Act 5 of Winter's Tale runs 636 lines across 3 scenes with 17 speaking characters — about 18.9% of the full play.
Opens (Scene 1) — Cleomenes: “Sir, you have done enough, and have perform'd”
Closes (Scene 3) — Leontes: “We were dissever'd: hastily lead away.”
Who carries the voice in Act 5
Act 5 reflects the play’s overall balance — 25% female dialogue (play average: 23%).
Act 5
Male 474 · Female 162
The 3 scenes of Act 5
Who speaks in Act 5
Leading voice: Leontes with 29% of Act 5’s dialogue (182 lines).
| Character | Lines in act | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Leontes ♂ | 182 | 28.6% |
| Paulina ♀ | 144 | 22.6% |
| Third Gentleman ♂ | 66 | 10.4% |
| Florizel ♂ | 38 | 6.0% |
| Clown ♂ | 34 | 5.3% |
| First Gentleman ♂ | 26 | 4.1% |
| Lord ♂ | 24 | 3.8% |
Characters first heard in Act 5
| Character | Lines in play |
|---|---|
| Third Gentleman ♂ | 66 |
| First Gentleman ♂ | 26 |
| Lord ♂ | 24 |
| Gentleman ♂ | 18 |
| Second Gentleman ♂ | 17 |
Pacing across the 3 scenes
Scene lengths in Act 5 range from Scene 2 (172 lines, the shortest) to Scene 1 (281 lines, the longest), averaging about 212 lines per scene.
How Act 5 of Winter's Tale compares to other romances
| Play | Act 5 lines | Scenes |
|---|---|---|
| Cymbeline | 950 | 5 |
| Winter's Tale (this act) | 636 | 3 |
| Pericles, Prince of Tyre | 459 | 3 |
| The Tempest | 383 | 1 |
About Act 5 of Winter's Tale
How many lines are in Act 5 of Winter’s Tale?
636 lines spread across 3 scenes.
Who dominates Act 5?
Leontes delivers 29% of the act’s dialogue (182 lines).