William Shakespeare's "Winter's Tale" - Free Essay Example

William Shakespeare's Winter's Tale is a comedy about redemption. The play reveals what takes place when obsession and self-centeredness set out on a path of destruction. Still, it portrays how faith, hope, and unselfish love can overcome such evils. King Leontes is convinced that his wife Hermione has an affair with his best friend, Polixenes Bohemia. Since Leontes was a king and had so much authority, he sentenced his wife, who was at that time to jail, accusing her of adultery. Even after persisting that her husband was wrong and there was a misunderstanding, Leontes denied everything she said (William 27). Leontes, therefore, comes out as a tyrant who is not just stubborn but also takes advantage of his divine power as a king to treat his wife harshly because she is in a lower position than him. Leontes denies his wife the right to speak and gives her a very severe punishment.

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One crucial lesson that humanity learns from this play is that jealousy is a very destructive emotion. Shakespeare's play thrives in unfair punishments and flawed attempts to execute justice. The king's jealousy results in tyrannous behavior that leads to suffering and pain. Mamillious gets sick and dies when he gets to know that his mother has been tried and imprisoned for infidelity. The king's wife is believed to have been killed because of a broken heart; the king resorts to torturing himself for 16 years. Sicily is also left without an heir.

What is more, Polixenes Bohemia after finding out about the secret affair between his son and Perdita, sends him out of Bohemia. He unjustly threatens to punish Perdita's father for her daughter's engagement with his son. In fact, the king's behavior makes the entire kingdom miserable. Throughout the play, the playwright portrays jealousy as an "infectious disease" to depict its destructive nature. The king's sudden onset of resentment comes from his belief that most females are liars and promiscuous and that men can never be sure if they are the biological fathers of their children.

Shakespeare's play is essential for people to read today significantly because of its lessons on forgiveness and redemption. Although the initial parts of the play are marked by suffering and pain, the last part is all about forgiveness, compassion, and redemption. The actual and real identity of Perdita is restored, the princess reunites with the parents, and Camillo gets engaged to Paulina (William 45) The joyous end of the play does not just restore political and domestic order but also gives an optimistic view of humanity. Anyone who reads the play, therefore, learns that it is important to forgive one another because it results in peace and satisfaction at the end of everything.

Throughout the play, the playwright makes use of themes that are not just connected but are also very universal. The play starts with the theme of jealousy, which is evident in the reasoning and actions of the king. He makes some major mistakes because of his jealous nature. Jealousy then results in pain and suffering for a significant number of the characters (William 56). Fortunately, the playwright incorporates the themes of compassion, forgiveness, and redemption at the end of the play, and this depicts how the characters had forgiven each other even though some had died. Evidently, the themes relate to one another with one theme leading to the next, and also have a universal effect on each of the play's characters.

King Leontes, the play's protagonist, has a character that is similar to the character of many people in contemporary society. This is especially true in marriages and relationships. Many men or women, just like King Leontes, always accuse their partners of infidelity even when they do not have proof. This has resulted in a lack of trust, which is the reason for many divorces, separations, and break-ups in modern relationships.

The play explores the steps that an individual must endure to get redemption for a mistake they have made. It is evident that one must experience some form of suffering for them to be redeemed. The play is a transition from a mistake to suffering and then to redemption (William 78). This is a critical lesson in the play, and one reading it becomes aware that in as much as they are aware that they will get redeemed someday, they still have to face the consequences of their mistakes. The play's suffering and tyranny result in forgiveness and compassion. The play's redemptive end gives future hope and an optimistic perception of humanity.

Conclusion

Conclusively, play is significantly divided into two halves, with each half dealing with the unreasonable trial to execute justice. Hermione is unfairly punished by her husband for a crime she did not even commit. This results in her death, Mamillious' death as well as the neglect of Perdita. The pregnant Hermione is humiliated in public and thrown in prison despite her protests of innocence. All these unfortunate things happen because of the king's jealousy. While this kind of suffering is evident in Shakespearean tragedy, it is a blend of comedy and drama and the pain in it eventually results in redemption.

Work Cited

William, Shakespeare. Winter's Tale. Max Bollinger, 2018.