Act 3 of Othello runs 826 lines across 4 scenes, carrying about 23.2% of the play’s total dialogue with 9 named speakers. It’s longer than the play’s average act (712 lines).
Act opens (Scene 1, Cassio): “Masters, play here; I will content your pains;”
Act closes (Scene 4, Bianca): “'Tis very good; I must be circumstanced.”
The 4 scenes of Act 3
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 62 | 5 | 7.5% |
| Scene 2 | 7 | 3 | 0.8% |
| Scene 3 | 533 | 5 | 64.5% |
| Scene 4 | 224 | 7 | 27.1% |
Who speaks in Act 3
The leading voice is Othello with 31% of Act 3’s dialogue (259 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Othello ♂ | 259 | 31.4% |
| Iago ♂ | 234 | 28.3% |
| Desdemona ♀ | 151 | 18.3% |
| Cassio ♂ | 72 | 8.7% |
| Emilia ♀ | 60 | 7.3% |
| Clown ♂ | 27 | 3.3% |
| Bianca ♀ | 17 | 2.1% |
How Act 3 of Othello compares to other tragedys
| Play | Act 3 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Hamlet | 930 | 4 |
| Antony and Cleopatra | 885 | 13 |
| Othello (this act) | 826 | 4 |
| Romeo and Juliet | 821 | 5 |
| Coriolanus | 764 | 3 |
| Julius Caesar | 633 | 3 |
| King Lear | 630 | 7 |
| Timon of Athens | 577 | 6 |
| Macbeth | 509 | 6 |
| Titus Andronicus | 388 | 2 |
About Act 3 of Othello
How many lines are in Act 3 of Othello?
826 lines spread across 4 scenes.
Who dominates Act 3?
Othello delivers 31% of the act’s dialogue (259 lines).