O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort
That I have had of thee!
O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort That I have had of you!
O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort That I have had of you!
o grave and good paulina the great comfort that i have had of you!
What, sovereign sir,
I did not well, I meant well. All my services
You have paid home: but that you have vouchsaf’d,
With your crown’d brother and these your contracted
Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit,
It is a surplus of your grace which never
My life may last to answer.
What, sovereign sir, I did not well, I meant well. All my services You have paid home: but that you have vouchsaf’d, With your crown’d brother and these your contracted Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit, It is a surplus of your grace which never My life may last to answer.
What, sovereign sir, I didn't well, I meant well. All my services You have paid home: but that you have vouchsaf’d, With your crown’d brother and these your contracted Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit, It is a surplus of your grace which never My life may last to answer.
sovereign sir i did not well i meant well
O Paulina,
We honour you with trouble. But we came
To see the statue of our queen: your gallery
Have we pass’d through, not without much content
In many singularities; but we saw not
That which my daughter came to look upon,
The statue of her mother.
O Paulina, We honour you with trouble. But we came To see the statue of our queen: your gallery Have we pass’d through, not without much content In many singularities; but we saw not That which my daughter came to look upon, The statue of her mother.
O Paulina, We honour you with trouble. But we came To see the statue of our queen: your gallery Have we pass’d through, not without much content In many singularities; but we saw not That which my daughter came to look upon, The statue of her mother.
o paulina we honour you with trouble but we came to see the statue of our queen your gallery have we pass’d through
As she liv’d peerless,
So her dead likeness, I do well believe,
Excels whatever yet you look’d upon
Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it
Lonely, apart. But here it is: prepare
To see the life as lively mock’d as ever
Still sleep mock’d death. Behold, and say ’tis well.
Paulina undraws a curtain, and discovers Hermione standing as a
statue.
I like your silence, it the more shows off
Your wonder: but yet speak. First you, my liege.
Comes it not something near?
As she liv’d peerless, So her dead likeness, I do well believe, Excels whatever yet you look’d upon Or hand of man has done; therefore I keep it Lonely, apart. But here it is: prepare To see the life as lively mock’d as ever Still sleep mock’d death. Behold, and say ’tis well. Paulina undraws a curtain, and discovers Hermione standing as a statue. I like your silence, it the more shows off Your wonder: but yet speak. First you, my liege. Comes it not something near?
As she liv’d peerless, So her dead likeness, I do well believe, Excels whatever yet you look’d upon Or hand of man has done; therefore I keep it Lonely, apart. But here it's: prepare To see the life as lively mock’d as ever Still sleep mock’d death. Behold, and say ’tis well. Paulina undraws a curtain, and discovers Hermione standing as a statue. I like your silence, it the more shows off Your wonder: but yet speak. First you, my liege. Comes it not something near?
as she liv’d peerless so her dead likeness i do well believe excels whatever yet you look’d upon or hand
Her natural posture!
Chide me, dear stone, that I may say indeed
Thou art Hermione; or rather, thou art she
In thy not chiding; for she was as tender
As infancy and grace. But yet, Paulina,
Hermione was not so much wrinkled, nothing
So aged as this seems.
Her natural posture! Chide me, dear stone, that I may say indeed you art Hermione; or rather, you art she In your not chiding; for she was as tender As infancy and grace. But yet, Paulina, Hermione was not so much wrinkled, nothing So aged as this seems.
Her natural posture! Chide me, dear stone, that I may say indeed you art Hermione; or rather, you art she In your not chiding; for she was as tender As infancy and grace. But yet, Paulina, Hermione was not so much wrinkled, nothing So aged as this seems.
her natural posture! chide me dear stone that i may say indeed you art hermione or rather
O, not by much!
O, not by much!
O, not by much!
not by much!
So much the more our carver’s excellence,
Which lets go by some sixteen years and makes her
As she liv’d now.
So much the more our carver’s excellence, Which lets go by some sixteen years and makes her As she liv’d now.
So much the more our carver’s excellence, Which lets go by some sixteen years and makes her As she liv’d now.
so much the more our carver’s excellence which lets go by some sixteen years and
As now she might have done,
So much to my good comfort as it is
Now piercing to my soul. O, thus she stood,
Even with such life of majesty, warm life,
As now it coldly stands, when first I woo’d her!
I am asham’d: does not the stone rebuke me
For being more stone than it? O royal piece,
There’s magic in thy majesty, which has
My evils conjur’d to remembrance and
From thy admiring daughter took the spirits,
Standing like stone with thee.
As now she might have done, So much to my good comfort as it is Now piercing to my soul. O, thus she stood, Even with such life of majesty, warm life, As now it coldly stands, when first I woo’d her! I am asham’d: does not the stone rebuke me For being more stone than it? O royal piece, There’s magic in your majesty, which has My evils conjur’d to remembrance and From your admiring daughter took the spirits, Standing like stone with you.
As now she might have done, So much to my good comfort as it's Now piercing to my soul. O, thus she stood, Even with such life of majesty, warm life, As now it coldly stands, when first I woo’d her! I'm asham’d: does not the stone rebuke me For being more stone than it? O royal piece, There’s magic in your majesty, which has My evils conjur’d to remembrance and From your admiring daughter took the spirits, Standing like stone with you.
as now she might have done so much to my good comfort as it thus she stood
And give me leave,
And do not say ’tis superstition, that
I kneel, and then implore her blessing. Lady,
Dear queen, that ended when I but began,
Give me that hand of yours to kiss.
And give me leave, And do not say ’tis superstition, that I kneel, and then implore her blessing. Lady, Dear queen, that ended when I but began, Give me that hand of yours to kiss.
And give me leave, And don't say ’tis superstition, that I kneel, and then implore her blessing. Lady, Dear queen, that ended when I but began, Give me that hand of yours to kiss.
and give me leave and do not say ’tis superstition that i kneel and then implore her blessing
O, patience!
The statue is but newly fix’d, the colour’s
Not dry.
O, patience! The statue is but newly fix’d, the colour’s Not dry.
O, patience! The statue is but newly fix’d, the colour’s Not dry.
patience! the statue is but newly fix’d the colour’s not dry
My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on,
Which sixteen winters cannot blow away,
So many summers dry. Scarce any joy
Did ever so long live; no sorrow
But kill’d itself much sooner.
My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on, Which sixteen winters cannot blow away, So many summers dry. Scarce any joy Did ever so long live; no sorrow But kill’d itself much sooner.
My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on, Which sixteen winters can't blow away, So many summers dry. Scarce any joy Did ever so long live; no sorrow But kill’d itself much sooner.
my lord your sorrow was too sore laid on which sixteen winters cannot blow away so many summers dry
Dear my brother,
Let him that was the cause of this have power
To take off so much grief from you as he
Will piece up in himself.
Dear my brother, Let him that was the cause of this have power To take off so much grief from you as he Will piece up in himself.
Dear my brother, Let him that was the cause of this have power To take off so much grief from you as he Will piece up in himself.
dear my brother let him that was the cause of this
The statue scene asks you to hold two interpretations simultaneously, and Shakespeare is careful never to resolve the tension. In one reading, it is a miracle — Hermione genuinely died (as Paulina announced in 3-2) and was restored by the power of faith, music, and Leontes's penitence. This reading is supported by the scene's religious staging, Paulina's invocation, and the play's fairy-tale logic. In the other reading, it is a practical deception: Hermione survived, hid in Paulina's house for sixteen years, waited for the oracle to be fulfilled, and walked down from a pedestal when Paulina cued the music. This reading is supported by Hermione's own lines ('knowing by Paulina that the oracle gave hope thou wast in being, have preserved myself to see the issue'). Shakespeare leaves both open. The play's title is The Winter's Tale — a kind of story, as the Clown in 5-2 says, 'which will have matter to rehearse, though credit be asleep.' Whether you believe it literally doesn't matter. Something was restored.
Indeed, my lord,
If I had thought the sight of my poor image
Would thus have wrought you—for the stone is mine—
I’d not have show’d it.
Indeed, my lord, If I had thought the sight of my poor image Would thus have wrought you—for the stone is mine— I’d not have show’d it.
Indeed, my lord, If I had thought the sight of my poor image Would thus have wrought you—for the stone is mine— I’d not have show’d it.
indeed my lord if i had thought the sight of my
Do not draw the curtain.
Do not draw the curtain.
Do not draw the curtain.
do not draw the curtain
No longer shall you gaze on’t, lest your fancy
May think anon it moves.
No longer shall you gaze on’t, lest your fancy May think soon it moves.
No longer shall you gaze on’t, lest your fancy May think soon it moves.
no longer shall you gaze on’t lest your fancy may think soon it moves
Let be, let be.
Would I were dead, but that methinks already—
What was he that did make it? See, my lord,
Would you not deem it breath’d? And that those veins
Did verily bear blood?
Let be, let be. Would I were dead, but that I think already— What was he that did make it? See, my lord, Would you not deem it breath’d? And that those veins Did truly bear blood?
Let be, let be. Would I were dead, but that I think already— What was he that did make it? See, my lord, Would you not deem it breath’d? And that those veins Did truly bear blood?
let be let be would i were dead but that i think already— what was he
Masterly done:
The very life seems warm upon her lip.
Masterly done: The very life seems warm upon her lip.
Masterly done: The very life seems warm upon her lip.
masterly done the very life seems warm upon her lip
The fixture of her eye has motion in ’t,
As we are mock’d with art.
The fixture of her eye has motion in ’t, As we are mock’d with art.
The fixture of her eye has motion in ’t, As we are mock’d with art.
the fixture of her eye has motion in ’t as we are mock’d with art
I’ll draw the curtain:
My lord’s almost so far transported that
He’ll think anon it lives.
I’ll draw the curtain: My lord’s almost so far transported that He’ll think soon it lives.
I’ll draw the curtain: My lord’s almost so far transported that He’ll think soon it lives.
i’ll draw the curtain my lord’s almost so far transported that he’ll
O sweet Paulina,
Make me to think so twenty years together!
No settled senses of the world can match
The pleasure of that madness. Let ’t alone.
O sweet Paulina, Make me to think so twenty years together! No settled senses of the world can match The pleasure of that madness. Let ’t alone.
O sweet Paulina, Make me to think so twenty years together! No settled senses of the world can match The pleasure of that madness. Let ’t alone.
o sweet paulina make me to think so twenty years together! let ’t alone
I am sorry, sir, I have thus far stirr’d you: but
I could afflict you further.
I am sorry, sir, I have thus far stirr’d you: but I could afflict you further.
I'm sorry, sir, I have thus far stirr’d you: but I could afflict you further.
i am sorry i have thus far stirr’d you but i could afflict you further
Do, Paulina;
For this affliction has a taste as sweet
As any cordial comfort. Still methinks
There is an air comes from her. What fine chisel
Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock me,
For I will kiss her!
Do, Paulina; For this affliction has a taste as sweet As any cordial comfort. Still I think There is an air comes from her. What fine chisel Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock me, For I will kiss her!
Do, Paulina; For this affliction has a taste as sweet As any cordial comfort. Still I think There is an air comes from her. What fine chisel Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock me, For I will kiss her!
paulina for this affliction has a taste as sweet still i think there is an air comes from her
Good my lord, forbear:
The ruddiness upon her lip is wet;
You’ll mar it if you kiss it, stain your own
With oily painting. Shall I draw the curtain?
Good my lord, forbear: The ruddiness upon her lip is wet; You’ll mar it if you kiss it, stain your own With oily painting. Shall I draw the curtain?
Good my lord, forbear: The ruddiness upon her lip is wet; You’ll mar it if you kiss it, stain your own With oily painting. Shall I draw the curtain?
good my lord forbear the ruddiness upon her lip is wet you’ll mar it if you kiss it
No, not these twenty years.
No, not these twenty years.
No, not these twenty years.
not these twenty years
So long could I
Stand by, a looker on.
So long could I Stand by, a looker on.
So long could I Stand by, a looker on.
so long could i stand by a looker on
Either forbear,
Quit presently the chapel, or resolve you
For more amazement. If you can behold it,
I’ll make the statue move indeed, descend,
And take you by the hand. But then you’ll think
(Which I protest against) I am assisted
By wicked powers.
Either forbear, Quit presently the chapel, or resolve you For more amazement. If you can behold it, I’ll make the statue move indeed, descend, And take you by the hand. But then you’ll think (Which I protest against) I am assisted By wicked powers.
Either forbear, Quit presently the chapel, or resolve you For more amazement. If you can behold it, I’ll make the statue move indeed, descend, And take you by the hand. But then you’ll think (Which I protest against) I'm assisted By wicked powers.
either forbear quit presently the chapel or resolve you for more amazement if you can behold it
If Hermione is the play's emotional center, Paulina is its structural one. From the moment she announces Hermione's death in Act 3, she has been running a sixteen-year plan: manage Leontes's grief, prevent remarriage (using his own oath), wait for Perdita to be found (as the oracle requires), and then, when all the conditions are met, orchestrate the return. She designs the scene in her own house, with a curtain, a pedestal, and music on command. She writes Leontes's role for him — the penitent, the admirer, the believer — and he plays it perfectly. The statue scene is her theatrical production: she is director, playwright, and priest simultaneously. When she mourns Antigonus at the end, it is the first moment in the play when Paulina stops managing everyone else's feelings and allows her own. The woman who kept Hermione alive for sixteen years is finally permitted, in the last fifty lines, to grieve.
What you can make her do
I am content to look on: what to speak,
I am content to hear; for ’tis as easy
To make her speak as move.
What you can make her do I am content to look on: what to speak, I am content to hear; for ’tis as easy To make her speak as move.
What you can make her do I'm content to look on: what to speak, I'm content to hear; for ’tis as easy To make her speak as move.
what you can make her do i am content to look on what to speak i am content to hear for ’tis as easy to make her speak as move
It is requir’d
You do awake your faith. Then all stand still;
Or those that think it is unlawful business
I am about, let them depart.
It is requir’d You do awake your faith. Then all stand still; Or those that think it is unlawful business I am about, let them depart.
It is requir’d You do awake your faith. Then all stand still; Or those that think it's unlawful business I'm about, let them depart.
it is requir’d you do awake your faith then all stand still or those that think it is unlawful business let them depart
Proceed:
No foot shall stir.
Proceed: No foot shall stir.
Proceed: No foot shall stir.
proceed no foot shall stir
’Tis time; descend; be stone no more; approach;
Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come;
I’ll fill your grave up: stir; nay, come away.
Bequeath to death your numbness, for from him
Dear life redeems you. You perceive she stirs.
Hermione comes down from the pedestal.
Start not; her actions shall be holy as
You hear my spell is lawful. Do not shun her
Until you see her die again; for then
You kill her double. Nay, present your hand:
When she was young you woo’d her; now in age
Is she become the suitor?
’Tis time; descend; be stone no more; approach; Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come; I’ll fill your grave up: stir; no, come away. Bequeath to death your numbness, for from him Dear life redeems you. You perceive she stirs. Hermione comes down from the pedestal. Start not; her actions shall be holy as You hear my spell is lawful. Do not shun her Until you see her die again; for then You kill her double. no, present your hand: When she was young you woo’d her; now in age Is she become the suitor?
’Tis time; descend; be stone no more; approach; Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come; I’ll fill your grave up: stir; no, come away. Bequeath to death your numbness, for from him Dear life redeems you. You perceive she stirs. Hermione comes down from the pedestal. Start not; her actions shall be holy as You hear my spell is lawful. Do not shun her Until you see her die again; for then You kill her double. no, present your hand: When she was young you woo’d her; now in age Is she become the suitor?
’tis time descend be stone no more approach
If this be magic, let it be an art
Lawful as eating.
If this be magic, let it be an art Lawful as eating.
If this be magic, let it be an art Lawful as eating.
if this be magic let it be an art lawful as eating
She embraces him.
She embraces him.
She embraces him.
she embraces him
She hangs about his neck.
If she pertain to life, let her speak too.
She hangs about his neck. If she pertain to life, let her speak too.
She hangs about his neck. If she pertain to life, let her speak too.
she hangs about his neck if she pertain to life let her speak too
Ay, and make it manifest where she has liv’d,
Or how stol’n from the dead.
Ay, and make it manifest where she has liv’d, Or how stol’n from the dead.
Ay, and make it manifest where she has liv’d, Or how stol’n from the dead.
and make it manifest where she has liv’d or how stol’n from the dead
That she is living,
Were it but told you, should be hooted at
Like an old tale; but it appears she lives,
Though yet she speak not. Mark a little while.
Please you to interpose, fair madam. Kneel
And pray your mother’s blessing. Turn, good lady,
Our Perdita is found.
That she is living, Were it but told you, should be hooted at Like an old tale; but it appears she lives, Though yet she speak not. Mark a little while. Please you to interpose, fair madam. Kneel And pray your mother’s blessing. Turn, good lady, Our Perdita is found.
That she is living, Were it but told you, should be hooted at Like an old tale; but it appears she lives, Though yet she speak not. Mark a little while. Please you to interpose, fair madam. Kneel And pray your mother’s blessing. Turn, good lady, Our Perdita is found.
that she is living were it but told you should be hooted at like an old tale but it appears she lives
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 preserv’d? where liv’d? 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 preserv’d
Myself to see the issue.
You gods, look down, And from your sacred vials pour your graces Upon my daughter’s head! Tell me, mine own, Where have you been preserv’d? where liv’d? how found your father’s court? for you shalt hear that I, Knowing by Paulina that the oracle Gave hope you wast in being, have preserv’d Myself to see the issue.
You gods, look down, And from your sacred vials pour your graces Upon my daughter’s head! Tell me, mine own, Where have you been preserv’d? where liv’d? how found your father’s court? for you shalt hear that I, Knowing by Paulina that the oracle Gave hope you wast in being, have preserv’d Myself to see the issue.
you gods look down and from your sacred vials pour your graces mine own
There’s time enough for that;
Lest they desire upon this push to trouble
Your joys with like relation. Go together,
You precious winners all; your exultation
Partake to everyone. I, an old turtle,
Will wing me to some wither’d bough, and there
My mate, that’s never to be found again,
Lament till I am lost.
There’s time enough for that; Lest they desire upon this push to trouble Your joys with like relation. Go together, You precious winners all; your exultation Partake to everyone. I, an old turtle, Will wing me to some wither’d bough, and there My mate, that’s never to be found again, Lament till I am lost.
There’s time enough for that; Lest they desire upon this push to trouble Your joys with like relation. Go together, You precious winners all; your exultation Partake to everyone. I, an old turtle, Will wing me to some wither’d bough, and there My mate, that’s never to be found again, Lament till I'm lost.
there’s time enough for that lest they desire upon this push to trouble go together you precious winners all
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 your son-in-law,
And son unto the king, whom heavens directing,
Is troth-plight to your daughter. Good Paulina,
Lead us from hence; where we may leisurely
Each one demand, and answer to his part
Perform’d in this wide gap of time, since first
We were dissever’d. Hastily lead away!
O peace, Paulina! you should a husband take by my consent, As I by yours a wife: this is a match, And made between ’s by vows. you have 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 you 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 your son-in-law, And son unto the king, whom heavens directing, Is troth-plight to your daughter. Good Paulina, Lead us from hence; where we may leisurely Each one demand, and answer to his part Perform’d in this wide gap of time, since first We were dissever’d. Hastily lead away!
O peace, Paulina! you should a husband take by my consent, As I by yours a wife: this is a match, And made between ’s by vows. you have 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 you 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 your son-in-law, And son unto the king, whom heavens directing, Is troth-plight to your daughter. Good Paulina, Lead us from hence; where we may leisurely Each one demand, and answer to his part Perform’d in this wide gap of time, since first We were dissever’d. Hastily lead away!
o peace paulina! you should a husband take by my consent as i by yours a wife this is a match
The Reckoning
This is among the most extraordinary endings in all of Shakespeare: a scene that works simultaneously as miracle and sleight of hand, as resurrection and survival. The play has been building to this for five acts, and what Shakespeare gives us is not a simple reunion but a ceremony — Paulina conducting it like a priest, asking for faith, ordering music, commanding the dead to descend. When Hermione steps off the pedestal and Leontes says 'O, she's warm!' the audience, like Leontes, cannot quite decide if they're watching magic or the most ordinary thing in the world. Whether or not you believe it, something has happened that the first half of the play made impossible. The Winter's Tale earns this.
If this happened today…
A woman whose husband spent sixteen years convinced she was dead — and who spent that time in a small room, kept alive by one friend who knew the truth — finally walks into the room where he's grieving over her photograph. She has been standing very still. He has been talking to the photograph. The friend who knows the whole story says: put on some music. Wake up. Come down. And she does. Her husband touches her face. She's warm. The friend says: I could explain all this, but it would sound like an old tale. So I won't.