Read the following extract from Act I Scene II of the play. How do the ideas and language of these speeches help to create the effect of Leontes' jealousy?

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The Winter’s Tale - William Shakespeare

Read the following extract from Act I Scene II of the play. How do the ideas and language of these speeches help to create the effect of Leontes’ jealousy?

        The scene is set in Leontes’ palace, Polixenes is ready to leave the country after his nine-month visit, and he thanks Leontes for his hospitality. Leontes wants him to stay a week longer, but Polixenes explains that he must return the very next day in order to take care of affairs of state in Bohemia. Leontes insists that he must stay; “I’ll no gainsaying”, but Polixenes will not be persuaded. Leontes then tells his wife and queen, Hermione, to talk Polixenes into staying. Speaking with Polixenes out of Leontes' hearing, she soon overcomes Polixenes' objections and he agrees to stay a week longer.

        Hermione then gets him to talk about his friendship with Leontes when they were both young. When Hermione tells Leontes that Polixenes has agreed to stay, Leontes comments that Polixenes did for Hermione what he would not do at Leontes' own request. He tells her that she has never spoken to better purpose since the day she agreed to marry him. Hermione replies graciously, and gives her hand to Polixenes. Leontes, aside, reacts to this gesture with suspicion. Looking at Hermione and Polixenes as they talk in a friendly way, jealousy rises in him.

        He thinks they are being much too familiar with each other. He addresses his son Mamillius, and tries to reassure himself that Mamillius is indeed his own son. He reminds himself that Mamillius resembles him, which should reassure him, yet he makes disparaging remarks about women they "will say any thing”, jealousy and suspicion of his wife springs up stronger and stronger with each passing moment. Polixenes and Hermione inquire whether he is all right, since he looks troubled. Leontes denies there is anything wrong, and after some remarks about how, when he looks at Mamillius, he sees himself as a boy, he asks Polixenes whether he is as fond of his own son as he, Leontes, is of Mamillius.  King Leontes is seized with a jealous conviction that Polixenes is the father of his pregnant Queen’s child. Leontes then says he is going for a walk with Mamillius, and Hermione should entertain Polixenes. Again aside, Leontes declares that he is laying a trap for the two of them. After Hermione and Polixenes exit, Leontes gives full vent to his jealousy and his conviction that Hermione has been unfaithful to him.

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        The extract is taken after Hermione and Polixenes go off into the garden. Alone, and wild with jealousy, Leontes is convinced he is a cuckold. He sends Mamillius away and shares his irrational thinking with the incredulous Camillo. Leontes is certain of his own interpretation of the events between Hermione and Polixenes, he is deaf to reason, he tries to convince Camillo into seeing things the way he does ; “Ha’ not you seen, Camillo”, “My wife is slippery?” His nature of derogatory speech towards his wife is one that is unexpected and unnecessary; he insults Hermione frequently referring to ...

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