It has been said that The Winter's Tale falls into two distinct halves. What relationships, if any, can you see between the two parts of the play?
Ruth Norris It has been said that The Winter's Tale falls into two distinct halves. What relationships, if any, can you see between the two parts of the play? In your answer you should: * Make detailed reference to the structure of the play, its language, tone and characterisation. * Relate the idea expressed in the question to your own judgement of the unity in the play, acknowledging that there may be different interpretations possible. * Show understanding of the genre of tragicomedy and the structure and tone of Shakespeare's last plays. There are two clear parts to The Winter's Tale, separated by the passage of Time. The settings in the two halves are very different and different characters drive the plot, for example, in the first half, the action takes place in the court whereas in the second half the scenes are pastoral. However, there are many strong links between the two parts. The themes of forgiveness and regeneration through the innocence and youth of the two kings' children link the misery and wrongs of the first half to the joy at the end, and behaviour is paralleled in the two parts, such as the kings' irrationality. The structure of the play plays an important part in the distinction of the two halves as clearly one era ends, sixteen years pass, and the next begins in a new place. Through time's personification in Act IV, Scene 1, the audience is
Act 1 of "The Winter's tale",
"Leontes is no more than a case study in obsessive mania: he is not credible at all." "Leontes' jealousy - despite its rapid onset- is entirely convincing in its power and the horror it creates in the audience." Consider these opinions in relation to Act 1. How far does the text support each of these opinions? In Act 1 of "The Winter's tale", it is evident that Leontes' madness and suspicions over an affair between Polixenes and Hermione are increasing at an extreme pace. However, this essay will seek to analyse whether or not the, perhaps, overly paranoid nature of this is realistic in the impact it has on the audience. There are clear examples, that in the opening lines of Act 1 Scene 2, there is a very close bond between the two kings, Leontes and Polixenes. As they've been friends since childhood, this is to be expected and Leontes is keen for his friend to stay with him a while longer. "Stay your thanks a while And pay them when you part." The fact that there are shared lines between the pair of them emphasises this closeness. They are extremely close and so this makes the events that occur later in the scene baffling to the audience, because of this early closeness. Arguably however, closeness is not being shown at all in this early encounter, and it can be likened to the first scene of the play where Camillo is engaging with Archidamus. In that scene,
The Winter's Tale: Tragedy in Acts 1-3.
THE WINTER'S TALE: Tragedy in Acts 1-3 THE WINTER'S TALE: Tragedy in Acts 1-3 Gregory Geismar Throughout Acts 1-3 in 'The Winter's Tale' Shakespeare uses language and style, which enables the reader to appreciate the imagery, which is being created. Part of this imagery is the idea of tragedy, which features very prominently in, Acts one through to three. In Act 1 the reader is very much familiarising one's self with the characters and their personalities. However even at this early point in the play the main themes are developing quite quickly. In Act 1 scene 2 Leontes is becoming jealous of the relationship between Hermione and Polixenes, suspecting their every action: 'Art thou my boy?' Here Leontes is even questioning whether Mamilius is his own son, this is already showing signs that Leontes mere thoughts of a relationship between his wife and best friend involve question marks of whether Mamilius really is his own son. In Leontes' eyes Hermione and Polixenes seem so friendly that he suspects they have made love. His suspicion is so strong that his heart races: 'I have tremor crodis on me,' so even at this early stage of Leontes' jealousy there is much evidence that Leontes premature thoughts and actions could result in disaster for his people, kingdom and his family Later on Leontes speaks of his certainty that the two are having an affair,' they mother plays'
The painful moment when Polixenes forbids his son's marriage shows that although Bohemia is a healing place it is not a paradise. What is your response to Shakespeare's presentation of Bohemia in the design of the play as a whole?
The painful moment when Polixenes forbids his son's marriage shows that although Bohemia is a healing place it is not a paradise. What is your response to Shakespeare's presentation of Bohemia in the design of the play as a whole? Base your answer on a detailed examination of two or more sequences from the play. It is evident that a magnificent change takes place between the two settings of "The Winter's Tale", the fraught court of Sicilia and the rural landscape of Bohemia. The end of Act III, even before the entrance of Time in Act IV, marks the play's shift in mood. The scene on the seacoast of Bohemia begins darkly, with the abandonment of Perdita, followed by Antigonus's death at the paws of a ferocious bear. But the sudden appearance of the Shepherd and his son, with their comic dialogue and their discovery of the baby provides the first hint that this may not be a tragedy after all--indeed, it may be instead a classic fairy tale, complete with a lost princess raised in ignorance of her heritage. We are plunged immediately into a world that is completely different from the wintertime Sicilia of the earlier action. Bohemia was an oppressive winter wilderness when Antigonus landed there, but with the entrance of Autolycus it has become a different place. As his song reminds us, "When daffodils begin to peer, / When heigh! The doxy over the dale, / Why, then comes in the
What have you learnt about the following characters in Act One, Camillo; Hermione; Polixenes?
What have you learnt about the following characters in Act One, Camillo; Hermione; Polixenes? Camillo Act 1 Scene 1 begins with a conversation between Archidamus and Camillo. They are talking in prose which shows conversational tone thus showing that Camillo is not a character of extremely high status, like his King Leontes for example. Camillo has clearly not recently become a Lord of Sicilia as he knows a great deal about the relationship between Leontes and Polixenes Since their more mature dignities and royal necessities made separation of their society, their encounters, though not personal, have been royally attorneyed with interchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies, that they have seemed to be together, though absent; shook hands, as over a vest; and embraced, as it were, from the ends of opposed winds. Camillo realises that the two are very geographically far apart so, practically speaking they cannot constantly be in contact however they show their love to each other 'from opposed winds' (in the olden days cherubs at either corner of the map showed opposed winds). In Scene 1 Camillo also brings in many themes of the coming play 'They were trained together in their childhoods and there rooted betwixt'. This is Camillo talking of Leontes and Polixenes growing up together and the 'roots' are the friendship which has grown. This brings in the theme of
Some critics have claimed that the structure of "The Winters Tale is clumsy - Others have claimed it to be a masterpiece of skilful construction - What are your views?
Some critics have claimed that the structure of "The Winters Tale is clumsy. Others have claimed it to be a masterpiece of skilful construction. What are your views? 'The Winters Tale was written by William Shakespeare, a man who wrote many magnificent scripts throughout his life, The Winters Tale was one of his last plays writing it in his last few years of his life. I feel this is why Shakespeare decided to experiment with the structure of the play and as a great philosopher once said "ars est celare artem" translated to English means The art is to hide the part. The play is intended to be a romantic comedy, it is split up into four main structures into which the play evolves around them. Possibly the most obvious structure is the location or setting of the play. The main two locations of the play are two countries Sicilia and Bohemia, these two countries. We start the play in Sicilia. It is the winter months in which wevisit this country and most of the scenes take part in the kings court, therefore everything is bare, old and grey with dull colours on the set as well as the costumes. I think Shakespeare has used these winter months to portrays a sense of old age and lack of life. All this dark and dull décor in the country, Shakespeare may also be trying to signify Leontes' dark, jealous thoughts about Hermione. "too hot, too hot! To mingle
An exploration of Shakespeare’s presentation of the different forms of love in 'The Winters Tale'.
An Exploration of Shakespeare's Presentation of the Different Forms of Love in "The Winters Tale" There are several relationships within "The Winter's Tale" and a number of different forms of love between the characters. We see the childhood friendship between Leontes and Polixenes develop into a bitter rivalry, a true friendship grow between Paulina and Hermione out of the devastation caused by Leontes, the pure romantic love between the two youngest characters, Florizel and Perdita, Hermione's loyalty and everlasting love for Leontes despite his furious jealousy. These relationships have different effects on the characters and help reveal new aspects of the characters to the audience. There are two distinct halves to "The Winter's Tale" - it is set in bitter, claustrophobic Sicilia and warm, happy Bohemia. The atmosphere of each country affects the relationships in the play - most are formed in Bohemia and destroyed in Sicilia. In this essay I will discuss the different types of love which Shakespeare presents to the audience. I have chosen to examine the way each character loves individually, rather than in pairs, as in each case the two parties have very different perceptions of their relationship. The main romantic relationship Shakespeare presents throughout "The Winter's Tale" is between Leontes and Hermione, King and Queen of Sicilia and the audience
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 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
By what means does Shakespeare convince us of the madness of Leontes in Acts I & II of The Winter's Tale?
By what means does Shakespeare convince us of the madness of Leontes in Acts I & II of The Winter's Tale? The Winter's Tale begins with Leontes, King of Sicilia, trying to persuade his lifelong friend Polixenes, King of Bohemia, to prolong his nine month long stay with Leontes and his wife Hermione. Leontes flies into a jealous rage when Hermione manages to convince Polixenes to stay, whereas he could not. From there onwards Leontes begins a descent into irrational paranoia, believing his wife to have been unfaithful to him, his friend to be deceiving him and his loyal servant, Camillo, to be conspiring against him. The play is an example of a tragedy as defined by Aristotle, in which the protagonist destroys himself due to a fatal character flaw, poor judgement and a lack of self-knowledge. In the case of Leontes, the flaw is a jealous nature which makes him fabricate a sexual relationship between Hermione and Polixenes, although it obvious to both the rest of the play's characters and the audience that there is nothing going on. Leontes however, cannot see the reason why he is compelled to act like this, cannot accept that it is his own mind which has manipulated events so that they 'prove' Hermione and Polixenes' guilt. His poor judgement means that instead of confronting his wife and his friend and asking them to explain, he becomes so furious that he has his wife