Winter's Tale, Act 2 Scene 2 runs 83 lines of dialogue, spoken by 3 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 240 lines. This scene is part of Act 2 of Winter's Tale.
Full Dialogue
Paulina ♀
The keeper of the prison, call to him;
let him have knowledge who I am.
Good lady,
No court in Europe is too good for thee;
What dost thou then in prison?
Now, good sir,
You know me, do you not?
let him have knowledge who I am.
Good lady,
No court in Europe is too good for thee;
What dost thou then in prison?
Now, good sir,
You know me, do you not?
Gaoler ♂
For a worthy lady
And one whom much I honour.
And one whom much I honour.
Paulina ♀
Pray you then,
Conduct me to the queen.
Conduct me to the queen.
Gaoler ♂
I may not, madam:
To the contrary I have express commandment.
To the contrary I have express commandment.
Paulina ♀
Here's ado,
To lock up honesty and honour from
The access of gentle visitors!
Is't lawful, pray you,
To see her women? any of them? Emilia?
To lock up honesty and honour from
The access of gentle visitors!
Is't lawful, pray you,
To see her women? any of them? Emilia?
Gaoler ♂
So please you, madam,
To put apart these your attendants, I
Shall bring Emilia forth.
To put apart these your attendants, I
Shall bring Emilia forth.
Paulina ♀
I pray now, call her.
Withdraw yourselves.
Withdraw yourselves.
Gaoler ♂
And, madam,
I must be present at your conference.
I must be present at your conference.
Paulina ♀
Well, be't so, prithee.
Here's such ado to make no stain a stain
As passes colouring.
Dear gentlewoman,
How fares our gracious lady?
Here's such ado to make no stain a stain
As passes colouring.
Dear gentlewoman,
How fares our gracious lady?
Emilia ♀
As well as one so great and so forlorn
May hold together: on her frights and griefs,
Which never tender lady hath born greater,
She is something before her time deliver'd.
May hold together: on her frights and griefs,
Which never tender lady hath born greater,
She is something before her time deliver'd.
Paulina ♀
A boy?
Emilia ♀
A daughter, and a goodly babe,
Lusty and like to live: the queen receives
Much comfort in't; says 'My poor prisoner,
I am innocent as you.'
Lusty and like to live: the queen receives
Much comfort in't; says 'My poor prisoner,
I am innocent as you.'
Paulina ♀
I dare be sworn
These dangerous unsafe lunes i' the king,
beshrew them!
He must be told on't, and he shall: the office
Becomes a woman best; I'll take't upon me:
If I prove honey-mouth'd let my tongue blister
And never to my red-look'd anger be
The trumpet any more. Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my best obedience to the queen:
If she dares trust me with her little babe,
I'll show't the king and undertake to be
Her advocate to the loud'st. We do not know
How he may soften at the sight o' the child:
The silence often of pure innocence
Persuades when speaking fails.
These dangerous unsafe lunes i' the king,
beshrew them!
He must be told on't, and he shall: the office
Becomes a woman best; I'll take't upon me:
If I prove honey-mouth'd let my tongue blister
And never to my red-look'd anger be
The trumpet any more. Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my best obedience to the queen:
If she dares trust me with her little babe,
I'll show't the king and undertake to be
Her advocate to the loud'st. We do not know
How he may soften at the sight o' the child:
The silence often of pure innocence
Persuades when speaking fails.
Emilia ♀
Most worthy madam,
Your honour and your goodness is so evident
That your free undertaking cannot miss
A thriving issue: there is no lady living
So meet for this great errand. Please your ladyship
To visit the next room, I'll presently
Acquaint the queen of your most noble offer;
Who but to-day hammer'd of this design,
But durst not tempt a minister of honour,
Lest she should be denied.
Your honour and your goodness is so evident
That your free undertaking cannot miss
A thriving issue: there is no lady living
So meet for this great errand. Please your ladyship
To visit the next room, I'll presently
Acquaint the queen of your most noble offer;
Who but to-day hammer'd of this design,
But durst not tempt a minister of honour,
Lest she should be denied.
Paulina ♀
Tell her, Emilia.
I'll use that tongue I have: if wit flow from't
As boldness from my bosom, let 't not be doubted
I shall do good.
I'll use that tongue I have: if wit flow from't
As boldness from my bosom, let 't not be doubted
I shall do good.
Emilia ♀
Now be you blest for it!
I'll to the queen: please you,
come something nearer.
I'll to the queen: please you,
come something nearer.
Gaoler ♂
Madam, if't please the queen to send the babe,
I know not what I shall incur to pass it,
Having no warrant.
I know not what I shall incur to pass it,
Having no warrant.
Paulina ♀
You need not fear it, sir:
This child was prisoner to the womb and is
By law and process of great nature thence
Freed and enfranchised, not a party to
The anger of the king nor guilty of,
If any be, the trespass of the queen.
This child was prisoner to the womb and is
By law and process of great nature thence
Freed and enfranchised, not a party to
The anger of the king nor guilty of,
If any be, the trespass of the queen.
Gaoler ♂
I do believe it.
Paulina ♀
Do not you fear: upon mine honour,
I will stand betwixt you and danger.
I will stand betwixt you and danger.
83 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Paulina | 49 | 59.0% |
| Emilia | 21 | 25.3% |
| Gaoler | 13 | 15.7% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 49 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 28 lines.
Total speakers on stage
3 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 2
This is Scene 2 of 3 in Act 2 of Winter's Tale.
Scene length vs. play average
At 83 lines, this scene is shorter than the Winter's Tale average scene in Winter's Tale (~240 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 2 Scene 1 · Next: Act 2 Scene 3
About Act 2 Scene 2 of Winter's Tale
Who carries Act 2 Scene 2 of Winter's Tale?
Paulina, with 49 lines — about 59% of the scene.
Is the scene a dialogue or a solo?
With 3 speakers and the lead holding 59% of the lines, this scene is a balanced multi-voice exchange.