Offbook
Play library

Henry V: every role by lines, words, and stage time

William Shakespeare. 45 speaking roles, 25,596 words, about 183 minutes of speech.

The Offbook team

Oct 8, 2026

King Henry has the most to say in Henry V: about 1,028 lines and 8,336 words, 32.6% of the play. Henry V follows the young king from his claim on France through the Battle of Agincourt to his courtship of Katherine. King Henry carries about a third of the words and speaks in 11 of 29 sections, including several large public speeches. The Chorus opens every act and closes the play, and Fluellen is the second-largest part, at about 10%.

Speaking roles
45
Scenes
29
Words
25,596
Speech time
183 min

Every role, largest first

RoleLinesWordsShareMinutesScenes
King Henry1,0288,33632.6%59.511
Fluellen2812,5009.8%17.96
Chorus2231,6676.5%11.96
Canterbury2231,6516.5%11.82
Pistol1621,1154.4%8.07
Exeter1269833.8%7.08
Constable1219193.6%6.65
Dauphin1139063.5%6.55
French King947012.7%5.03
Boy696242.4%4.54
Williams746192.4%4.43
Burgundy675112%3.71
Gower645072%3.66
Katherine614441.7%3.22
Montjoy514001.6%2.93
Nym493971.6%2.83
Hostess433711.4%2.72
Orleans433131.2%2.23
Bardolph312240.9%1.63
MacMorris232050.8%1.51
Westmoreland272030.8%1.54
Queen Isabel241880.7%1.31
Ely271810.7%1.32
Alice281680.7%1.22
Bates191670.7%1.21
Bourbon181380.5%1.02
Grandpré181350.5%1.01
Cambridge151070.4%0.81
French Soldier151030.4%0.71
Ambassador131010.4%0.71
Jamy11970.4%0.71
Scroop12880.3%0.61
Grey12810.3%0.61
Salisbury9750.3%0.51
Rambures8660.3%0.52
Bedford7560.2%0.42
Governor7560.2%0.41
Erpingham7520.2%0.41
Messenger6360.1%0.33
First Ambassador4300.1%0.21
Gloucester5280.1%0.24
York2140.1%0.11
Court2110%0.11
Herald180%0.11
Warwick170%0.11

Who speaks in which scene

Darker cells mean more words in that scene. Use it to plan rehearsal calls, or to see how long an actor waits between entrances.

RolePro1.11.2Pro 22.12.22.32.4Pro 33.13.23.33.43.53.63.7Pro 44.14.24.34.44.54.64.74.8Pro 55.15.2Epi
King Henry
Fluellen
Chorus
Canterbury
Pistol
Exeter
Constable
Dauphin
French King
Boy
Williams
Burgundy
Gower

The longest speeches

SpeechSceneWordsLines
King Henry: “The mercy that was quick in us but late,”Act 2, Scene 252366
Canterbury: “Then hear me, gracious sovereign, and you peers,”Act 1, Scene 247763
King Henry: “Indeed, the French may lay twenty French crown…”Act 4, Scene 146059
King Henry: “What’s he that wishes so?”Act 4, Scene 340850
King Henry: “Marry, if you would put me to verses or to dan…”Act 5, Scene 238339
Chorus: “Now entertain conjecture of a time”Prologue 438153
King Henry: “So, if a son that is by his father sent about …”Act 4, Scene 136937
Chorus: “Vouchsafe to those that have not read the story,”Prologue 534945
King Henry: “We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us;”Act 1, Scene 234139
King Henry: “How yet resolves the governor of the town?”Act 3, Scene 333043

Small roles that can be doubled

These pairs of small roles never speak in the same scene, so one actor could play both. Check entrances and silent appearances in your script before you cast it this way.

  • Pistol and Exeter
  • Pistol and Constable
  • Pistol and Dauphin
  • Pistol and French King
  • Pistol and Burgundy
  • Pistol and Katherine
  • Pistol and Orleans
  • Pistol and Westmoreland
  • Pistol and Queen Isabel
  • Pistol and Ely
  • Pistol and Alice
  • Pistol and Bourbon

Questions actors ask

Who has the most lines in Henry V?

King Henry, with about 1,028 lines and 8,336 words, 32.6% of everything spoken in the play. Fluellen is next, with about 281 lines (9.8%).

How long is Henry V?

The full text has 25,596 spoken words, about 183 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 Henry V?

45 named roles speak in this edition, across 29 scenes. 32 of them have less than 2% of the words, which is why small parts are often doubled.

Keep reading