Act 5 of Richard III runs 482 lines across 5 scenes, carrying about 13.0% of the play’s total dialogue with 25 named speakers. It’s shorter than the play’s average act (740 lines).
Act opens (Scene 1, Buckingham): “Will not King Richard let me speak with him?”
Act closes (Scene 5, Richmond): “That she may long live here, God say amen!”
The 5 scenes of Act 5
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 29 | 2 | 6.0% |
| Scene 2 | 24 | 4 | 5.0% |
| Scene 3 | 375 | 21 | 77.8% |
| Scene 4 | 13 | 2 | 2.7% |
| Scene 5 | 41 | 2 | 8.5% |
Who speaks in Act 5
The leading voice is King Richard Iii with 33% of Act 5’s dialogue (161 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| King Richard Iii ♂ | 161 | 33.4% |
| Richmond ♂ | 137 | 28.4% |
| Derby ♂ | 30 | 6.2% |
| Buckingham ♂ | 27 | 5.6% |
| Ratcliff ♂ | 15 | 3.1% |
| Of Buckingham ♂ | 11 | 2.3% |
| Catesby ♂ | 11 | 2.3% |
How Act 5 of Richard III compares to other historys
| Play | Act 5 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Henry VIII | 653 | 5 |
| Henry VI, part 1 | 569 | 5 |
| Richard II | 565 | 6 |
| King John | 537 | 7 |
| Henry IV, part 2 | 536 | 5 |
| Henry IV, part 1 | 520 | 5 |
| Henry V | 516 | 3 |
| Henry VI, part 3 | 497 | 7 |
| Richard III (this act) | 482 | 5 |
| Henry VI, part 2 | 343 | 3 |
About Act 5 of Richard III
How many lines are in Act 5 of Richard III?
482 lines spread across 5 scenes.
Who dominates Act 5?
King Richard Iii delivers 33% of the act’s dialogue (161 lines).