Re-reading Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale! The super-long act 4 scene 4 is nearing its conclusion, as characters prepare for a long journey by exchanging hats.

Where were we? After deciding to flee from Bohemia back to Sicilia, Camillo, Florizell, and Perdita step aside and in walks Autolycus (the king of thieves!) to lighten things up again. He says what might be the most Shakespeare-y line that Shakespeare ever wrote, “What a fool honesty is.” He’s still in disguise as a peddler, and he describes how a large group gathered to buy all his trinkets, which were not really valuables but ordinary junk like ribbons and shoelaces. While all the drama happened between Polixenes and Florizell, Autolycus says he went about pickpocketing all the onlookers.

Autolycus also says the Shepherd’s son was enamored by the women’s singing and would not “stir his pettitoes” until he learned their songs and dances. My books’ footnotes insist that “pettitoes” means pig’s feet, usually for eating. Also, it’s at this point that the Folger edition’s footnotes finally acknowledge the other editions naming the shepherd’s son as “the clown.” Folger says it’s likely the character was played by a comedian who was a regular in Shakespeare’s company at the time.

Camillo and the others return, with some business about him writing ahead to Leontes in preparation for their visit. There’s a comedic beat where Autolycus wonders if they heard him bragging about his pickpocketing. Instead, Camillo assumes Autolycus is poor, so much that he gives Autolycus money.  But this is no charity. Camillo asks Autolycus to strip, which is odd at first, but then we see Camillo wants them to exchange outfits so Camillo can disguise himself for the journey to Sicilia. (Unless you’re watching a really out-there production of the play, the actors aren’t stripping all the way down, but merely exchanging overcoats and such.)

Camillo suggests that Perdita and Florizell similarly disguise themselves. There are some fun bits here where they don disguises, making a point of stating that Perdita is now wearing Florizell’s hat. Florizell says his own father wouldn’t recognize him now. I can see an actor emphasizing this line in how it’s not about his new look, but also in how the division between him and his father is now permanent.

Camillo gets a short aside, where he tells the audience his intentions. He says he hopes Leontes will be so moved by the story of the young lovers’ escape that he will welcome Camillo back to Sicilia. Camillo says he has a “woman’s longing” to see Sicilia again. The Pelican edition claims that this refers to the cravings for food a pregnant woman gets, but I wonder if it could also refer to a different type of woman’s longing, if you know what I mean (wink-wink, nudge-nudge). Then he, Perdita, and Florizell leave, saying they are headed for the seaside.

Next: The final four, four.

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