Transalpine Wonders: Shakespeare’s Marvelous Aesthetics

Abstract

In the penultimate scene of The Winter’s Tale Shakespeare denies his audience the chance to witness the wondrous reunion of Perdita and Leontes in order to highlight the wonder of Hermione’s resurrection in the final scene. Though we never see Perdita’s reunion with Leontes, we hear secondhand that it astounds Leontes and Camillo. The first gentleman reports that when Perdita’s identity is revealed the changes seen in Leontes and Camillo “were very notes of admiration … A notable passion of wonder appeared in them, but the wisest beholder, that knew no more but seeing, could not say if th’importance were joy or sorrow” (5.2.9-10, 13–16). The third gentleman then relates that the nobles are on their way to Paulina’s house to view a marvelous statue of Hermione. He describes the statue as “a piece many years in doing, and now newly performed by that rare Italian master Giulio Romano, who, had he himself eternity and could put breath into his work, would beguile nature of her custom, so perfectly he is her ape” (5.2.86-90).