The story in one page
Leontes, the King of Sicilia, suddenly convinces himself his wife Hermione is unfaithful with his visiting friend, Polixenes. Despite the protests of his lords and an oracle declaring her innocent, Leontes forces a trial, imprisons her, and banishes their infant daughter, Perdita, to a remote shore in Bohemia. Following his son's death and Hermione's collapse, Leontes spends sixteen years in mourning. Meanwhile, Perdita is raised by a shepherd and captures the heart of Prince Florizel. When the young lovers arrive in Sicilia, the resulting reunion brings the court together, ending with the miraculous return of a queen believed to be a statue.
Who's who
- Leontes
King of Sicilia who loses everything to his own suspicion.
- Hermione
Queen of Sicilia wrongly accused by her husband.
- Perdita
Princess cast away at birth and raised by a shepherd.
- Paulina
A sharp-tongued noblewoman who manages the play's eventual resolution.
- Time
The chorus who forces the transition across sixteen years.
What it's really about
- Jealousy
- A destructive force that consumes a kingdom's leadership.
- Redemption
- The difficult process of reconciling after long-term damage.
Why it's memorable
- A bear appears on a beach to facilitate a major plot point.
- A statue of a queen begins to step down from its pedestal.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
The royals reconcile as Hermione returns to life, and the remaining cast members pair off under Leontes' authority to finish their shared history.
For your book club
- Leontes manages to ruin his family life in under two hours.
- The jump across sixteen years turns a tragedy into a rural romance.