Electra: every role by lines, words, and stage time

Sophocles, translated by Francis Storr. 7 speaking roles, 11,147 words, about 80 minutes of speech.

The Offbook team

Oct 8, 2026

Electra has the most to say in Electra: about 656 lines and 4,831 words, 43.3% of the play. Sophocles’ tragedy follows Electra as she waits for her brother Orestes to avenge their father’s murder. Electra dominates the play with over 43% of the words, more than three times any other part. Orestes, Chrysothemis, and the Aged Servant each hold just over a tenth, and Clytemnestra has less than a tenth.

Speaking roles: 7
Scenes: Continuous
Words: 11,147
Speech time: 80 min

Every role, largest first

Role	Lines	Words	Share	Minutes	Scenes
Electra	656	4,831	43.3%	34.5	1
Chorus	204	1,371	12.3%	9.8	1
Orestes	174	1,301	11.7%	9.3	1
Chrysothemis	154	1,266	11.4%	9.0	1
Aged Servant	152	1,187	10.6%	8.5	1
Clytemnestra	117	917	8.2%	6.6	1
Aegisthus	37	274	2.5%	2.0	1

The longest speeches

Speech	Words	Lines
Aged Servant: “That was my errand, and I’ll tell thee all.”	644	82
Orestes: “Dearest of followers, how well thou show’st”	432	56
Electra: “Hear then. Thou say’st, “I slew thy father.” Who”	424	52
Electra: “It shames me, friends, that ye should thus set…”	408	52
Electra: “Last relics of the man I most did love,”	358	44
Electra: “Then listen how I am resolved to act.”	326	42
Clytemnestra: “So once again I find thee here at large,”	291	36
Electra: “Nay, let not aught, my sister, touch the tomb,”	258	32
Electra: “O shame that thou, the child of such a sire,”	242	29
Chorus: “Wise nature taught the birds of air”	240	38

Questions actors ask

Who has the most lines in Electra?

Electra, with about 656 lines and 4,831 words, 43.3% of everything spoken in the play. Chorus is next, with about 204 lines (12.3%).

How long is Electra?

The full text has 11,147 spoken words, about 80 minutes at 140 words a minute before pauses, scene changes, and cuts. Most productions cut the text, so running times vary.

How many speaking roles are in Electra?

7 named roles speak in this edition, in one continuous text with no scene breaks. 0 of them have less than 2% of the words, which is why small parts are often doubled.