Chapter Act IV of The Winter's Tale - Study Guide by William Shakespeare

and Perdita with disfigurement. He then storms out, having commuted the sentences to a threat, leaving everyone "undone".

iii) Perdita sadly says she will "queen it no inch farther" but Florizel is determined not to be bowed or to compromise his oath, deciding instead to put to sea and see where chance will take them. Camillo sees his opportunity and suggests that they go to Sicily as ambassadors of good will from Polixenes.

Autolycus enters, and not noticing the plotters who have retired to the back of the stage, gloats on the rich pickings he has had at the sheep-shearing. His victims are figured as herd animals, and as senseless: he has made a killing. When Camillo and the others come forward, Autolycus is initially terrified that he has been overheard, but soon realises he is in no danger: they want him to swap clothes with Florizel for a disguise. Perdita resigns herself to yet more play-acting - "I see the play so lies / That I must bear a part" (4.4. 665). Autolycus has recognised Florizel and by the time they leave has figured out what is going on. He decides that since it would be honesty to tell the king, he is being true to himself in not doing so.

iv) Shepherd and the Clown turn up, understandably very worried about what Polixenes might do to them and plucking up the courage to tell him that Perdita is a foundling and show him the bundle found with her. Autolycus finds it easy to scare them even further, pretending to be a courtier in the know about the elaborate and painful deaths awaiting a certain old shepherd and his son, convincing them to rely on his as intercessor to the king. Fortune seems to be determined to prevent him turning honest: the scene ends with him deciding to take the pair to Florizel.