Justifying Leontes

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Busola Odubayo

February 16, 2009

PEAC English 9

Mr. Goldstein, Period 2

Justifying Leontes

        In the play, The Winter’s Tale, by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare presents the character Leontes, King of Sicilia, as an irrational tyrant. In the play, Leontes falsely accuses his wife, Hermione, of committing adultery with his childhood friend Polixenes, the King of Bohemia. Leontes’ is driven into the jealousy that caused him to accuse Hermione so impulsively. According to the events preceding his accusations, Leontes’ reasons for becoming this angry are completely justifiable.

In Act 1, Scene 2 of The Winter's Tale, Polixenes has been on vacation
in Sicilia for, "nine changes of the wat’ry star” (1.2.1), or nine months. The fact that nine months is the time from conception to birth, and Hermione is about to give birth, causes jealousy to begin to build in Leontes over his wife's relationship with Polixenes. In this scene, Leontes develops curtness in his tone towards Hermione and Polixenes that indicates his seething anger.  For example, Leontes' first words to Hermione are, “Tongue-tied, our Queen?/Speak you." (1.2.35). Leontes’ tone is rude and full of repressed venom; yet Hermione and Polixenes suspect nothing.

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        Leontes jealousy is further justified when Leontes, Polixenes, and Hermione are talking in Act 1, Scene 2. In this scene Hermione and Polixenes address each other in flirtatious tones. Hermione’s responses to Polixenes are almost lyrical:

Verily?

You put me off with limber vows. But I,

Though you would seek t’ unsphere the stars with

     oaths,

Should yet say "Sir, no going." Verily,

You shall not go. A lady's "verily" is

As potent as a lord's.  Will you go yet?  

Force me to keep you as a prisoner,

Not like a guest, so you shall ...

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