“The Winter’s Tale” Essay Example

winter leaves its natural world barren. However, sixteen years later in Bohemia, there is progress.

At the start of Act four, a bear causes the natural tragedy of Antigonus' death. But as spring arrives, a new generation emerges, reminding us of regeneration. The scene is set in a pastoral environment, symbolizing the abundance and growth of spring. Hermione and Perdita illustrate the theme of natural renewal. During the sheep shearing festival, Perdita is portrayed as the goddess Persephone.

Comparing to Persephone's mother Demeter who was the goddess of fertility, Hermione can be viewed as a goddess of regeneration. In "The Winter's Tale", Hermione plays a crucial role in consoling Leontes, which ultimately leads to a happy ending thanks to Perdita's fertility. The characters in the play also exemplify Christian theology and biblical connections, which is reminiscent of Jesus' use of parables to teach Christian teachings.

It is possible to use parables to demonstrate that "The Winter's Tale" carries a Christian message, as certain events in the play exemplify this notion. Both the Shepherd and the Clown fulfill the role of the good Samaritan by raising Perdita and responsibly using the money that was left with her. Furthermore, the Clown returns to provide Antigonus with a proper burial.

The character Leontes embodies the prodigal son, despite his actions leading to the death of his wife and child. He recognizes his wrongdoing and repents by regularly visiting their chapel. "The Winter's Tale" portrays Christian theological ideas, with the relationship between Florizel and Perdita exemplifying love through self-sacrifice. Florizel surrenders his kingship to be with Perdita, saying "From my succession wipe me, father; I/Am heir to my affection." Additionally, the play showcases

the theme of hoping for eternal salvation despite life's brevity and difficulties. Hermione's statue is a symbol of this hope, as she has been waiting for her daughter's return for sixteen years.

When Perdita returns, it symbolizes salvation and echoes Jesus' unjust trial before his crucifixion. Both Jesus and Hermione are innocent and unafraid of death. Hermione even questions why she should fear death when she has blessings in her present life. Polixenes compares himself to Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus.

Coincidentally, just as Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, Polixenes is accused of betraying Leontes by kissing his wife. Leontes expresses his outrage with the words "Oh then, my best blood turn
To an infected jelly and my name
Be yoked with his that did betray the Best." The play's plot is based on Leontes' suspicion of Hermione's adultery. The concept of temptation and its consequences dates back to the story of Adam and Eve's downfall in the Garden of Eden. In the play, Polixenes and Leontes discuss their childhood experiences with temptation and losing their innocence due to women.

Oh, my most sacred lady, temptations have arisen in the past. During those inexperienced days, my wife was a young girl. This concept of adultery is relevant to the play's historical context as King Henry VIII suspected multiple wives of committing adultery and found it justifiable to divorce or execute them for moral reasons. Additionally, the Christian theme presents the seven heavenly virtues and the seven deadly sins, with Hermione exemplifying the seven virtues: faith, hope, charity, fortitude, justice, temperance, and wisdom.

Throughout her trial, Hermione frequently employs the term "grace", with additional emphasis

placed on Perdita's elegance as a representation of herself. At the start of the play, Leontes displays various deadly sins such as pride, lust, anger, envy, greed, gluttony and sloth. There are numerous parallels and ties between both understandings of natural rejuvenation and Christian teachings. Leontes asserts that these two concepts cannot exist autonomously: "I shall pay daily visits to the chapel where they rest; my solace shall be found in tears shed there."

The concept of "recreation" is demonstrated throughout "The Winter's Tale." Hermione's resurrection from her statue represents one form of "recreation," while Leontes' repentance for his sins represents another. Perdita's journey from Winter to Spring over the course of sixteen years illustrates the theme of natural renewal, as she grows and matures into a young woman. In March 2003, I attended a production of "The Winter's Tale" by the Compass Theatre Company. Their interpretation focused on Mamillius' perspective, emphasizing the traumatic impact of parental arguments and death on a child.

Their interpretation of "The Winter's Tale" is that Mamillius was the neglected victim, but Shakespeare likely intended for the play to be a timeless story with a moral lesson. The setting and time period are left ambiguous, making the story applicable to all situations. Through the comparison of Sicilia and Bohemia, two sides of humanity are presented along with a warning about envy and temptation. Despite this cautionary tale, there is also hope in reconciliation and redemption, showing how these opposing forces can coexist as one.

When contrasting Sicilia and Bohemia, we observe the former's cold, ugly, miserable atmosphere where jealousy prevails and the latter's warmth, beauty, happiness and constancy. The play concludes with the

happy and joyful outcome of reconciliation, emphasizing that redemption can be achieved at any stage. Additionally, the play's religious and historical context indicates that it conveyed a message to Protestants, Catholics, and Muslims in Europe during Shakespeare's era.

Despite the material differences between Bohemia and Sicilia, their core morals and principles remain the same. Therefore, we should unite based on these principles and reconcile with each other to prevent religious conflict. This will contribute towards creating a world where jealousy and temptation do not hold any sway.