How many lines does Goneril have in King Lear?

The size of the part, every scene it speaks in, its longest speeches, and how long it takes to learn.

The Offbook team

Oct 8, 2026

Goneril has about 200 lines in King Lear: 1,478 words in 53 speeches, 5.9% of the play, and the 7th-largest part. The role speaks in 8 of the 26 scenes, and its longest wait is 6 scenes in a row without a line.

Goneril does most of her work early: nearly two thirds of her words fall in Act 1, where she flatters Lear and then turns on him and his knights. She is silent through the storm scenes, returns in Act 4, Scene 2 to scorn her husband Albany, and in the last scene she poisons her sister and then takes her own life offstage.

Lines: 200
Words: 1,478
Share of play: 5.9%
Speech time: 11 min

83% of the words are verse. 53 speeches means about 53 cues to learn.

Scene by scene

Scene	Words	Minutes
Act 1, Scene 1	238	1.7
Act 1, Scene 3	208	1.5
Act 1, Scene 4	498	3.6
Act 2, Scene 4	103	0.7
Act 3, Scene 7	9	0.1
Act 4, Scene 2	286	2.0
Act 5, Scene 1	40	0.3
Act 5, Scene 3	96	0.7

The longest speeches

Speech	Scene	Words
“This admiration, sir, is much o’ the savour”	Act 1, Scene 4	125
“Then shall you go no further.”	Act 4, Scene 2	113
“Not only, sir, this your all-licensed fool,”	Act 1, Scene 4	109
“Put on what weary negligence you please,”	Act 1, Scene 3	81
“Milk-liver’d man!”	Act 4, Scene 2	75
“By day and night he wrongs me; every hour”	Act 1, Scene 3	70
“Take you some company, and away to horse:”	Act 1, Scene 4	67
“Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matt…”	Act 1, Scene 1	61

How many lines a day to learn

New lines a day to be off book in time, learning five days a week. Review what you already know on the other days.

Time until off book	New lines a day
2 weeks	20
3 weeks	14
4 weeks	10
6 weeks	7

Questions actors ask