"Is whispering nothing?
Is leaning cheek to cheek?..."See in text(Act I - Act I, Scene 2)
After asking his wife to persuade his childhood friend Polixenes to stay, Leontes has grown suspicious and sees guilt in innocent actions. Leontes increasingly convinces himself of Hermione’s infidelity in spite of no concrete evidence, sinking further and further into this false belief and citing rumors as a source of truth.
"Here's ado, to lock up honesty and honour..."See in text(Act II - Act II, Scene 2)
Paulina’s anger is understandable: Hermione, her friend, has been wrongfully imprisoned by the increasingly-irrational king, Leontes. Hermione has been denied any visitors, and Paulina considers this absurd. In this line, she proclaims her friend’s innocence, saying that “honesty and honour” have been imprisoned. Her use of these words recalls how Leontes, in Act 2, scene 1, accused Hermione of being honorable, but not being honest.
"What's gone and what's past help,
Should be past grief..."See in text(Act III - Act III, Scene 2)
Paulina has just finished berating King Leontes for his horrible deeds: betraying Polixenes, damning Camillo for disobeying him, accusing Hermione of infidelity, leaving their newborn in the wild to be eaten by animals, letting his older son die, and killing Hermione. Finally, Leontes is horrified by his actions, and Paulina momentarily pauses in her own rage and apologizes for her own rashness. Leontes, however, asks her to continue to remind him about his terrible actions for years to come.
"when you do dance, I wish you
A wave o' the sea..."See in text(Act IV - Act IV, Scene 4)
Together at the cottage, Florizel professes his love for Perdita during a sheep-shearing feast. Sixteen years have passed since Leontes sent Perdita into the woods to die, and she has fortunately been saved and raised by a shepherd. The lovers exchange endearing love songs here. Perdita has embarrassed herself a little with her speech about the purity of nature, but Florizel encourages her to continue to speak, to sing, and to dance.
