tj_danm 225-winters_tale

A Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare

Quick summary

Leontes falsely accuses his wife and his boyhood friend (Polixenes, now king of Bohemia) of adultery. His son dies of grief, daughter is banished to the wilderness, and his wife 'dies', also of grief. 16 years go by, the daughter is discovered in love with Polixenes son, everything unravels and it turns out Hermione is still alive.

Select Dramatis Personae

• Leontes - King of Sicilia
• Hermione - Queen of Sicilia
• Mamillius - Prince of Sicilia
• Camillo - A Sicilian Nobleman
• Antigonus - husband of Paulina, nobleman, Defender of Hermione.
• Paulina - wife of Antigonus, noblewoman
• Emilia - lady attendant to Hermione
• Cleomenes - Sicilian lord
• Dion - Sicilian lord
• Child - (Perdita), daughter of Leontes and Hermione
• Shepard - a shepard *Clown - shepard's son
• Autolycus - drifter, pickpocket
• Polixenes - King of Bohemia
• Archidamus - A Bohemian Lord

Character Plot

Slightly less quick summary

Act 1, Scene 1

• Character Exposition

Act 1, Scene 2

• Leontes urges Polixenes to stay, he won't. Hermoine urges Polixenes to stay, he will. Leontes takes this to mean there is perhaps an affair going on with his wife and friend (Hermoine and Polixenes).
• Leontes charges Camillo with poisoning Polixenes, and in exchange will take his son and wife as his own without dishonouring her.
• Leontes tells Polixenes what's up instead of killing him. They go to escape the kingdom.

Act 2, Scene 1

• Mamillius starts to tell Hermione a story
• Leontes discovers Camillo and Plixenes escape, takes it as proof, says Hermione is an adultress (n.b. also makes her a traitor), sends her off to prison.
• Antigonus and a lord defend Hermione.

Act 2, Scene 2

• Paulina goes to the prision, talks to Emilia, gets newborn (of hermione) to bring to King in hopes to soften his heart.

Act 2, Scene 3

• Paulina brings baby to the King who doesn't really hear her. She exits, King charges Antigonus to kill the baby, but settles for leaving it stranded in the wilderness.
• Word arrives that those sent to the oracle have arrived, King orders a trial.

Act 3, Scene 1

• Cleomenes and Dion return from Delphi (where the Oracle is)

Act 3, Scene 2

• At court, Leontes tries Hermione. They bicker, she calls for oracle, everything is set straight:

Officer

Hermione is chaste; Polixenes blameless; Camillo a true subject; Leontes a jealous tyrant; his innocent babe truly begotten; and the king shall live without an heir, if that which is lost be not found.

• Leontes doesn't believe it at first, then word comes that his son, Mamillius, has died. Hermione 'swoons,' she is send to rest, Paulina accompanies and returns with news of her death.

Act 4, Scene 1

• Chorus monologue, 16 years have past

Act 4, Scene 2

• Camillo wants to go back to Sicilia as that King has asked for him.
• Polixenes is concerned about his son seeing a shepard's 'daughter'
• Camillo agrees to investigate in disguise.

Act 4, Scene 3

• Autolycus steals Clown's purse. Clown was only helpful to Autolycus.

Act 4, Scene 4

• Florizel and Perdita flirt.
• Shepard, Mopsa, Dorcas, Clown, Camillo (in disguise), and Polixenes (in disguise) come over for the feast.
• Autolycus shows up singing, goes out with Mopsa, Dorcas, and Clown
• Camillo and Polixenes question Florizel and Perdita, Polixenes pushes Florizel to tell his father about his love for Perdita, Florizel refuses.
• Polixenes gets pissed and leaves, Shepard gets pissed and leaves.
• Florizel decides to flee with Perdita, Camillo convinces him to go to Sicilia. He trades clothes with Autolycus and sets off.
• Shepard and Clown decide to tell their King where they found Perdita, Autolycus redirects them.

Act 5, Scene 1

• Leontes promises to Paulina that he won't again marry without her permission.
• Florizel and Perdita show up in Sicilia.

Act 5, Scene 2

• Gentlemen talk about how everything worked out, everything unraveled and everyone friends again.
• Autolycus, Shepard, and Clown befriend.

Act 5, Scene 3

• Leontes, Polixenes, Florizel, Perdita, Camillo, Paulina, Lords, and Attendants all go to Paulina's house to look at 'statue' of Hermione.
• Hermione 'comes to life', Camillo and Paulina to wed. Everyone is happy.