Leontes also goes through another abrupt change in act three, he has spent majority of the story so far mad, however at the end of the trial he finally sees reason. This is however because he finds out his son has died. Another abrupt change here happens for Leontes. He goes from an emotionally cold person who sends is daughter out for exposure to a person of grave sadness. He believes that he has lost all of his family members and it is entirely his fault. Leontes goes through huge mental and emotional changes in act three.
The impact this will have on the audience is a change of attitude to Leontes, they will see that it wasn’t his fault. They will recognize that he didn’t realize what he is doing. They will go from loathing Leontes to feeling pity for him, they will see a transformation from an iron jacket to a wretched man. Shakespeare has given this act much change in Leontes, which will spark reactions of great contrast for Leontes. Most of all there will be sighs of pity and of sorrow for him.
Another abrupt change is in that of belief where the newly born princess is left to be exposed. The audience will expect her to die and will then be shocked by the fact that she is likely to survive and to be well looked after, for the shepherds says, “good deeds on ‘t.” She is to be given a new life, that as a shepherd’s daughter. The audience would have not expected her to live on. When Antigonus says, “I am gone forever,” you expect the child to be forgotten and die.
The abrupt change in what happens in the child is quite representative of the act, the effect on the audience is they are thinking of one thing then it will change in great contrast.
A change in emotion is that of the Shepherd, he starts of the scene as a grumbling old man, annoyed at the ignorance of youth and so on. He is quite unhappy to begin with then he sees the child and he is filled with joy. He experiences a change in emotions for the good, when he finds the jewels and money he is ecstatic.
The effect on the audience will firstly be one of desire to have a situation such as the shepherds to befall upon themselves. The audience would also be happy for the child, this in fact makes the entire act a change in feeling. It begins with sadness and despair of the queen, then it ends on the shepherd’s joy. The audience would cheer for the shepherd as well as laugh at the clown. The act is ended on a high note of so much anguish.
There are two other emotional changes, which are similar. First off Hermione enters the trial believing her life is the only one in the crossfire, she starts off sad then it goes down hill. She finds out her son has died, and dies of a broken heart. She experiences great turmoil throughout the act. The effect she will have on the audience is that they will feel sympathy for her and cry out at how unjustly she is treated. Like Leontes she will get a reaction from the audience for the way she is treated and how she behaves. She will be admired for her boldness and strength, and supported in her defense.
Antigonus’ behavior at the end of the act is quite symbolic of what the book is about. He expresses his sadness for leaving the child to what he believes that she shall die. At the end of his speech he is pursued by a bear, which will cause laughter in the audience. It will also cause sadness for the audience in the way that he’s leaving the child to die.
