Many millennials find it hard to navigate the complexities of relationships and feel it is a problem unique to their generation; however, Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale addresses these complexities. Shakespeare uses the friendship of Leontes and Polixenes to examine the concept of loyalty. Through examination of their own friendship, it is discovered that loyalty can have many dimensions and is closely linked to jealousy and betrayal. This pattern is also repeated in the other relationships the men have with others in their lives, specifically with Hermione and Florizal.
Leontes and Polixenes’ friendship shows there is a fine line between loyalty and betrayal. At the beginning of the play, Shakespeare describes their friendship in the …show more content…
Throughout the play, Leontes distrusts his wife. He questions if his son, Mamillius, is truly his own child. “To be full like me; yet they say we are almost as like as eggs, Women say so, that will say anything. But were they False” (Shakespeare, I.I.165). This quote by Leontes affirms his belief that he is not the child’s father and that his wife lied to him because it is the nature of women to lie. Not only does he believe he has been betrayed by his wife, but he believes Polixenes is the father. Leontes holds a trial accusing his wife of infidelity, and she suddenly dies. Because of her death, Leontes is filled with remorse and builds a statue of her to remind him every day of his disloyalty to his wife and friend. “So long as nature will bear up with his exercise, so long I daily vow to use it” (III.III. 275). Leontes demonstrates his loyalty to his dead wife by promising to visit her grave every day for the rest of his life, which he does, for sixteen years. Thus, he was loyal to his promise. Further, he goes against social norms and does not remarry, further proving his loyalty. Shakespeare, though the element of time, debates whether a moment of disloyalty is greater or worse than sixteen years of loyalty. The literary critic, Murray M. Schwartz, talks about how Shakespeare uses theses gaps of time to prove loyalty. “Its temporal dimension, the "wide gap of time" to …show more content…
Sixteen years after being betrayed by Leontes, Polixenes again experiences betrayal, this time by his son. He becomes filled with fury when discovers his son is marrying a peasant, which he considers a betrayal. “thou, old traitor, I am so sorry that by hanging tree I can, but shorten thy life one week.” (Shakespeare, IV.IV, 495) He is threating to kill his own son because of this betrayal. Shakespeare uses this relationship as a parallel between the relationship between Leontes and Hermione. Leontes later comes to Polixenes rescue when it is revealed that Perdita is of royal blood and actually Leontes’ daughter. “No longer shall you gaze on’t lest your fancy may think anon it moves” (V.II.73) Brian Covegrve writes about the reedemedtion characteristics of Perdita in his 1977 article. “Perdita is most clearly associated with one thing: redemption from death.” Though-out the play, Perdita plays a role redemption in both Leontes, and Polixenes, and was the cause of the disloyalty. She is used as a representation of loyalty, and how betrayal can
Leontes and Polixenes’ friendship shows there is a fine line between loyalty and betrayal. At the beginning of the play, Shakespeare describes their friendship in the …show more content…
Throughout the play, Leontes distrusts his wife. He questions if his son, Mamillius, is truly his own child. “To be full like me; yet they say we are almost as like as eggs, Women say so, that will say anything. But were they False” (Shakespeare, I.I.165). This quote by Leontes affirms his belief that he is not the child’s father and that his wife lied to him because it is the nature of women to lie. Not only does he believe he has been betrayed by his wife, but he believes Polixenes is the father. Leontes holds a trial accusing his wife of infidelity, and she suddenly dies. Because of her death, Leontes is filled with remorse and builds a statue of her to remind him every day of his disloyalty to his wife and friend. “So long as nature will bear up with his exercise, so long I daily vow to use it” (III.III. 275). Leontes demonstrates his loyalty to his dead wife by promising to visit her grave every day for the rest of his life, which he does, for sixteen years. Thus, he was loyal to his promise. Further, he goes against social norms and does not remarry, further proving his loyalty. Shakespeare, though the element of time, debates whether a moment of disloyalty is greater or worse than sixteen years of loyalty. The literary critic, Murray M. Schwartz, talks about how Shakespeare uses theses gaps of time to prove loyalty. “Its temporal dimension, the "wide gap of time" to …show more content…
Sixteen years after being betrayed by Leontes, Polixenes again experiences betrayal, this time by his son. He becomes filled with fury when discovers his son is marrying a peasant, which he considers a betrayal. “thou, old traitor, I am so sorry that by hanging tree I can, but shorten thy life one week.” (Shakespeare, IV.IV, 495) He is threating to kill his own son because of this betrayal. Shakespeare uses this relationship as a parallel between the relationship between Leontes and Hermione. Leontes later comes to Polixenes rescue when it is revealed that Perdita is of royal blood and actually Leontes’ daughter. “No longer shall you gaze on’t lest your fancy may think anon it moves” (V.II.73) Brian Covegrve writes about the reedemedtion characteristics of Perdita in his 1977 article. “Perdita is most clearly associated with one thing: redemption from death.” Though-out the play, Perdita plays a role redemption in both Leontes, and Polixenes, and was the cause of the disloyalty. She is used as a representation of loyalty, and how betrayal can