Character sketch of Autolycus A typical Elizabethan England comedian Autolycus is a Greek name, but in the play.

The Winter's Tale he is a typical Elizabethan England comedian. e has !ery little link "ith the play, and e!en if the character is deleted, it "on't effect the play. e is a thief "ho earns his li!ing by picking pockets of poor !illagers and scoffs at honesty as a policy. e is introduced in the play in the fourth Act #Act $%& and is dragged on to Act % but "ith no important role. is purpose is to make people laugh by his cle!er machinations and songs. When the simpleton son of the shepherd'clo"n is going to the market to collect things for the sheep'shearing feast, he finds a person lying on the road #Act $%. (cene iii&. As the clo"n approaches him he pretends that he has been robbed and beaten. The clo"n takes pity on him and helps him get up. )uring the process he picks his pocket. is art of stealing money from the clo"n creates laughter. e pretends that he can hardly stand and describes clo"n's effort as act of charity. The clo"n offers him money but he cle!erly refuses for he kno"s that in the process the clo"n "ill come to kno" that his purse has been stolen. e gi!es out a false story that he has a kinsman about three *uarters of a mile ahead. e "ill get money and other things from him. '+lease offer no money, it kills my heart'. A timid person The clo"n asks him if he kno"s the robber. e replies ,-es. /nce he ser!ed a prince, but he "as turned out of the court for cheating. Then he became a process'ser!er, a bailiff. Then he organised puppet sho"s on 'the' story of the +rodigal (on. Then he married a tinker's "ife near his !illage. a!ing follo"ed se!eral shady professions, he ultimately became a merry rogue and came to be kno"n as Autolycus. The clo"n calls him a shameful person, a thief "ho preys on rural gatherings at Church, fairs or dangerous games as that of a bear, in "hich a bear is harassed by dogs. e is a co"ard. e must ha!e run a"ay. Autolycus confesses that he is a timid person and no fighter. is heart sinks at the !ery idea of a fight. e kne" that and so took ad!antage and left him in these rags. A funny story about himself, a small thief afraid of taking part in high"ay robberies, for in that case he could be caught and hanged. That is something he fears and so ne!er robs rich persons0persons in high position. As the clo"n mo!es a"ay, he decides that he "ill meet him again in his sheep'shearing feast. e "ill be a pedlar and en1oy picking pockets of the shepherds. A good singer Autolycus is a good singer and sings all types of songs to the taste of the listeners. e is introduced in the play "ith a song 2 When daffodils begin to peer, With heigh 3 the do4y o!er the dale The song ends "ith celebrating the summer by stealing the sheets and after selling them to buy a *uart of ale. $n the sheep'shearing feast he enters as a pedlar singing about things "hich he sells5 la"n as "hite as sno", cypress as black as cro", scented glo!es as fine as damask roses, masks, bracelets, perfumes and under ' garments for ladies, gifts for youngmen's s"eet'hearts and so on. The clo"n lo!es 6opas, and so for her he purchases ribbons and glo!es. Autolycus "arns the clo"n about cheats roaming there. 7ut the clo"n, assures him that he "ill not lose anything in the feast. Autolycus introduces to the clo"n and 6opas a fe" ballads "ith fairy tales. A philosopher Autolycus is !ery happy and laughs at honesty and praises a simpleton for his trustfulness. e has sold all his "orthless goods. Customers cro"ded him and he could see their purses and so he en1oyed his pick' pocketing. $t "as real pity that in the middle 8ing +oli4enes frightens a"ay the cro"d other"ise he "ould ha!e picked the pocket of each and e!eryone. e concludes from his !enture that honesty and trustfulness go together and again laughs at them as loudly as he can. Camillo helps 9lorizel and +erdita escape to (icilia "ith a letter to 8ing :eontes. They meet Autolycus in the "ay and Camillo asks 9lorizel to change his clothes "ith Autolycus. After that 9lorizel and +erdita board the ship and lea!e 7ohemia for (icilia. Autolycus thinks that here is an opportunity "hen a dishonest man can prosper. e has got good money for e4change of his clothes. The prince is fleeing "ith the girl, a dishonest business. '$f $ thought it "as a piece of honesty to ac*uaint the king "ithal $ "ould not do't. $ hold it to be more kna!ery to conceal it5 and therein am ; constant to my profession.< (oon he comes across the old shepherd and his son, badly stricken "ith fear of losing their li!es because of +erdita's lo!e "ith the prince and 8ing +oli4enes' threat to hang them. Autolycus poses as a courtier "ho can help them. e comes to kno" the truth that +erdita is not their daughter, and ho" she "as found "ith a casket of 1e"els and gold. e befools them "ith his tricky brain and in the bargain gets gold from them. At the close of the Act $% he says, <$f $ had a mind to be honest, $ see fortune "ould not suffer me 2 she drops booty in my mouth.< e has got gold and also the opportunity to help his prince. All god'send not his effort. e can take the t"o to the ship and inform the prince about the truth. e decides that if they call him rogue, it is *uite immaterial. 7ut 'To him "ill $ present them, there may be matter #something important& in it.< Autolycus turns to be honest and respectful $n scene ii, Act %, Autolycus, perchance meets the gentleman, "ho kno"s the truth about +erdita. e narrates the "hole story to the prince in the ship, ho" +erdita "as born in prison. (he "as ermione's daughter. (he "as taken to the 8ing by +aulina but the 8ing took her to be a bastard and asked Antigonus, +aulina's husband to thro" the child to die by the rigours of the climate at some far off place. Antigonus brought the infant to an inhospitable place on the coast of 7ohemia. The infant "as picked up by the shepherd, but all those in!ol!ed "ith crime, Antigonus, and sailors perished by Apollo's "ill. Autolycus, kno"ing the truth becomes honest and respectful to the shepherd and his son, the clo"n and introduces them to 8ing :eontes. Clo"n promises him, <Gi!e me thy hand. $ "ill s"ear to the prince thou art and as honest a true fello" as any is in 7ohemia.<