Q. With emphasis on style, language, and tone. Comment with reference to context on the following. (Entire Act III Scene i).
This text follows the scene in which Leontes is shown to have openly declared Hermione an adulteress and a traitor, and has sent two of his Lords: Cleomenes and Dion to retrieve the verdict go the Oracle that will decide Hermione's fate. Here Shakespeare allows the audience to enjoy a light conversation between the two lords.
A prominent detail Shakespeare has exhibited is the contrast between this text and the event that precede it. The audience are guided through a road to the Capital, where there is peace and spirituality ad Cleomenes is seen to say, 'The climate is delicate, the air most sweet,'. This gives the audience a break from the intensity go the palace and allows the to meditate on what is about to happen next.
Throughout the text Shakespeare has kept the tone as peaceful as the atmosphere. He explores religious allusions such as 'Kin to Jove's Thunder', 'The Oracle', and 'Great Apollo' allowing the audience a sense of spirituality. He emphasises on how the characters have faith in their gods and believe the time spent on their task is worth it, as Dion is seen to say, 'If the event of the journey prove as successful to the Queen...the time is worth the use on it.' Thus Shakespeare creates a hopeful atmosphere amongst the audience and allows them to contemplate on how the events following this text can be different from the events that took place before it.
Shakespeare brings colour to the atmosphere by depicting seasonal elements. In this text he has illustrated the autumn season, the season of transition. It follows the raging heat of Leontes' jealousy and anger as autumn follows summer to provide relief from the heat ad allows people to prepare for the harsh winter. This way Shakespeare allows his audience to relax but due to the seasonal imagery he also provides them with a foreshadowing, creating both a hopeful atmosphere and a grim one. Thus the audience meditate over how their hopes may be in vain and the situation could get worse for Hermione.
This text is fast paced to emphasis on the drones of the situation despite the coming atmosphere The scene is short and discusses only the hopes held by the two lords, what their task is and how they must return to Leontes' palace fast. At the end we see them rushing back as Dion says, 'Even then will rush to knowledge. Go; fresh horses and gracious be the issue.' This developers a suspense amongst the audience and a curiosity to know the result which allows them to remain in their seats.
Through this text Shakespeare has presented a bridge between Leontes' actions and their consequences, as well as the result of his harsh judgment. The importance of the characters' religion and loyalty to their queen has been emphasised; do when later, Leontes denies both the Oracle's revelation and Hermione's innocence, the audience can feel the full force of his subjects' shock and perhaps also their resentment. Thus Shakespeare is successful in allowing this audiences' attention towards the consequences of ones' actions and how one can often lose respect and trust of others when one is too quick to judge and are action based on these judgments.
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English Literature 9695
Non-FictionThis is a compilation of all the essays and notes I wrote while I was in ALevels. It must be noted that not all of of these are A* material (though none goes lower than a grade B) so they aren't meant to be copy pasted for your school assignments. U...
