# Macbeth: every role by lines, words, and stage time

> William Shakespeare. 37 speaking roles, 16,424 words, about 117 minutes of speech.

- URL: https://www.offbook.com/plays/macbeth
- Last updated: 2026-10-08

**Macbeth** has the most to say in Macbeth: about 709 lines and 5,287 words, 32.2% of the play. Macbeth is Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy, and its title role holds about a third of the words. Lady Macbeth has far fewer lines than her reputation suggests, but almost all of them are in a handful of intense scenes.

- Speaking roles: 37
- Scenes: 28
- Words: 16,424
- Speech time: 117 min

## Every role, largest first

| Role | Lines | Words | Share | Minutes | Scenes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Macbeth](https://www.offbook.com/plays/macbeth/macbeth) | 709 | 5,287 | 32.2% | 37.8 | 15 |
| [Lady Macbeth](https://www.offbook.com/plays/macbeth/lady-macbeth) | 259 | 1,899 | 11.6% | 13.6 | 9 |
| Malcolm | 210 | 1,499 | 9.1% | 10.7 | 8 |
| Macduff | 178 | 1,154 | 7% | 8.2 | 7 |
| Ross | 135 | 906 | 5.5% | 6.5 | 7 |
| [Banquo](https://www.offbook.com/plays/macbeth/banquo) | 113 | 772 | 4.7% | 5.5 | 7 |
| Lennox | 71 | 499 | 3% | 3.6 | 6 |
| Duncan | 70 | 472 | 2.9% | 3.4 | 3 |
| First Witch | 61 | 349 | 2.1% | 2.5 | 4 |
| Doctor | 47 | 326 | 2% | 2.3 | 3 |
| Porter | 31 | 305 | 1.9% | 2.2 | 1 |
| Lady Macduff | 43 | 291 | 1.8% | 2.1 | 1 |
| Hecate | 39 | 265 | 1.6% | 1.9 | 2 |
| Sergeant | 35 | 236 | 1.4% | 1.7 | 1 |
| Siward | 30 | 202 | 1.2% | 1.4 | 4 |
| Gentlewoman | 23 | 181 | 1.1% | 1.3 | 1 |
| Messenger | 23 | 176 | 1.1% | 1.3 | 3 |
| First Murderer | 31 | 166 | 1% | 1.2 | 4 |
| Lord | 21 | 158 | 1% | 1.1 | 1 |
| Son | 20 | 143 | 0.9% | 1.0 | 1 |
| Angus | 21 | 137 | 0.8% | 1.0 | 2 |
| Third Witch | 27 | 129 | 0.8% | 0.9 | 3 |
| Second Witch | 27 | 125 | 0.8% | 0.9 | 3 |
| Second Murderer | 15 | 86 | 0.5% | 0.6 | 2 |
| Old Man | 11 | 81 | 0.5% | 0.6 | 1 |
| Caithness | 11 | 73 | 0.4% | 0.5 | 1 |
| Menteith | 12 | 71 | 0.4% | 0.5 | 2 |
| Donalbain | 9 | 55 | 0.3% | 0.4 | 1 |
| Young Siward | 7 | 43 | 0.3% | 0.3 | 1 |
| Third Murderer | 8 | 42 | 0.3% | 0.3 | 1 |
| Seyton | 5 | 32 | 0.2% | 0.2 | 2 |
| Third Apparition | 5 | 32 | 0.2% | 0.2 | 1 |
| Second Apparition | 4 | 23 | 0.1% | 0.2 | 1 |
| Servant | 5 | 21 | 0.1% | 0.2 | 2 |
| Fleance | 2 | 15 | 0.1% | 0.1 | 1 |
| First Apparition | 2 | 13 | 0.1% | 0.1 | 1 |
| Attendant | 1 | 8 | 0% | 0.1 | 1 |

## Who speaks in which scene

Words each role speaks in each scene (scene: words). Scenes: 1.1 = Act 1, Scene 1; 1.2 = Act 1, Scene 2; 1.3 = Act 1, Scene 3; 1.4 = Act 1, Scene 4; 1.5 = Act 1, Scene 5; 1.6 = Act 1, Scene 6; 1.7 = Act 1, Scene 7; 2.1 = Act 2, Scene 1; 2.2 = Act 2, Scene 2; 2.3 = Act 2, Scene 3; 2.4 = Act 2, Scene 4; 3.1 = Act 3, Scene 1; 3.2 = Act 3, Scene 2; 3.3 = Act 3, Scene 3; 3.4 = Act 3, Scene 4; 3.5 = Act 3, Scene 5; 3.6 = Act 3, Scene 6; 4.1 = Act 4, Scene 1; 4.2 = Act 4, Scene 2; 4.3 = Act 4, Scene 3; 5.1 = Act 5, Scene 1; 5.2 = Act 5, Scene 2; 5.3 = Act 5, Scene 3; 5.4 = Act 5, Scene 4; 5.5 = Act 5, Scene 5; 5.6 = Act 5, Scene 6; 5.7 = Act 5, Scene 7; 5.8 = Act 5, Scene 8.

- **Macbeth**: 1.3 (370), 1.4 (135), 1.5 (15), 1.7 (358), 2.1 (347), 2.2 (277), 2.3 (221), 3.1 (872), 3.2 (316), 3.4 (789), 4.1 (566), 5.3 (409), 5.5 (343), 5.7 (69), 5.8 (200)
- **Lady Macbeth**: 1.5 (547), 1.6 (72), 1.7 (327), 2.2 (339), 2.3 (28), 3.1 (18), 3.2 (117), 3.4 (284), 5.1 (167)
- **Malcolm**: 1.2 (37), 1.4 (72), 2.3 (97), 4.3 (1,005), 5.4 (77), 5.6 (44), 5.7 (9), 5.8 (158)
- **Macduff**: 2.3 (245), 2.4 (80), 4.3 (596), 5.4 (14), 5.6 (16), 5.7 (81), 5.8 (122)
- **Ross**: 1.2 (104), 1.3 (121), 2.4 (163), 3.4 (29), 4.2 (147), 4.3 (276), 5.8 (66)
- **Banquo**: 1.3 (305), 1.4 (9), 1.6 (52), 2.1 (156), 2.3 (71), 3.1 (155), 3.3 (24)
- **Lennox**: 1.2 (17), 2.3 (124), 3.4 (29), 3.6 (248), 4.1 (30), 5.2 (51)
- **Duncan**: 1.2 (91), 1.4 (252), 1.6 (129)
- **First Witch**: 1.1 (18), 1.3 (166), 3.5 (16), 4.1 (149)
- **Doctor**: 4.3 (35), 5.1 (240), 5.3 (51)

## The longest speeches

| Speech | Scene | Words | Lines |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Macbeth: “Go bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready,”](https://www.offbook.com/monologues/is-this-a-dagger) | Act 2, Scene 1 | 281 | 34 |
| Lady Macbeth: ““They met me in the day of success: and I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me ‘Thane of Cawdor;’ by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time, with ‘Hail, king that shalt be!’ This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell.”” | Act 1, Scene 5 | 261 | 29 |
| Hecate: “Have I not reason, beldams as you are,” | Act 3, Scene 5 | 231 | 34 |
| Macbeth: “Bring them before us. To be thus is nothing;” | Act 3, Scene 1 | 227 | 27 |
| Macbeth: “If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well” | Act 1, Scene 7 | 222 | 29 |
| Lennox: “My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,” | Act 3, Scene 6 | 195 | 24 |
| Malcolm: “Macduff, this noble passion,” | Act 4, Scene 3 | 178 | 24 |
| Porter: “Here’s a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there, i’ the name of Beelzebub? Here’s a farmer, that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty: come in time; have napkins enow about you; here you’ll sweat for’t. Knock, knock! Who’s there, in the other devil’s name? Faith, here’s an equivocator, that could swear in both the scales against either scale; who committed treason enough for God’s sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven: O, come in, equivocator. Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there? Faith, here’s an English tailor come hither, for stealing out of a French hose: come in, tailor; here you may roast your goose. Knock, knock; never at quiet! What are you? But this place is too cold for hell. I’ll devil-porter it no further: I had thought to have let in some of all professions that go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire. Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter.” | Act 2, Scene 3 | 168 | 17 |
| [Lady Macbeth: “Give him tending;”](https://www.offbook.com/monologues/the-raven-himself-is-hoarse) | Act 1, Scene 5 | 164 | 24 |
| Malcolm: “We shall not spend a large expense of time” | Act 5, Scene 8 | 132 | 16 |

## 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.

- Banquo and Doctor
- Banquo and Lady Macduff
- Banquo and Hecate
- Banquo and Sergeant
- Banquo and Siward
- Banquo and Gentlewoman
- Banquo and Messenger
- Banquo and Lord
- Banquo and Son
- Banquo and Old Man
- Banquo and Caithness
- Banquo and Menteith

## Roles and monologues in depth

- [How many lines does Macbeth have?](https://www.offbook.com/plays/macbeth/macbeth)
- [How many lines does Lady Macbeth have?](https://www.offbook.com/plays/macbeth/lady-macbeth)
- [How many lines does Banquo have?](https://www.offbook.com/plays/macbeth/banquo)
- [Lady Macbeth: The raven himself is hoarse](https://www.offbook.com/monologues/the-raven-himself-is-hoarse)
- [Macbeth: Is this a dagger which I see before me](https://www.offbook.com/monologues/is-this-a-dagger)
- [Macbeth: Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow](https://www.offbook.com/monologues/tomorrow-and-tomorrow)

## Questions actors ask

### Who has the most lines in Macbeth?

Macbeth, with about 709 lines and 5,287 words, 32.2% of everything spoken in the play. Lady Macbeth is next, with about 259 lines (11.6%).

### How long is Macbeth?

The full text has 16,424 spoken words, about 117 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 Macbeth?

37 named roles speak in this edition, across 28 scenes. 27 of them have less than 2% of the words, which is why small parts are often doubled.

## How we count

Counts are computed from the full text of the [Standard Ebooks edition](https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/william-shakespeare/macbeth) (public domain; retrieved 2026-10-08). Words are every spoken word, with stage directions removed. Lines are verse lines as printed, plus prose at 10 words a line, because prose has no fixed line breaks; editions differ, so other sources give slightly different line counts. Time is words at 140 words a minute, before pauses and stage business. A role is counted in a scene when it speaks there. To count a script that is not in the library, paste it into the [script line counter](https://www.offbook.com/tools/script-line-counter).