Act 2 of The Tempest runs 555 lines across 2 scenes with 10 speaking characters — about 24.4% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — Gonzalo: “Beseech you, sir, be merry; you have cause,”
Closes (Scene 2) — Stephano: “O brave monster! Lead the way.”
The 2 scenes of Act 2
Who speaks in Act 2
Leading voice: Antonio with 23% of Act 2’s dialogue (125 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Antonio ♂ | 125 | 22.5% |
| Sebastian ♂ | 96 | 17.3% |
| Gonzalo ♂ | 88 | 15.9% |
| Stephano ♂ | 77 | 13.9% |
| Trinculo ♂ | 56 | 10.1% |
| Caliban ♂ | 56 | 10.1% |
| Alonso ♂ | 25 | 4.5% |
Characters first heard in Act 2
Who carries the voice in Act 2
Act 2 is male-dominant even by the play’s standards — female share drops to 2%, compared to 16% overall.
Act 2
Male 544 · Female 11
How Act 2 of The Tempest compares to other romances
| Play | Act 2 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Winter's Tale | 566 | 3 |
| The Tempest (this act) | 555 | 2 |
| Pericles, Prince of Tyre | 544 | 5 |
| Cymbeline | 524 | 4 |
About Act 2 of The Tempest
How many lines are in Act 2 of The Tempest?
555 lines spread across 2 scenes.
Who dominates Act 2?
Antonio delivers 23% of the act’s dialogue (125 lines).