The Winter's Tale, Paraphrased

By Curtis Mosley

The Winter's Tale, Paraphrased. This book converts Shakespeare's famous play into everyday English. The famous playwright's antiquated references and phrases have been replaced with contemporary terms and language. You don't need to interrupt your reading to research obscure names and places in order to decipher the gist of Sh

• Language: English
• Publisher: CURTIS MOSLEY
• Release date: Aug 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9798218259686

Curtis Mosley

Curtis Mosley is a graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans also earned two graduate degrees (Pepperdine University and Grand Canyon University). He has taught organizational change and management at LeTourneau University and the University of Phoenix. He has composed and published over 100 songs. Curtis has operated his own business for 30 years.

Book preview

ACT 1, Scene 1

The Lobby of King Leontes’s Castle in Sicilia

Enter Sicilian Nobleman Camillo and Bohemian Nobleman Archidamus.

ARCHIDAMUS, A BOHEMIAN NOBLEMAN SPEAKING TO CAMILLO

IF DIPLOMACY BRINGS YOU TO BOHEMIA, YOU’LL SEE IT’S MUCH DIFFERENT THAN SICILIA.

CAMILLO, A SICILIAN NOBLEMAN SPEAKING TO ARCHIDAMUS

I BELIEVE MY KING WILL VISIT YOUR LAND THIS SUMMER.

ARCHIDAMUS TO CAMILLO

WE WON’T GET MUCH WORK DONE, BUT WE’LL HAVE A LOT OF FUN.

CAMILLO TO ARCHIDAMUS: I’M READY FOR THAT.

ARCHIDAMUS TO CAMILLO

I KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. WE CAN’T OFFER YOU THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF SICILIA, BUT WE HAVE DRINKS THAT WILL KNOCK YOU OFF YOUR FEET. YOU WON’T FORGET YOUR VISIT.

AFTERWARDS, EVEN IF YOU DON’T COMMEND US, AT LEAST YOU WON’T CONDEMN US.

CAMILLO TO ARCHIDAMUS

YOU’RE OFFERING TOO MUCH FOR A FRIENDSHIP THAT DOESN’T REQUIRE ANY GIFTS.

ARCHIDAMUS TO CAMILLO

I’M JUST EXPRESSING MYSELF HONESTLY.

CAMILLO TO ARCHIDAMUS

THE PEOPLE OF SICILIA CANNOT EXPRESS OUR LOVE FOR BOHEMIA TOO MUCH.

OUR TWO COUNTRIES GREW UP TOGETHER LIKE SCHOOL BOYS.

WE’LL ALWAYS BE BRANCHES FROM THE SAME ROOT. ALTHOUGH POLITICS AND DISTANCE SEPARATE US, THE ROYAL FAMILIES WILL ALWAYS HAVE A STRONG BOND.

OCEAN WINDS WILL ALWAYS CARRY OUR WARM EMBRACES FROM ONE TO ANOTHER.

ARCHIDAMUS TO CAMILLO

TRUE. NOTHING IN THIS WORLD CAN BREAK OUR KINSHIP. YOUR PRINCE MAMILLIUS IS SUCH AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO US. HE’S A FINE YOUTH AND A WORTHY HEIR TO THE THRONE.

CAMILLO TO ARCHIDAMUS

I AGREE ENTIRELY. HE HAS NOBILITY AND A REGAL CHARACTER. THE PEOPLE LOVE HIM.

OLD MEN HAVE BEEN WAITING ALL THEIR LIVES FOR SOMEONE LIKE THE PRINCE COME ALONG.

HE STIRS THE HOPES OF THEIR YOUTH.

ARCHIDAMUS TO CAMILLO: WITHOUT MAMILLIUS, WOULD THEY WANT TO DIE?

CAMILLO TO ARCHIDAMUS: YES, IF THERE WERE NO OTHER REASON TO LIVE.

ARCHIDAMUS TO CAMILLO: IF KING LEONTES DIDN’T HAVE A SON, THEY’D SUPPORT THEMSELVES ON CRUTCHES ALL OF THEIR LIVES UNTIL HE HAD ONE.

ACT 1, SCENE 2

A ROOM IN KING LEONTES’ CASTLE

King Leontes, Queen Hermione, Mamillius, King Polixenes, Camillo,and Attendants come in.

KING POLIXENES OF BOHEMIA, TO KING LEONTES

WE’VE BEEN GONE FOR NINE MONTHS AND HAVEN’T EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT OUR DUTIES IN BOHEMIA. MY DEAR BROTHER, LEONTES, IF WE STAYED NINE MORE MONTHS,

IT STILL WOULDN’T BE ENOUGH TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO YOU.

KING LEONTES, TO KING POLIXENES

NO NEED FOR ALL THAT NOW. YOU CAN SAY THANKS WHEN YOU HEAD HOME.

KING POLIXENES OF BOHEMIA, TO KING LEONTES

THAT TIME IS UPON US: WE’RE LEAVING TOMORROW.

AFTER WE LEAVE, I HOPE NOTHING COMES UP THAT CHILLS OUR ZEALOUS ALLIANCE.

NEVERTHELESS, I DON’T WANT TO WEAR OUT MY WELCOME.

KING LEONTES, TO KING POLIXENES: OUR FRIENDSHIP IS STRONGER THAN THAT.

KING POLIXENES OF BOHEMIA, TO KING LEONTES: I HAVE TO BE GOING.

KING LEONTES, TO KING POLIXENES: WON’T YOU STAY ANOTHER WEEK?

KING POLIXENES OF BOHEMIA, TO KING LEONTES: NO. I REALLY MUST BE GOING.

KING LEONTES, TO KING POLIXENES: OK. I WON’T ARGUE WITH YOU.

KING POLIXENES OF BOHEMIA, TO KING LEONTES

IF ANYBODY COULD CONVINCE ME, IT WOULD BE YOU.

BUT WE BOTH HAVE BUSINESS TO TEND TO. SO LONG, MY BROTHER.

KING LEONTES, TO QUEEN HERMIONE

CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE, HERMIONE? WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO KING LEONTES

I WAS GOING TO BE QUIET UNTIL YOU TALKED HIM INTO LEAVING.

REMIND HIM OF WHAT JUST HAPPENED, THAT HIS STRONGEST DEFENSE WAS DEFEATED.

KING LEONTES, TO QUEEN HERMIONE: WELL SAID, HERMIONE.

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO KING LEONTES

I COULD TELL HE WANTS TO GO BACK HOME AND SEE HIS SON.

HE SHOULD JUST EXPLAIN THAT AND LEAVE.

BUT IF HE ADMITS IT, AND STILL REFUSES TO LEAVE, WE’LL SEND HIM BACK TO FLORIZEL.

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO KING POLIXENES

WON’T YOU STAY JUST ONE MORE WEEK? AFTER THAT, YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO TAKE LEONTES BACK TO BOHEMIA WITH YOU FOR A GOOD MONTH.

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO HER HUSBAND KING LEONTES

BUT, DEAR LEONTES, I’M NOT TRYING TO GET RID OF YOU.

YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANY WIFE CAN LOVE HER HUSBAND.

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO KING POLIXENES: PLEASE STAY, POLIXENES.

KING POLIXENES, TO QUEEN HERMIONE: NO. HERMIONE. I CAN’T.

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO KING POLIXENES: OH, PLEASE.

KING POLIXENES, TO QUEEN HERMIONE: I CAN’T. DUTY CALLS. I’M VERY SORRY.

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO KING POLIXENES

TRULY? ARE YOU DECLINING MY INVITATION WITH SUCH A FLIMSY EXCUSE AS WORK?

EVEN IF YOUR VOW WAS AS SOLEMN AS A TOMB, YOU SHOULDN’T LEAVE.

A LADY’S CHALLENGE HAS THE WEIGHT OF HEAVEN. WILL YOU STILL GO?

POLIXENES, YOU ARE FORCING ME TO CONFINE YOU HERE.

ALRIGHT THEN, I’LL CHARGE YOU RENT, BUT YOU MUST STAY.

THAT WAY, WHEN YOU LEAVE, YOU WON’T FEEL INDEBTED TO ME.

WHAT’LL IT BE: MY PRISONER OR MY GUEST?

EITHER WAY, YOU MUST STAY.

KING POLIXENES, TO QUEEN HERMIONE

YOUR GUEST, MADAM.

TO BE YOUR PRISONER WOULD BE INSULTING TO YOU, AND HARDER FOR ME THAN FOR YOU.

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO KING POLIXENES

SPLENDID! I DON’T HAVE TO BE YOUR JAILER AND I’M HONORED TO BE YOUR HOSTESS.

COME NOW, LET’S TALK ABOUT MY HUSBAND’S ANTICS WHEN YOU WERE BOTH BOYS.

YOU WERE HANDSOME YOUNG FELLOWS BACK THEN, WEREN’T YOU?

KING POLIXENES, TO QUEEN HERMIONE

WE WERE, INDEED, FAIR QUEEN: TWO BOYS WHO THOUGHT EVERY DAY WOULD BE AS BRIGHT AS THE DAY BEFORE; AND THAT WE WOULD LIVE FOREVER.

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO KING POLIXENES

WASN’T MY HUSBAND THE MORE MISCHIEVOUS OF YOU TWO?

KING POLIXENES, TO QUEEN HERMIONE

WE WERE LIKE TWO YOUNG LAMBS BANTERING BACK AND FORTH IN A SUNNY PASTURE.

DUE TO OUR SHELTERED UPBRINGING, WE KNEW NOTHING OF THE EVIL IN THE WORLD.

IF OUR EYES HAD NEVER BEEN OPENED, WE’D BE FOUND INNOCENT ON JUDGMENT DAY.

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO KING POLIXENES

I TAKE IT YOU HAVE STUMBLED A FEW TIMES SINCE THEN.

KING POLIXENES, TO QUEEN HERMIONE

OH, SPOTLESS LADY, SINCE THOSE DAYS LONG AGO, TEMPTATION HAS COME MANY TIMES.

BACK THEN, MY WIFE WAS ONLY AN UNSUSPECTING TEENAGER.

I HADN’T SEEN A WOMAN AS STUNNING AS YOU, THE TROPHY WIFE OF A KING.

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO KING POLIXENES

POLIXENES, YOU HAVE CHARM ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE!

IF YOUR WIFE AND I LURED OUR HUSBANDS INTO SIN, DON’T THINK LESS OF US.

WE’LL HAVE TO ANSWER FOR WHAT WE’VE DONE, IF WE WERE THE FIRST AND THE ONLY.

KING LEONTES, TO QUEEN HERMIONE:

HAVE YOU CONVINCED HIM TO STAY YET?

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO HER HUSBAND KING LEONTES: YES. HE WILL BE STAYING.

KING LEONTES, TO QUEEN HERMIONE

HE REFUSED MY OFFER, MY DEAREST HERMIONE. YOU HAVE MORE INFLUENCE THAN I DO.

BUT THERE WAS NEVER A BETTER REASON TO USE YOUR PERSUASIVE POWERS.

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO HER HUSBAND KING LEONTES:

NEVER?

KING LEONTES, TO QUEEN HERMIONE:

NEVER, EXCEPT FOR ONE OTHER OCCASION.

QUEEN HERMIONE, TO HER HUSBAND KING LEONTES

MY FLATTERY MAKES THEM AS DOCILE AS HOUSE CATS, BUT I DON’T RECALL THE OTHER TIME.

FOR A TENDER KISS, A MAN WILL TRAVEL A THOUSAND MILES FASTER THAN A HORSE.

RECOGNITION IS MY ONLY REWARD. WHAT WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT YOU MENTIONED?

PLEASE