The
Winter's Tale -- Winter 2008
 |
Queen
Hermione greets King Polixenes |
“A
sad tale’s best for winter...”
As the Winter’s
Tale opens, King Leontes of Sicilia hosts his childhood friend, King
Polixenes of Bohemia. Warm cameraderie quickly curdles to jealous
suspicion as Leontes is seized by the fear that his wife, Queen Hermione
has been unfaithful to him with Polixenes. Possessed with a fury that
devolves into madness, Leontes conceives a plot to poison Polixenes,
compelling his honest servant Camilla to perform the wicked deed.
Camilla nobly refuses, instead warns Polixenes of the plot, and knowing
her life in danger as well, flees with him to Bohemia. Taking this
event as further proof of guilt, Leontes arrests Hermione, pronouncing
her unborn child a bastard. After the Queen delivers a daughter while
imprisoned, her advocate, the lady Paulina presents the baby to Leontes
in a vain attempt to stir his conscience. Once she leaves, he instead
orders one of his lords, Antigonus, to hastily dispose of the child
and arraigns Hermione in court for adultery and conspiracy. The messenger
dispatched to Apollo’s oracle returns to render the god’s
judgement at the trial: “Hermione Innocent; Leontes
Irrational!” Read all about it!!!
Arrogant Leontes,
however, remains stubbornly undeterred from his course, even by the
gods’ intervention! Defying the oracle, he rants and intends
to proceed with his vile miscarriage of justice. But Apollo has swift
punishment in store...! Will Leontes have no heir?? Nor wife? (!!)
Meanwhile, Antigonus
lands on the Bohemian coast and abandons the newborn princess to the
elements, earning himself a spectacular demise as reward. A kindly
old shepherd and his clownish son find the babe and bring her up as
their own kin, naming her “Perdita” as so instructed by
Antigonus’ letters stowed in a small box of gold and articles
found beside her.
16 years pass...
In Sicilia, Leontes, these many years contrite, still mourns the loss
of his family. In Bohemia, King Polixenes and Camilla, covertly attend
a local sheep shearing festival in pursuit of young Prince Florizel,
who has recently taken up with a shepherd’s beautiful daughter,
Perdita (shhhh!). Polixenes throws off his disguise, objects vehemently
to their betrothal, threatens the couple with retribution for their
“inappropriate” match, then doggedly pursues them after
they flee to Sicilia (where else?).
Ultimately, the
princess’ royal heritage is duly revealed and she is reunited
with Leontes, her father. The two Kings are also reconciled and in
a last flourish of magic and mystery all live happily ever after.
