Act 4 of Macbeth runs 548 lines across 3 scenes, carrying about 23.0% of the play’s total dialogue with 18 named speakers. It’s longer than the play’s average act (477 lines).
Act opens (Scene 1, First Witch): “Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.”
Act closes (Scene 3, Malcolm): “The night is long that never finds the day.”
The 3 scenes of Act 4
Who speaks in Act 4
The leading voice is Malcolm with 26% of Act 4’s dialogue (143 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Malcolm ♂ | 143 | 26.1% |
| Macduff ♂ | 92 | 16.8% |
| Macbeth ♂ | 78 | 14.2% |
| Ross ♂ | 61 | 11.1% |
| Lady Macduff ♀ | 41 | 7.5% |
| First Witch ♀ | 27 | 4.9% |
| Son ♂ | 20 | 3.6% |
How Act 4 of Macbeth compares to other tragedys
| Play | Act 4 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| King Lear | 763 | 7 |
| Coriolanus | 707 | 7 |
| Antony and Cleopatra | 695 | 15 |
| Hamlet | 693 | 7 |
| Othello | 691 | 3 |
| Timon of Athens | 626 | 3 |
| Macbeth (this act) | 548 | 3 |
| Titus Andronicus | 547 | 4 |
| Julius Caesar | 461 | 3 |
| Romeo and Juliet | 407 | 5 |
About Act 4 of Macbeth
How many lines are in Act 4 of Macbeth?
548 lines spread across 3 scenes.
Who dominates Act 4?
Malcolm delivers 26% of the act’s dialogue (143 lines).