How many lines does Prospero have in The Tempest?
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
Prospero has about 667 lines in The Tempest: 4,793 words in 115 speeches, 30.3% of the play, and the largest part. The role speaks in 6 of the 10 scenes, and its longest wait is 2 scenes in a row without a line.
Prospero is the largest part in The Tempest, nearly a third of the words, and over half of it comes in one scene. Act 1, Scene 2 is a long run of storytelling to Miranda, then orders to Ariel and Caliban. He is silent through Act 2, then returns for “Our revels now are ended,” his longest speech, “Ye elves of hills,” and the Epilogue.
- Lines
- 667
- Words
- 4,793
- Share of play
- 30.3%
- Speech time
- 34 min
98% of the words are verse. 115 speeches means about 115 cues to learn.
Scene by scene
| Scene | Words | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 2 | 2,439 | 17.4 |
| Act 3, Scene 1 | 60 | 0.4 |
| Act 3, Scene 3 | 107 | 0.8 |
| Act 4, Scene 1 | 706 | 5.0 |
| Act 5, Scene 1 | 1,354 | 9.7 |
| Epilogue | 127 | 0.9 |
The longest speeches
| Speech | Scene | Words |
|---|---|---|
| “Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and grov…” | Act 5, Scene 1 | 424 |
| “In this last tempest. I perceive, these lords” | Act 5, Scene 1 | 152 |
| “I pray thee, mark me.” | Act 1, Scene 2 | 140 |
| “You do look, my son, in a moved sort,” | Act 4, Scene 1 | 138 |
| “Now my charms are all o’erthrown,” | Epilogue | 127 |
| “This blue-eyed hag was hither brought with child” | Act 1, Scene 2 | 120 |
| “Well demanded, wench:” | Act 1, Scene 2 | 102 |
| “And mine shall.” | Act 5, Scene 1 | 102 |
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 | 67 |
| 3 weeks | 45 |
| 4 weeks | 34 |
| 6 weeks | 23 |
More from The Tempest
- How many lines does Caliban have?
- How many lines does Gonzalo have?
- How many lines does Miranda have?
- Every role in The Tempest, by size
Questions actors ask
How many lines does Prospero have in The Tempest?
About 667 lines: 648 lines of verse and 103 words of prose. That is 4,793 words in 115 speeches, 30.3% of the play and the largest part.
How long is Prospero’s longest speech?
424 words, in Act 5, Scene 1, beginning “Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves,” At 140 words a minute it runs about 3.0 minutes.
How long does it take to learn Prospero?
To be off book in three weeks, learning five days a week, plan on about 45 new lines a day, plus time to review what you already know. Start with your longest speeches and the scenes with the most cues.
Keep reading
- How many lines does Miranda have in The Tempest?Lines, words, scenes, the longest speeches, and a plan to learn the part.
- How many lines does Banquo have in Macbeth?Lines, words, scenes, the longest speeches, and a plan to learn the part.
- How many lines does Falstaff have in Henry IV, Part I?Lines, words, scenes, the longest speeches, and a plan to learn the part.
- How many lines does Caliban have in The Tempest?Lines, words, scenes, the longest speeches, and a plan to learn the part.