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Florizell is the son of Polixenes, which makes him the prince of Bohemia. Yet despite his noble status, we first meet Florizell in the countryside, where he is courting Perdita. Believing that she is the daughter of the humble Shepherd, Florizell disguises himself as a shepherd named Diocles in order to woo her. Florizell manages to trick everyone except, it turns out, for Perdita herself, who has known it was the prince all along. Florizell’s deceit may initially mark him as being less noble than his birth. And indeed, it is precisely this deceit that ends up causing a tragic break between him and his father. But beneath his disguise, Florizell is genuinely in love with Perdita. What’s more, his affection stems from his perception of her natural-born nobility. In a way, then, just as she recognizes his true identity despite his disguise, he senses the truth of her rank despite her apparently low birth. Florizell’s even-tempered reaction to his father’s rage, as well as his steadfast commitment to Perdita against all odds, marks him as among the play’s most upstanding figures.
