The Winter’s Tale Act Four – “From my succession wipe me father, I am heir to my affection.”

The Winter’s Tale Act Four – “From my succession wipe me father, I am heir to my affection.”

Act Four of ‘The Winter’s Tale’ has the feel of some of the earlier plays of Shakespeare. We will see love and deception and twists appear in the plot but I am getting ahead of myself. So Shakespeare starts this act with a Chorus-like speech. An Actor appears on stage dressed as Time. Time tells us that time has moved on sixteen years:

“I, that please some, try all, both joy and terror

Of good and bad, that makes and unfolds error,

Now take upon me, in the name of Time,

To use my wings. Impute it not a crime

To me or my swift passage, that I slide

O'er sixteen years and leave the growth untried

Of that wide gap, since it is in my power

To o'erthrow law and in one self-born hour

To plant and o'erwhelm custom. Let me pass

The same I am, ere ancient'st order was

Or what is now received: I witness to

The times that brought them in; so shall I do

To the freshest things now reigning and make stale

The glistering of this present, as my tale

Now seems to it. Your patience this allowing,

I turn my glass and give my scene such growing

As you had slept between: Leontes leaving,

The effects of his fond jealousies so grieving

That he shuts up himself, imagine me,

Gentle spectators, that I now may be

In fair Bohemia, and remember well,

I mentioned a son o' the king's, which Florizel

I now name to you; and with speed so pace

To speak of Perdita, now grown in grace

Equal with wondering: what of her ensues

I list not prophecy; but let Time's news

Be known when 'tis brought forth.

A shepherd's daughter,

And what to her adheres, which follows after,

Is the argument of Time. Of this allow,

If ever you have spent time worse ere now;

If never, yet that Time himself doth say

He wishes earnestly you never may.” 

The action then moves on to inside the castle of Polixenes in Bohemia who is talking to Camillo. Camillo wants to go back to his homeland of Sicilia since he is homesick. He also wants to console Leontes who still grieves the loss of his wife and son. But Polixenes claims that he couldn’t manage the kingdom without Camillo. They then start to talk about Polixene’s son Florizel, who seems to be staying away from court and consistently visiting the house of a wealthy shepherd who reportedly has a beauteous daughter. Polixenes and Camillo decide to disguise themselves and visit the rich shepherd’s house.

We cross to a country road in Bohemia where the thief and vagabond Autolycus is singing when he comes across the Clown who is going to market with a princely sum of coins in his purse. Autolycus pretends that he has just been robbed and picks the pocket of the Clown when he helps him. After the Clown leaves, Autolycus decides that he will visit the shepherd’s residence to see why a Shepherd would have so much wealth.

It is now the day of sheep shearing at the Shepherd's house and Perdita and Florizel walk together. Perdita is indeed a beauty and she is covered in flowers and it is obvious that she and Florizel are deeply in love. Perdita thinks that Florizel’s father Polixenes will oppose their marriage. Florizel assures her all will be well.

Then the Shepherd enters with a crowd which includes Polixenes and Camillo in disguise. Perdita is instructed to act as hostess and she shows her charm and knowledge of flowers. Florizel declares his love for Perdita. Polixenes starts to question the Shepherd about the girl and her suitor.  

Autolycus enters disguised as a peddler selling ballads to all and sundry. Polixenes asks Florizel why he does not buy something for Perdita from the peddler and Florizel claims that Perdita does not like such trifles. Florizel wants to make a contract for marriage with Perdita and Polixenes in diguise asks why Florizel does not seek his father’s approval. Florizel says he cannot and just when he is about to seal his contract, Polixenes reveals himself and stops the betrothal and threatens Perdita with destroying her beauty, his son with being disowned and the Shepherd with death and then Polixenes storms out:

“I'll have thy beauty scratch'd with briers, and made

More homely than thy state. For thee, fond boy,

If I may ever know thou dost but sigh

That thou no more shalt see this knack, as never

I mean thou shalt, we'll bar thee from succession;

Not hold thee of our blood, no, not our kin,

Far than Deucalion off: mark thou my words:

Follow us to the court. Thou churl, for this time,

Though full of our displeasure, yet we free thee

From the dead blow of it. And you, enchantment.--

Worthy enough a herdsman: yea, him too,

That makes himself, but for our honour therein,

Unworthy thee,--if ever henceforth thou

These rural latches to his entrance open,

Or hoop his body more with thy embraces,

I will devise a death as cruel for thee

As thou art tender to't.”

All seem shocked. The Shepherd gets angry with Florizel and the Shepherd exits. Florizel declares his love for Perdita and declares that he will give up his kingdom and that they should leave Bohemia. Camillo initially condemns this decision but then suggests that they should leave for Sicilia, where the King Leontes will think that because they have come from Bohemia that they bring Polixenes’ blessings. What’s more, Camillo says that he will talk to Polixenes and warm him to their love. We also find out that Camillo wants Polixene to follow them to Sicilia and then finally Camillo will get to see his homeland of Sicilia once more. Florizel thinks this will work but he says that he does not have the riches and clothes to appear in Sicilia appearing like Polixenes’ son. Camillo says that he will help in this regard and give Florizel letters and through his riches in Sicilia "have him royally appointed".

Autolycus enters having made a killing and then Camillo asks Autolycus to change clothes with Florizel so that Florizel can escape in disguise on a ship. After this clothes swap, Florizel, Perdita, and Camillo exit. Autolycus is alone but by now he has worked out what is happening. He contemplates telling King Polixenes but sees that this could be construed as a good deed and he claims that doing good is against his nature. Then, the Clown and the Shepherd enter and Autolycus pretends to be a nobleman. The Clown tells the Shepherd to tell Polixenes the circumstances of how he found Perdita as a baby. Autolycus hears this and sends the Clown and the Shepherd to a ship that he claims Polixenes has boarded. In fact, it is the ship that Florizel and Perdita are boarding that is bound for the fair shores of Sicilia. They leave and Autolycus tells the audience how he thinks he can profit from the information he knows.

“If I had a mind to be honest, I see Fortune would

not suffer me: she drops booties in my mouth. I am

courted now with a double occasion, gold and a means

to do the prince my master good; which who knows how

that may turn back to my advancement? I will bring

these two moles, these blind ones, aboard him: if he

think it fit to shore them again and that the

complaint they have to the king concerns him

nothing, let him call me rogue for being so far

officious; for I am proof against that title and

what shame else belongs to't. To him will I present

them: there may be matter in it.”