The higher powers

Throughout The Winter's Tale we are made aware that humans, however powerful, are not in charge of the universe. Leontes' refusal to acknowledge these higher powers brings swift retribution.

The gods

The fact that The Winter's Tale seems to be set in a pagan world is evident from Florizel's recollections of the actions of the gods as he describes them to Perdita in Act IV, sc iv:

‘The gods themselves
Humbling their deities to love, have taken
The shapes of beast upon them: Jupiter
Became a bull, and bellow'd; the green Neptune
A ram, and bleated; and the fire-rob'd god,
Golden Apollo, a poor humble swain,
As I seem now.'

The most obvious evidence of the higher powers and of divine beings in The Winter's Tale is Apollo and his Oracle, but Apollo's oracle is not the first mention of divine powers in The Winter's Tale.

A Christian universe?

The play is not, apparently, set in a Christian Universe, but the many references to grace and the significance of repentance and forgiveness – together with the mention in Act IV, sc iv of Whitsun pastorals – indicates that the play would seem culturally very familiar to Shakespeare's seventeenth century Christian audience. (See also: Spiritual re-creation; and Characterisation: Paulina.)

Other references include:

In Act I, sc ii there is a clear reference to the Christian concept of original sin, when Polixenes speaks of his childhood innocence that would have enabled him to declare himself ‘Not guilty' to heaven.
Camillo, rejecting Leontes' request to kill Polixenes, tells himself (in Iii.) that no good has ever come to any who ‘struck anointed kings', acknowledging that such anointing is a sacred act)

Astrological forces

When taken to prison (in Act II, sc i) Hermione says that:

‘I must be patient till the heavens look
With an aspect more favourable.'

‘the heavens' which Hermione refers to seem to be synonymous with astrological forces, since she assumes that ‘There's some ill planet reigns'
But in Act III, scene ii., at her trial, it is clear that she believes strongly in the concept of heavenly judgement of humans (a familiar teaching in the Christian church):

‘But thus; if powers divine
Behold our human actions (as they do),
I doubt not then but innocence shall make
False accusation blush, and tyranny
Tremble at patience.'

Reliance on divine powers

Hermione declares: ‘I do refer me to the Oracle: Apollo be my judge!'
It is an act of extreme dramatic irony that Leontes, who has most offended the gods, should himself (in Act II, sc i) be the first to ask for the ruling of Apollo's oracle, claiming that this proves his own good judgement:

‘Yet, for a greater confirmation
(For in an act of this importance, ‘twere
Most piteous to be wild), I have dispatch'd in post
To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's temple, Cleomenes and Dion…
… now from the Oracle
They will bring all; whose spiritual counsel had,
Shall stop or spur me.'

Loss and finding

In Act III, sc ii the Oracle proclaims the innocence of Hermione and the guilt of Leontes. It also proclaims the need to rediscover the lost child, and in this way the power of the gods dominates the second half of the play. This culminates with the comment of the Gentleman in Act V, sc ii that:

‘the Oracle is fulfilled; the king's daughter is found.'

Lost relative

The loss of his child symbolises Leontes' loss of rationality, good judgement and innocence
Perdita's very name (suggested by Hermione's vision to Antigonus in Act III, sc iii and then used by the shepherds although they never spoke to Antigonus: Shakespeare probably guessed that the audience would never notice!) means ‘the lost one'
Her return can only come once Leontes has fully repented and has rediscovered grace
Mamillius is lost to his parents for ever.

The idea of a lost child or children, often with such symbolical significance, runs through not only Shakespeare's Romance Plays, but also others such as Macbeth.

Paulina also reminds Leontes, ‘my own lord … is lost too'.

Not all these losses can be made good.

Repentance and restoration

However, the play's message is that repentance can lead to restoration. The many references to shepherds might well have reminded Shakespeare's audience of a particular Bible story (which they would know from the church services which were compulsory to attend): the parable of the lost sheep, from Luke 15:4-7.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. ²And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them. ³So he told them this parable: ⁴What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? ⁵And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost. ⁷Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. ⁸Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? ⁹And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost. ¹⁰Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. ¹¹And he said, There was a man who had two sons. ¹²And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me. And he divided his property between them. ¹³Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. ¹⁴And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. ¹⁷But when he came to himself, he said, How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! ¹⁸I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants. ²⁰And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. ²²But the father said to his servants, Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to celebrate. ²⁵Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷And he said to him, Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound. ²⁸But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, ²⁹but he answered his father, Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him! ³¹And he said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³²It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.

¹Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. ²And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. ³And he spake this parable unto them, saying, ⁴What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? ⁵And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. ⁷I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. ⁸Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? ⁹And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. ¹⁰Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. ¹¹And he said, A certain man had two sons: ¹²And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. ¹³And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. ¹⁴And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. ¹⁵And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁶And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. ¹⁷And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! ¹⁸I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, ¹⁹And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. ²⁰And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. ²¹And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. ²²But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: ²³And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: ²⁴For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. ²⁵Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. ²⁶And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. ²⁷And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. ²⁸And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. ²⁹And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: ³⁰But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. ³¹And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. ³²It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

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The Winter's Tale Contents