The Merchant of Venice, Act 1
500Lines
2Scenes
10Speakers
75% / 25%Male / Female Lines
Act 1 of The Merchant of Venice runs 500 lines across 2 scenes with 10 speaking characters — about 18.8% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — Antonio: “In sooth, I know not why I am so sad:”
Closes (Scene 3) — Antonio: “My ships come home a month before the day.”
The 2 scenes of Act 1
Who speaks in Act 1
Leading voice: Shylock with 26% of Act 1’s dialogue (130 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Shylock ♂ | 130 | 26.0% |
| Portia ♀ | 87 | 17.4% |
| Antonio ♂ | 86 | 17.2% |
| Bassanio ♂ | 64 | 12.8% |
| Salarino ♂ | 41 | 8.2% |
| Nerissa ♀ | 37 | 7.4% |
| Gratiano ♂ | 34 | 6.8% |
Who carries the voice in Act 1
Act 1 reflects the play’s overall balance — 25% female dialogue (play average: 28%).
Act 1
Male 376 · Female 124
How Act 1 of The Merchant of Venice compares to other comedies
| Play | Act 1 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Twelfth Night | 578 | 5 |
| As You Like It | 568 | 3 |
| Taming of the Shrew | 542 | 2 |
| The Merry Wives of Windsor | 528 | 4 |
| Love's Labours Lost | 513 | 2 |
| The Merchant of Venice (this act) | 500 | 2 |
| Much Ado About Nothing | 384 | 3 |
| Two Gentlemen of Verona | 381 | 3 |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | 356 | 2 |
| The Comedy of Errors | 274 | 2 |
About Act 1 of The Merchant of Venice
How many lines are in Act 1 of The Merchant of Venice?
500 lines spread across 2 scenes.
Who dominates Act 1?
Shylock delivers 26% of the act’s dialogue (130 lines).