Act 3 of Macbeth runs 509 lines across 6 scenes, carrying about 21.3% of the play’s total dialogue with 15 named speakers. It’s longer than the play’s average act (477 lines).
Act opens (Scene 1, Banquo): “Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all,”
Act closes (Scene 6, Lord): “I'll send my prayers with him.”
The 6 scenes of Act 3
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 156 | 7 | 30.6% |
| Scene 2 | 62 | 3 | 12.2% |
| Scene 3 | 32 | 4 | 6.3% |
| Scene 4 | 168 | 6 | 33.0% |
| Scene 5 | 36 | 2 | 7.1% |
| Scene 6 | 55 | 2 | 10.8% |
Who speaks in Act 3
The leading voice is Macbeth with 52% of Act 3’s dialogue (265 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Macbeth ♂ | 265 | 52.1% |
| Lady Macbeth ♀ | 61 | 12.0% |
| Lennox ♂ | 39 | 7.7% |
| Hecate ♀ | 34 | 6.7% |
| First Murderer ♂ | 26 | 5.1% |
| Banquo ♂ | 25 | 4.9% |
| Lord ♂ | 21 | 4.1% |
How Act 3 of Macbeth compares to other tragedys
| Play | Act 3 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Hamlet | 930 | 4 |
| Antony and Cleopatra | 885 | 13 |
| Othello | 826 | 4 |
| Romeo and Juliet | 821 | 5 |
| Coriolanus | 764 | 3 |
| Julius Caesar | 633 | 3 |
| King Lear | 630 | 7 |
| Timon of Athens | 577 | 6 |
| Macbeth (this act) | 509 | 6 |
| Titus Andronicus | 388 | 2 |
About Act 3 of Macbeth
How many lines are in Act 3 of Macbeth?
509 lines spread across 6 scenes.
Who dominates Act 3?
Macbeth delivers 52% of the act’s dialogue (265 lines).