The Winter’s Tale Act Five – “Stars, stars, and all eyes else dead coals!”

The Winter’s Tale Act Five – “Stars, stars, and all eyes else dead coals!”

In the wonderfully circular fashion which works so well in Shakespeare’s comedies, Act Five crosses back to Sicilia, where Leontes is still in mourning for the death of Hermione (his wife) and Mamillius (his son). Some lords urge him to forget what he did in the past, grant himself forgiveness, and marry again so that the kingdom will have an heir. But Paulina (Hermione's first lady and now an ad hoc advisor to Leontes) tells Leontes that he needs to carry on asking for forgiveness for his past wrongs and she even gets Leontes to promise that he will never marry again unless she gives her consent.

“There is none worthy,

Respecting her that's gone. Besides, the gods

Will have fulfill'd their secret purposes;

For has not the divine Apollo said,

Is't not the tenor of his oracle,

That King Leontes shall not have an heir

Till his lost child be found? which that it shall,

Is all as monstrous to our human reason

As my Antigonus to break his grave

And come again to me; who, on my life,

Did perish with the infant. 'Tis your counsel

My lord should to the heavens be contrary,

Oppose against their wills.

Care not for issue;

The crown will find an heir: great Alexander

Left his to the worthiest; so his successor

Was like to be the best…Will you swear

Never to marry but by my free leave?

… Unless another,

As like Hermione as is her picture,

Affront his eye…

Yet, if my lord will marry,--if you will, sir,

No remedy, but you will,--give me the office

To choose you a queen: she shall not be so young

As was your former; but she shall be such

As, walk'd your first queen's ghost,

it should take joy

To see her in your arms.”

Then a message arrives that the son of the King of Bohemia (the former best friend of Leontes) has arrived in Sicilia with his new bride Perdita. When they arrive, everyone comments on the beauty and grace of Perdita. Florizel (with the help of Camillo's letters) makes out that he is in Sicilia on a dilpomatic mission with his father Polixenes' endoursement. Then news arrives that Polixenes himself has arrived in Sicilia with his advisor Camillo. They have arrived to find Florizel. Also, the Shepherd and the Clown, who came to Sicilia on the ship that Florizel and Perdita came on, are also now in the company of Polixenes. Florizel thinks that Camillo has betrayed him and is anxious about his father's arrival. Leontes although shocked decides that he will go immediately (taking Florizel and Perdita with him) to meet with his enstranged former best friend.

We then switch to another place outside of Leontes's palace where some of Leontes's lords retell Autolycus the story they have heard about the Shepherd finding the baby Perdita. Then it is revealed that the tokens left with Perdita reveal that she is Leontes's long lost daughter. Leontes asks forgiveness from Polixenes and the two kings and everyone are joyful over everything including ther marriage of Florizel to Perdita. Autolycus is then told by the lords that then Perdita said she wanted to visit the statue of her mother, Hermione which has recently been built and placed outside Paulina's house. The scene ends when the Clown and the Shepherd enter to proclaim they have both been made gentlemen. Autolycus says that he will redeem his old ways and become a servant to them both.

We then shift to a chapel in Paulina's house. Paulina reveal the statue of Hermione. Now we must remember that the original audience would have thought like Leontes, Perdita and other characters, that Hermione was dead so along with the characters, the audience must have thought how realistic and detailed the statue looked (even if they thought that the actress who had played Hermione earlier was pretending to be the statue). When Leontes remarks that the statue looks older than he remembers, Paulina remarks that it is "So much the more our carver's excellence, which let's go by some sixteen years and makes her as she lived now." Perdita wants to kiss the hand of the statue but Paulina says that the colour or paint on the staue is not dry yet. Leontes does not want Paulina to draw the curtain back and cover the statue and says that the statue seems so life like that he wants to kiss it. Paulina says that leontes cannot do this but she agrees to make the statue move and take Leontes's hand. Then, to the sound of music and to the amazement of everyone, the statue begins to move. Paulina says that the statue will approach Leontes like a suitor as he once approached Hermione. This moment is touching. A true moving sentiment which allows emotion, revelation and a strange but moving non-naturalism. Leontes is shocked that the statue's hand is warm. He accepts the zone between desire and reality. The dream zone. Then it is revealed that this is the real Hermione. Hermione is happy to see her daughter and blesses her and asks to hear the whole of her daughter's story.

“You gods, look down

And from your sacred vials pour your graces

Upon my daughter's head! Tell me, mine own.

Where hast thou been preserved? where lived? how found

Thy father's court? for thou shalt hear that I,

Knowing by Paulina that the oracle

Gave hope thou wast in being, have preserved

Myself to see the issue.”

Then Leontes, with a newfound happiness in his heart, joins Paulina to Camillo as husband and wife (since Paulina's husbands was eaten by a bear). Leontes then rejoices and asks Paulina to lead them out so that they can hear the true story that has united them all together.

“O, peace, Paulina!

Thou shouldst a husband take by my consent,

As I by thine a wife: this is a match,

And made between's by vows. Thou hast found mine;

But how, is to be question'd; for I saw her,

As I thought, dead, and have in vain said many

A prayer upon her grave. I'll not seek far--

For him, I partly know his mind--to find thee

An honourable husband. Come, Camillo,

And take her by the hand, whose worth and honesty

Is richly noted and here justified

By us, a pair of kings. Let's from this place.

What! look upon my brother: both your pardons,

That e'er I put between your holy looks

My ill suspicion. This is your son-in-law,

And son unto the king, who, heavens directing,

Is troth-plight to your daughter. Good Paulina,

Lead us from hence, where we may leisurely

Each one demand an answer to his part

Perform'd in this wide gap of time since first

We were dissever'd: hastily lead away.”