University Degree: The Winters Tale
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"The Winter's Tale" has been seen as a play celebrating natural renewal and regeneration. Others see it as a tale with a Christian message. Examine these interpretations and explain your own interpretation.
Henry VIII had broken from the Catholic Church to obtain a divorce from his first wife this is linked to the actions of Leontes; he discounts religious authority for his own interests. Protestant teachings, particularly the writings of Martin Luther (an eminent 16th century religious reformer), show that monarchs are divinely appointed and common man must respect their authority. However, monarchs are answerable to those who appoint them. Although Leontes overrules the oracle, which is not a Christian source of authority, this can be understood as a metaphor for the authority of god.
- Word count: 1462
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In what ways does the structure of "The Winter's Tale" serve its main preoccupations.
the King of Sicilia's tragic flaw of his "jealousies" and his tragic error of disobeying the moral law of the gods results in many terrible consequences. These include the loss of his daughter and the deaths of his wife, son and his own virtual death as he vows to, once a day, "visit / The chapel where they lie, and tears shed there shall be my recreation" and he does this for sixteen years. A lot of these events occur in the Act III Scene II, since this act is the best example of a scene written in the realistic
- Word count: 3250
