The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare Read Free Book Online

“infirmity” prevents his father from coming in person. As Leontes expresses his pleasure at seeing them, a Lord interrupts with a message from Polixenes, revealing the truth about the couple’s flight from Bohemia and demanding that Leontes arrest Florizel. The Lord reports that Polixenes is in Sicilia, accompanied by the Shepherd and the Clown, whom he is questioning. Camillo is also with them, and Florizel realizes that he has been betrayed. Perdita reveals that they are not yet married and they admit that Perdita is not a princess. Leontes expresses sympathy and agrees to try to help them win over Polixenes.
ACT 5 SCENE 2
    We learn about the revelation of Perdita’s true identity and the reunion of Leontes and Polixenes and Camillo through the conversation of Autolycus and some Gentlemen, a device that suggests that, though these are wonderful events, there is a greater dnouement still to be witnessed onstage. A Third Gentleman reports that the entire party has gone to Paulina’s, at Perdita’s request, to see a statue of Hermione, and they leave Autolycus to join the party assembling there. Autolycus meets the Shepherd and the Clown who revel in their elevation in rank, bestowed upon them for their kindness inraising Perdita. Autolycus apologizes for his past misdemeanors and they promise to tell the prince that he is “as honest a true fellow as is any in Bohemia.”
ACT 5 SCENE 3
    Paulina reveals the statue of Hermione and Leontes is overcome by its likeness to his wife. He comments that the statue shows Hermione as older than she was, and Paulina explains that the “carver’s excellence” has portrayed her as she would be now. Leontes wistfully compares the cold statue to the “warm life” of Hermione. Perdita kneels and reaches out to touch the statue, but Paulina stops her. Camillo, Polixenes, and even Paulina try to comfort Leontes, who is overcome, but he will not allow Paulina to cover Hermione again. As everyone comments on how lifelike the statue is, Paulina claims that she can make it move and speak. Leontes commands her to do so and Paulina pronounces a “spell” to music. In a visual affirmation of the regeneration that characterizes the latter half of the play, Hermione steps down from the plinth, although whether this is an act of magic or the revelation that she has been alive all this time is not certain. Leontes and Hermione embrace, and Perdita kneels again before her mother. Hermione blesses her daughter. Leontes declares that Paulina and Camillo will marry and, despite the tragic deaths of Antigonus and Mamillius, the play ends in unity and celebration.

THE WINTER’S TALE

IN PERFORMANCE:
THE RSC AND BEYOND
    The best way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or ideally to participate in it. By examining a range of productions, we may gain a sense of the extraordinary variety of approaches and interpretations that are possible—a variety that gives Shakespeare his unique capacity to be reinvented and made “our contemporary” four centuries after his death.
    We begin with a brief overview of the play’s theatrical and cinematic life, offering historical perspectives on how it has been performed. We then analyze in more detail a series of productions staged over the last half-century by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The sense of dialogue between productions that can only occur when a company is dedicated to the revival and investigation of the Shakespeare canon over a long period, together with the uniquely comprehensive archival resource of promptbooks, program notes, reviews, and interviews held on behalf of the RSC at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon, allows an “RSC stage history” to become a crucible in which the chemistry of the play can be explored.
    Finally, we go to the horse’s mouth. Modern theater is dominated by the figure of the director, who must hold together the