A Winter’s Tale

Act IV Scene III

Character overview

Characters :

•Autolycus: a mischievous pickpocket that pretends

to be a victim of a brutal robbery in order to receive

the sympathy of the victims from whom he steals

•Clown: the shepherd’s son; Perdita’s “adopted”

brother

Summary

The scene begins with Autolycus joyfully walking down a road in Bohemia, singing about the spring time, sex, and the origin of his name.

• “When daffodils begin to peer, / With heigh, the doxy over the dale / Why then comes in the sweet o’the year, / For the red blood reigns in winter’s pale.” • Significance: This scene completely changes the tone of the

play. It takes the audience instantly from a wintery atmosphere where grief is prevalent to a scene where a thief is singing joyfully, regarding serious matters (such as theft and prostitution) as whimsical pleasures.

• This is also the first use of music in the play. It may represent some sort of harmonious connections that will be made. All of the words are in rhyming verse, as well.

Summary

“The lark, that tirra-lirra chants, / With heigh, with

heigh, the thrush of the jay, / Are summer songs for

me and my aunts.”

•Autolycus’ attitude towards infidelity appears to

completely contrast with Leonte’s, which is has been the

reason for the tragedies of the first three acts.

Summary

“My father named me Autolycus, who being, as I am, littered / under

Mercury, and was likewise a snapper-up of unconsidered / trifles.

• In Greek mythology, Autolycus was the son of Hermes and Chione. He was a

thief and possessed the power change into the shape of whatever he stole.

• The Romans referred to Hermes as Mercury, hence the significance of

Autolycus’ reference to it.

Summary

Autolycus sees the clown coming and immediately

recognizes him as a potential victim and exclaims…

• “A prize, a prize!”

•“If the springe hold, the cock’s mine.”

The clown begins to count out his money and begins

listing off the things that he was sent to purchase, when

he notices Autolycus groaning and groveling on the

ground. The clown also mentions his sister’s request for

rice, which may allude to a future wedding.

summary

As the clown inquires about Autolycus’ troubles, Autolycus

begins to reenact his fictitious robbery and beating, acting

as if he were in a great deal of pain and sorrow. When the

clown tries to pick him up, Autolycus picks the clown’s

pocket and then refuses the clown’s offer to give him a

small amount of money. The clown wishes him well, says

that he must go and buy spices for a sheep shearing, and

the exits the stage.

Summary

As an aside, Autolycus says that the clown will not have

enough money to buy the spices, and that he will be with

the clown at the sheep-shearing if he does not commit

another act of deception.

“Your purse is not hot enough to purchase your spice. I’ll be

/ with you at your sheep-shearing, too. If I make not this

cheat / bring out another, and the shearers prove sheep, let

me be/ unrolled and my name put in the book of virtue.”

Autolycus

In The Role of Autolycus in The Winter’s Tale, Lee Sheridan Cox

describes Autolycus’ character as:

•Symbolizing “‘a unique creation’ and ‘fresh breath of spring’”

•Satirist

•Instrument of criticism for the court

•Representing London street Life

Autolycus

In Scene Stealers: Autolycus, The Winter’s Tale, and

Economic Criticism, Barabara Correll presents Autolycus as

a symbol for capitalism and the market place.

She explains that Mercury is the god of commerce, and that

through his interchanging of dialogue with other

characters, Autolycus represents good commerce within

this play.

The faces of Autolycus

Ethan Hawke 2009“The

Bridge Project”

Autolycus (1836) Charles Robert Leslie

David Michael Edwards 2004

Utah Shakespeare

Festival

What is Autolycus’ true significance in this act?

As a character that takes fidelity lightly and seems to

travel alone, do you think that Shakespeare may

have attempted to recreate a reflection of his own

life by way of Autolycus? What reasons can you give

for this? (Think of the discussion from last

Thursday’s class).

Video Clip

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ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VttCtet0oIs

Works Cited

Cox, Sheridan. "The Role of Autolycus in The Winter's Tale ." Cox Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 . 9.2 (1969): 283-301. Web. 8 Apr. 2012.

Jonathan, G. H. (2006). Money and the age of shakespeare: Essays in new economic criticism. Shakespeare Studies, 34, 261-267,14-15.