Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act 2
640Lines
7Scenes
10Speakers
79% / 21%Male / Female Lines
Act 2 is the play’s heaviest act — 640 lines across 7 scenes, against a play-wide average of about 447 lines per act, with 10 speaking characters.
Opens (Scene 1) — Speed: “Why, then, this may be yours, for this is but one.”
Closes (Scene 7) — Julia: “I am impatient of my tarriance.”
The 7 scenes of Act 2
| Scene | Lines | Speakers | Share of act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scene 1 | 162 | 3 | 25.3% |
| Scene 2 | 22 | 3 | 3.4% |
| Scene 3 | 58 | 2 | 9.1% |
| Scene 4 | 215 | 6 | 33.6% |
| Scene 5 | 50 | 2 | 7.8% |
| Scene 6 | 43 | 1 | 6.7% |
| Scene 7 | 90 | 2 | 14.1% |
Who speaks in Act 2
Leading voice: Valentine with 26% of Act 2’s dialogue (167 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Valentine ♂ | 167 | 26.1% |
| Speed ♂ | 112 | 17.5% |
| Proteus ♂ | 109 | 17.0% |
| Julia ♀ | 76 | 11.9% |
| Launce ♂ | 73 | 11.4% |
| Silvia ♀ | 38 | 5.9% |
| Lucetta ♀ | 18 | 2.8% |
Characters first heard in Act 2
Pacing across the 7 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 2 range from Scene 2 (22 lines, the shortest) to Scene 4 (215 lines, the longest), averaging about 91 lines per scene.
How Act 2 of Two Gentlemen of Verona compares to other comedies
| Play | Act 2 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| The Merchant of Venice | 677 | 9 |
| Much Ado About Nothing | 644 | 3 |
| Two Gentlemen of Verona (this act) | 640 | 7 |
| The Merry Wives of Windsor | 592 | 3 |
| Twelfth Night | 591 | 5 |
| As You Like It | 550 | 7 |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | 429 | 2 |
| Taming of the Shrew | 423 | 1 |
| The Comedy of Errors | 365 | 2 |
| Love's Labours Lost | 269 | 1 |
About Act 2 of Two Gentlemen of Verona
How many lines are in Act 2 of Two Gentlemen of Verona?
640 lines spread across 7 scenes.
Who dominates Act 2?
Valentine delivers 26% of the act’s dialogue (167 lines).
Which scene is the heaviest in Act 2?
Scene 4, at 215 lines — well above the act’s scene average.