The Winter's Tale contains Shakespeare's most famous and challenging stage direction: 'Exit, pursued by a bear'. Here are some more well-know quotes.
I speak as my understanding instructs me and as mine honesty puts it to utterance.
(Archidamus, Act 1 Scene 1)
How say you?
My prisoner? Or my guest? by your dread 'Verily',
One of them you shall be.
(Hermione, Act 1 Scene 2)
What we changed
Was innocence for innocence. We knew not
The doctrine of ill-doing, nor dreamed
That any did.
(Polixenes, Act 1 Scene 2)
Be plainer with me. Let me know my trespass
By its own visage; if I then deny it,
'Tis none of mine.
(Camillo, Act 1 Scene 2)
Is this nothing?
Why then the world and all that’s in’t is nothing:
The covering sky is nothing, Bohemia nothing,
My wife is nothing, nor nothing have these nothings,
If this be nothing.
(Leontes, Act 1 Scene 2)
The silence often of pure innocence
Persuades when speaking fails.
(Paulina, Act 2 Scene 2)
It shall scarce boot me
To say 'Not guilty': mine integrity
Being counted falsehood, shall, as I express it,
Be so received. But thus: if powers divine
Behold our human actions, as they do,
I doubt not then but innocence shall make
False accusation blush and tyranny
Tremble at patience.
(Hermione, Act 3 Scene 2)
Apollo's angry, and the heavens themselves
Do strike at my injustice.
(Leontes, Act 3 Scene 2)
Exit, pursued by a bear.
(Stage direction, Act 3 Scene 3)
Since it is in my power
To o'erthrow law and in one self-born hour
To plant and o'erwhelm custom.
(Time, Act 4 Scene 1)
Ha, ha! What a fool honesty is!
(Autolycus, Act 4 Scene 4)
Though I am not naturally honest, I am so sometimes by chance
(Autolycus, Act 4 Scene 4)
I am ashamed. Does not the stone rebuke me
For being more stone than it?
(Leontes, Act 5 Scene 3)