well above the act’s scene average.