Troilus and Cressida, Act 1
797Lines
3Scenes
10Speakers
87% / 13%Male / Female Lines
Act 1 of Troilus and Cressida runs 797 lines across 3 scenes with 10 speaking characters — about 23.1% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — Troilus: “Call here my varlet; I'll unarm again:”
Closes (Scene 3) — Nestor: “Must tarre the mastiffs on, as 'twere their bone.”
The 3 scenes of Act 1
Who speaks in Act 1
Leading voice: Pandarus with 23% of Act 1’s dialogue (182 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pandarus ♂ | 182 | 22.8% |
| Ulysses ♂ | 179 | 22.5% |
| Cressida ♀ | 103 | 12.9% |
| Nestor ♂ | 93 | 11.7% |
| Troilus ♂ | 73 | 9.2% |
| Agamemnon ♂ | 66 | 8.3% |
| Aeneas ♂ | 65 | 8.2% |
Pacing across the 3 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 1 range from Scene 1 (115 lines, the shortest) to Scene 3 (399 lines, the longest), averaging about 266 lines per scene.
How Act 1 of Troilus and Cressida compares to other problem plays
| Play | Act 1 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Troilus and Cressida (this act) | 797 | 3 |
| All's Well That Ends Well | 570 | 3 |
| Measure for Measure | 429 | 4 |
About Act 1 of Troilus and Cressida
How many lines are in Act 1 of Troilus and Cressida?
797 lines spread across 3 scenes.
Who dominates Act 1?
Pandarus delivers 23% of the act’s dialogue (182 lines).
Which scene is the heaviest in Act 1?
Scene 3, at 399 lines — well above the act’s scene average.