The Winter's Tale

Roles

• Leontes - Adult (36-50), Senior (>50), Male

About this piece

Leontes suspects his wife is cheating on him

Summary

Leontes is the king of Sicily. His childhood friend King Polixenes is visiting him from Bohemia. Polixenes is about to go back home and Leontes begs him to stay. Polixenes doesn't change his mind until Hermione, Leonte's wife, persuades him otherwise. Leontes is convinced that his wife is cheating on him with Polixenes and asks his servant Camillo to poison Polixenes. Camillo, however, warns Polixenes and they both flee Sicily. The king considers his escape a proof of his wife's infidelity and orders to arrest her. He also sends two lords to the Oracle of Delphi to get confirmation that his suspicions are true. She is later brought in front of a formal court in order to give her a trial. She is charged with infidelity and is accused of having helped Polixenes and Camillo escape. Hermione defends herself but the king doesn't listen to her words and sentences her to death. The two lords come back with news from the Oracle. The Oracle says that Hermione is innocent and that his son will die soon. At first Leontes doesn't believe the Oracle but when they bring news that his son just died he accepts it and curses himself. In this monologue he curses his actions, asks Apollo for forgiveness and vows to make peace with all the people that he accused.

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