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Perdita
A lowly shepherd in Bohemia who happens to find the abandoned Perdita (as well as a large quantity of gold), left by Antigonus. He raises Perdita as his daughter and finds himself in mortal danger when Polixenes threatens to kill him after Perdita’s secret relationship with Florizell is discovered. He shows Polixenes (and Leontes) the bundle in which he found Perdita, though, proving that she is not his real daughter (and thus he is not accountable for her), and also unintentionally revealing Perdita’s true identity as Leontes’ long-lost daughter. As a reward for this, the shepherd and his son are made noblemen.
Shepherd Quotes in The Winter's Tale
The The Winter's Tale quotes below are all either spoken by Shepherd or refer to Shepherd. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 3, Scene 3
Quotes
I would there were no age between sixteen and
three-and-twenty, or that youth would sleep out the
rest; for there is nothing in the between but
getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry,
stealing, fighting.
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 4
Quotes
POLIXENES
Mark your divorce, young sir,
Whom son I dare not call; thou art too base
To be acknowledged: thou a sceptre's heir,
That thus affect'st a sheep-hook! Thou old traitor,
I am sorry that by hanging thee I can
But shorten thy life one week. And thou, fresh piece
Of excellent witchcraft, who of force must know
The royal fool thou copest with, —
SHEPHERD
O, my heart!
POLIXENES
I'll have thy beauty scratch'd with briers, and made
More homely than thy state. For thee, fond boy,
If I may ever know thou dost but sigh
That thou no more shalt see this knack, as never
I mean thou shalt, we'll bar thee from succession;
Not hold thee of our blood, no, not our kin,
Far than Deucalion off: mark thou my words:
Follow us to the court. Thou churl, for this time,
Though full of our displeasure, yet we free thee
From the dead blow of it. And you, enchantment.—
Worthy enough a herdsman: yea, him too,
That makes himself, but for our honour therein,
Unworthy thee, —if ever henceforth thou
These rural latches to his entrance open,
Or hoop his body more with thy embraces,
I will devise a death as cruel for thee
As thou art tender to't.
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Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Shepherd Quotes in The Winter's Tale
The The Winter's Tale quotes below are all either spoken by Shepherd or refer to Shepherd. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 3, Scene 3
Quotes
I would there were no age between sixteen and
three-and-twenty, or that youth would sleep out the
rest; for there is nothing in the between but
getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry,
stealing, fighting.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 4
Quotes
POLIXENES
Mark your divorce, young sir,
Whom son I dare not call; thou art too base
To be acknowledged: thou a sceptre's heir,
That thus affect'st a sheep-hook! Thou old traitor,
I am sorry that by hanging thee I can
But shorten thy life one week. And thou, fresh piece
Of excellent witchcraft, who of force must know
The royal fool thou copest with, —
SHEPHERD
O, my heart!
POLIXENES
I'll have thy beauty scratch'd with briers, and made
More homely than thy state. For thee, fond boy,
If I may ever know thou dost but sigh
That thou no more shalt see this knack, as never
I mean thou shalt, we'll bar thee from succession;
Not hold thee of our blood, no, not our kin,
Far than Deucalion off: mark thou my words:
Follow us to the court. Thou churl, for this time,
Though full of our displeasure, yet we free thee
From the dead blow of it. And you, enchantment.—
Worthy enough a herdsman: yea, him too,
That makes himself, but for our honour therein,
Unworthy thee, —if ever henceforth thou
These rural latches to his entrance open,
Or hoop his body more with thy embraces,
I will devise a death as cruel for thee
As thou art tender to't.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
