How many lines does Portia have in The Merchant of Venice?

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

Portia has about 577 lines in The Merchant of Venice: 4,599 words in 117 speeches, 22.1% of the play, and the largest part. The role speaks in 9 of the 20 scenes, and its longest wait is 5 scenes in a row without a line.

Portia is the largest part in The Merchant of Venice, more than a fifth of the words. She begins in witty prose with Nerissa, moves into verse for the casket scenes, and gives herself to Bassanio in her longest speech in Act 3, Scene 2. At the trial, disguised as a young lawyer, she speaks “The quality of mercy,” and Act 5 brings the comedy of the rings.

Lines: 577
Words: 4,599
Share of play: 22.1%
Speech time: 33 min

79% of the words are verse. 117 speeches means about 117 cues to learn.

Scene by scene

Scene	Words	Minutes
Act 1, Scene 2	791	5.7
Act 2, Scene 1	122	0.9
Act 2, Scene 7	64	0.5
Act 2, Scene 9	150	1.1
Act 3, Scene 2	914	6.5
Act 3, Scene 4	541	3.9
Act 4, Scene 1	1,067	7.6
Act 4, Scene 2	95	0.7
Act 5, Scene 1	855	6.1

The longest speeches

Speech	Scene	Words
“You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand,”	Act 3, Scene 2	213
“I pray you, tarry: pause a day or two”	Act 3, Scene 2	206
“I never did repent for doing good,”	Act 3, Scene 4	186
“Away, then! I am lock’d in one of them:”	Act 3, Scene 2	185
“The quality of mercy is not strain’d,”	Act 4, Scene 1	172
“They shall, Nerissa; but in such a habit,”	Act 3, Scene 4	152
“If to do were as easy as to know what were good to…”	Act 1, Scene 2	149
“What, no more?”	Act 3, Scene 2	130

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	58
3 weeks	39
4 weeks	29
6 weeks	20

Questions actors ask