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Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries From Genuinely Interested Students 4.2.97: Top | Help
These elements in the Winter's Tale are not just from fairy-tales
but mythology. This includes all the talk of gods and the
influence of the heavens, as well as the atmosphere of wonder set
up by the Antigonus' dreams and the oracle. Also look at
Mamillius' story, Autolycus' ballads, the Shepherd's talk of
fairies when he finds Perdita, and "strange fortune" of the
events - Leontes sudden, unexplained, intense jealousy; the
sudden deaths of Mamillius and Hermione; the deaths of Antigonus
and the sailors; the losing and finding of Perdita; and, of
course the final scene, which is either a fantastic recovery or
a miraculous transformation similar to the Pygmalion story
depending on your take of it. These are all elements from "old
stories" as the gentlemen say in 5.2. Oh yeah - and the idea
of the winter/spring cycle and the imagery used is from the old
greek myth of Demeter and Persephone (Proserpina), with Perdita
as Proserpina, being torn away from her mother to bring in winter.Posted by Jonathan on April 10, 1997 at 23:07:51
In Reply to ""The Winter's Tale" - fairy tale aspects - enough for a paper?" posted by Fiona on April 05, 1997 at 08:14:14
Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries From Genuinely Interested Students 4.2.97: Top | Help