Misfortune and Comedy in Shakespeare's Play, A Winter's Tale

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Recommended: Theme of death in Shakespeare

A Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare is a chilling play full of misfortune and comedy. Throughout the play, the themes of death and suffering are present, but yet the way in which they are presented is both comical and strange. The way in which the dialogue takes place or the way in which actions occur seem to be ambiguous. One of the most pivotal points of the story takes place over a very short time span, climaxing over three pages, and declining almost immediately thereafter. In this case, the death of Hermione and Mamillius occurs and is resolved, with their burial following quickly after. The wording throughout the text can be interpreted in several ways, especially in the way which death is represented throughout the play. Death occurs quickly and there is no real indication to when it is about to take place. The characters die off stage, and as an audience we only hear of their deaths from second hand accounts. Is it thus possible to believe all that is said or heard, or is possible that the sounds and sights of the play are written as such to cause doubt? Shakespeare uses death in A Winter’s Tale as a modem for certain events to be interpreted ambiguously, ultimately leading up to the reveal at the end. The way in which death is presented is as a way for the story to proceed, and it allows for the character to mold to the situation. Leontes has become a deranged king, one whom can no longer separate his feelings from his actions. As the novel progresses, Leontes becomes more and more rash, basing his actions only off his feelings, and it does not matter what is said to him. A prime example of this, is his reaction to the Oracle, as he disbelieves what he is told: “Hermione is chaste; Polixenes blameless; Camillo a true s... ... middle of paper ... ...llowers he had. Leontes has once again caused the demise of someone else close to him, all due to his own rage. Death is perceived as an action that occurs, and cannot be reversed. Antigonus has died, and that is the end of it, the daughter is now forever gone, and Leontes will not gain peace till the lost is found. As the reader, one is lead to believe that everything being said it true, but in this play there are moments, where one must ask if we can believe what has just occurred. Death is a subjects that is normally certain, and when it occurs, as a reader one is to believe that it has occurred, until evidence shows otherwise. In the case of the death of Hermione, the absence of an on stage deaths is peculiar. Why is it that Hermione’s death could not be presented to the audience? Paulia appears to have been hiding something from both the audience and Leontes.

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