English Literature 9695

The Winter's Tale: Seasons

Q. Discuss the significance of seasons in 'The Winter's Tale' by William Shakespeare. (Act I to Act III)

William Shakespeare is a seventeenth century playwright whose works are based upon his society. The plays he depicts can be considered cliches, intact he's had accusations of plagiarism from fellow playwrights, but through his writing style he presents them in such a distinct light that his ideas seem new to the audience. One such style is the infusion of seasons in this play.

From Act I to Act III it is perhaps clear Shakespeare has set the moods similar to the atmosphere of Spring, Summer, and Winter, with a few hints of autumn. We see them in forms of the king's rage, tyranny, cruelty, and the queen's hope and grace. It can therefore be said that 'The Winter's Tale' is an all-rounded play consisting of various literary flavours that can easily be spotted even in the beginning. Thus, Shakespeare allows his audience to get involved earlier on in the play and succeeds in creating an interest that keeps the audience in their seats.

In Act I Shakespeare exhibits at first a conversation between two minor characters discussing the affairs of their respective kingdoms. This resembles a typical summer day meeting full of light-hearted conversation, as well as presenting an essence of the beginning of the summer season, when all seems well before the heat strikes. As Shakespeare continues, he shows us the steadily increasing jealousy of Leontes that eventually turns into an epic rage that pushes him towards ordering Camillo to murder Polixenes with poison, This perhaps can be associated with how in the summer, the sun steady rises and when it is at its peak at noon is often tends to pain people with its heat. The poison Shakespeare mentions here is one that kills its prey slowly and painfully compared to that of an image of a man stranded in a desert in summer, when the heat is critical enough to kill, is quite similar. Likewise Shakespeare has depicted a hot summer say through Leontes' rage, it seems to leave both the audience and the characters displayed in the play, distressed. Perhaps Shakespeare has hinted at how the summer heat can sometimes delusion one into seeing mirages, Leaontes' jealousy had delusions him into seeing an affair that does not exist. So Shakespeare presents the ending of Act I with Camillo fleeing the King's wrath along with Polixenes to Bohemia the way people escape the summer sun glare to shade themselves. Thus Shakespeare's keen depiction of the entire Act notifies the audience of the seriousness f the situation and also makes the experience more lifelike for them due to the representation of summer.

In Act II, yet again, Shakespeare has mentioned a season that foreshadows the events about to unfold. We see Mamillius telling Hermione 'A sad tale is best for winter.'. Not only is the the literal setting that of winter time but the atmosphere of this act is cold and harsh ad well. Shakespeare has illustrated how Leontes' jealousy and rage has become icy and merciless. He is displayed to rip mother and son apart from each other, throwing nine-month pregnant Hermione into a cold, bare prison cell and so forcing her to give birth there. He is shown to not allow her any visitors either which represents the isolated sense go perhaps being stranded in a polar desert. Unlike Act I, in Act II Shakespeare has shown no sign of happiness conveying an image of utter darkness, a starless night that refuses to come to an end. The audience get the feeling of Winter through this imagery by thinking go the long nights it brings and perhaps they shiver in their seats at the idea of Hermione being tormented in such a way and of Leontes being this cold-hearted. Thus Shakespeare allows the audience to sympathise with some of the characters and condemn the actions of others. He also presents a bit of hope considering the season that follows winter is spring. Perditha is seen to be that spring. Yet it i disclosed that even after Paulina brings her to Leontes she fails to thaw his frozen heart. This allows the audience to question what is about to happen next. Shakespeare further exhibits winter by unveiling the death of both Families and Hermione yet it should be noted that neither of the deaths were witnessed by the audience which brings us back to the idea of winter being followed by spring. Such ideas further solidify Shakespeare's expertise in depicting drama and keeping the audience involved in the play.

Shakespeare solidifies the significance of seasons further in this play by simply naming git after one. As Mamillius is seen to say, this play is a tragedy so it goes hand in hand with the winter season. Shakespeare had expressed a contrast and an allusion, winter may be seen as a dark time but it is also the season of Christmas and New Year therefore new beginnings. We see that Hermione and Leontes are about to have a child, it should be seen as a happy time as per the allusion yet Leontes' jealousy is presented to ruin the imagery and destroy a family during the season in which they could have been the happiest. Thus Shakespeare allows his audience to meditate on how a deadly sin, Leontes' envy, ruins something beautiful.

At the end of Act III Shakespeare exhibits an image of Spring by presenting the Shepherd saying, 'thou met'st with things dying, I with things new born.' Not only is he now confirming Perditha as the tiny ray of hope the audience expect would end the winter but he is also hinting at new beginnings. Although the mood earlier to that resembles winter considering the depicted storms and death of Antigonus and his crew, the miraculous survival of Perditha resembles spring and calm. To the audience the atmosphere may be seen as serene and gratifying. Thus Shakespeare exhibits how after every deadly winter comes spring full of life and gives hope to his audience that perhaps the worst is over.

Shakespeare has brought this play to life by introducing the essence of seasons into it. Not only is he able to emphasis the moods and atmosphere to the audience he is also able to make the play lifelike and relatable since perhaps people in the audience can think about how what seasons of their lives they are living and can compare themselves to the characters, have empathy with them and perhaps learn about the seasons others around them may be going through.