Literature Tutorial Questions

 ‘What is the symbolism of the weather in the play? Cite specific examples to support your answer.’

In the Shakespearean tragic-comedy, A Winter’s Tale, the seasons depicted play an integral role in the audience’s understanding of the events occurring.  The seasons of winter and spring permit the audience to be emotionally immersed into the plat, thus, allowing for them to become engulfed by the mood plaguing specific events at specific times.

The play commences in Sicilia when it is winter. The season at hand may act as a fore-runner to the events that will occur. However, one must first focus on the actual season, and what characterizes it. Winter is basically the coldest season in temperate countries. It has the shortest days and longest nights. Further, the season, winter, connotes a doom and gloom mood. It symbolizes death, an absence of hope, bleak or frozen feelings, cold emotions and feelings and unfruitfulness.

In A Winter’s  Tale, the symbolism aforementioned alludes to that which is to come. For instance in Act 1, Scene 2, Leontes is of the opinion that his wife, Hermoine, is having an affair with his long time friend, the King of Bohemia, Polixenes. He arrives at this conclusion as his attempts to get his friend to stay longer in Sicilia fails, while his wife succeeds in persuading Polixenes to stay. “Leontes: Is he won yet? Hermoine: he’ll stay my Lord. Leontes: At my request he would not.Hermoine, my dearest, thou never spokest to better purpose.” He further accuses his wife of being unchaste and claims that his son, Mamillus, is not his, but Polixenes’. His accusations and assumptions in this instance displays his bleak and frozen feelings, in that, he is not willing to accept any other reasoning for his wife’s relations with Polixenes, thus reflecting the weather, winter.

Additionally, the symbolism of winter is reflected in Leontes’ plot to kill Polixenes, by way of poisoning him. “—mightst bespice a cup, to give mine enemy a lasting wink; which draught to me were cordial.” This depicts his cold- hearted ways and his disregard for human life. The gloom of winter is further prolonged as Polixenes and Camillo flee Sicilia, as there is an absence of hope amongst the two, in that, their hopes that Leontes will change his mind is thwarted.

The mood of the trial scene also reflects the gloom of winter, in that, disparity and injustice is evident.Hermoine is set to trial for her “infidelity”, Mamillus is found out to be dead and Hermoine faints and is later proclaimed dead. The aura of death and despair is reflected by the season of winter.

The theme of death is further prolonged when Antigonus is killed by a bear after setting down Perdita, Hermoine’s daughter, in Bohemia. Also, the death of the Mariner, by being engulfed by a wave during a storm in his boat, portrays the theme of death.

Subsequently, spring in the play brings about comic relief. The season, spring, denotes the season which is the transition from winter to summer. It connotes however, feelings of rebirth, renewal and re-growth. In essence, the season of spring in A Winter’s Tale lightens the audience’s gloomy mood. For example, in Act 4, Scene 3, Autolycus, enters singing a ballad, this automatically gives way of a lighter mood in the play. He, disguises himself as a peddler, fools the clown and steals his money. Moreover, the audience is greeted by a happy Florizel, Polixenes’ son, and Perdita,  in love. Although Polixenes is against his son’s relations with a commoner, a shepherd’s daughter, they continue on in their adulation.

Spring also symbolises rejuvenation, in that Florizel and Perdita flee Bohemia and travel to Sicilia, and escape Polixenes’ restrictions. Rejuvenation or restoration is evident when Perdita discovers that Leontes is her father and Hermoine is deemed alive.

On the contrary, the season of winter can be looked at from two perspectives. The gloom and doom aspect and the aspect of purity and innocence. During winter, it snows, in most instances. Snow is normally white, and white symbolises purity and innocence. The innocence of winter is reflected in Hermoine’s innocence when Leontes’ accuses her of infidelity, as well as, Perdita’s innocence as a child, a she is abandoned. Camillo’s resistance, by disobeying his king’s orders to poison Polixenes and helping him flee Sicilia, renders purity and kind-heartedness.

In Conclusion, the seasons within the play, winter and spring, act as a fore-runner for what is to come. Winter reflects a gloomier and cold mood, while spring represents a time of restoration. Conversely, winter may have a double connotation, and may be regarded as a representative of urity and innocence.

Assignment #2

• Life is unfair. That is the notion often affirmed when someone is mistreated or when life doesn't go the way that is expected. Often times this unfairness is as a result of  betrayal. The term betrayal is broadly defined as the act of being disloyal to someone's trust; exposing treacherously to an enemy; disappointing the expectations of someone or leading someone astray. Based on personal experiences, I can concur that betrayal is indeed heinous. One instance of betrayal occurred in my early years of High School, when I was blamed for disturbing the school by one of my classmates. This particular classmate was often my major competitor in terms of academics. Upon getting in trouble for disrupting the silence of the school she decided to tell the Head Mistress that I was  involved as well. The said allegation would have been punished by use of corporal punishment. Thankfully my teacher at the time was able to vouch for me, explaining that I was in her class at the time, thus I was left unpunished. This minor act of betrayal by my classmate was as a result of her not wanting to be the only one accused and punished. Hence the reason why she thought it necessary to "drag me under the bus". In the instance of betrayal aforementioned i succumbed varying emotions. At first i was utterly confused, then I was angry and lastly a wave of relief overcame me. During the betrayal there was not much I could do. I did the most plausible thing, and that was, to defend my actions.

• There have been occurrences where persons believe they have been betrayed and in the end they find out that it was one big misunderstanding. Based on my life experiences, it is hard to say that I've ever encountered that which was previously stated.

• 
  
  Violence, trickery and/or evilness play an imperative role in the appeal in most, if not all Shakespearean plays.  In most cases, the three come into being as a result of love, hatred, desperation or betrayal. The characters within the array of Shakespearean tragedies, comedies, histories resort to violence, trickery and/or evilness because it perhaps was the only resolve that seemed plausible at the time. Furthermore, this alternative may have come about as a result of a lack of structured legal systems at that time.
  Subsequently, that which was previously stated is evident in the Merchant of Venice, where Shylock creates a bond, whereby Antonio is to give him a pound of flesh closest to his heart if he does not fulfil the decided agreement. In this case, one would believe that Shylock’s request was as a result of him being abused as a Jew. Further, his revulsion toward Antonio is exposed, based on his request for his flesh. Additionally, Antonio uses trickery to escape the bond, by claiming that not a drop of blood was to be spilt. In a sense, he created a loophole within the contract.
  Other examples of characters that resort to violence, evilness and trickery may be found in Hamlet. In the Shakespearean tragedy, Hamlet is ordered to kill King Claudius, in order to avenge his father’s death, by his father’s ghost.  This command by his father’s ghost was clearly brought about as a result of hatred towards King Claudius.
  In the Shakespearean comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, trickery is an ever-occurring theme, in that, Don Pedro uses trickery to woo Hero for Claudio; trickery is used to make Beatrice and Benedick believe they were in love with each other; Don John used trickery to convince Claudio that Hero was unfaithful.
  Accordingly, the acts of violence, trickery and/or evilness are used for the personal gain of various characters within Shakespearean plays. Although some of these resolves were in a sense crude and heinous, some were used to ensure a positive outcome. Thus, it can be concluded that the resolves aforementioned were as a result of the characters’ need or want of self gain, or the characters’ desire for someone else’s happiness.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A Winter's Tale is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It was originally published by the First Folio in 1623, however it was speculated that Shakespeare possibly wrote the play in either 1610 or 1611. As evident from the speculation aforementioned the play was written primarily during the Elizabethan Era. This presented itself as an era of reform. Withing and towards the end of this specific period, England went through vast changes.

• The Elizabethan Era was the period which was referred to as the Golden Age in English history. It was a period which was associated with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Within this period ELizabethan Theaters were formed. Elizabethan Theaters were established in 1576. Before then plays were performed in courtyards of inns or in the homes of noblemen. The first Elizabethan Theater that was built in 1576 was constructed James Burbage and his brother-in-law, John Brayne. It was formally known as 'The Theatre'. After which other playhouses sprouted up, namely 'the Rose' in 1587, 'the Hope' in 1613 and the most famous, 'the Globe' in 1599. The Theatre was closed down in 1597 and was dismantled by Richard Burbage and his men in the late 1598. Eventually, it was rebuilt and renamed the Globe, this was done in a period of six (6) months. The Globe theatre was built in a way such that it was similar to the Coliseum. At the time there were no elaborate technology, such as sets or lighting and thus, performances had to be held in the broad daylight.However, it was only in use until 1613 because a canon fired during a performance of Henry VIII caught the roof on fire and the building burned to the ground. Elizabethan Theaters, however, attracted vast crowds of over 2000 people. These crowds included commoners, as well as the prosperous. Women attended the plays, but no women performed in the plays. The roles of women were generally performed by young boys. The theaters were often speculated and objected by members if the Church and City Officials based on the claim of a rise in crime. Thus, all the theaters located in the city were eventually forced to move to the south side of the River Thames.

• Theatre of the Absurd is a designation of particular plays of absurdist fiction, written by a number of primarily European playwrights.It originated in France in the late 1940's. It was formed as a reaction to World War II. It took basis of existential philosophy and combined it with dramatic elements to create a style of theatre which represented  a world which cannot be logically explained. The plots of the plays differed from conventional plot structures, they seemed to move in circle, ending the same way they began. The scenery was often unfamiliar and the dialogue never seemed to make sense. It is also described as a form of drama that emphasizes the absurdity of human existence by employing disjointed, repetitious and meaningless actions, it presents life as irrational.

• William Shakespeare, an English actor, poet and playwright, was born to John Shakespeare and mother, Mary Arden. Shakespeare’s exact birth date is unknown, but he was baptised on 26^th April 1564, in Stratford-Upon-Avon, where he was born. All that is known of Shakespeare’s youth is that he may have attended the Stratford Grammar School, although there aren’t any records to prove it. However, it is recorded that at the age of 18, Shakespeare married 26 year old, Anne Hathaway in 1582. The year after their marriage, she gave birth to their daughter, Susanna, followed by twins, Judith and Hamnet, two years later.
  Shakespeare’s recognition as an actor, poet and playwright, came seven years later, when Robert Greene made reference to him as “an upstart crow”, in A Groatsworth of Wit.  In his time, William Shakespeare had written 13 comedies, 13 Historical Plays, 6 Tragedies, 4 Tragicomedies, as well as about 154 Sonnets. Some of his plays include:

Tragedies

Anthony and Cleopatra

Coriolanus

Hamlet

Julius Caesar

King Lear

Macbeth

Othello

Romeo and Juliet

Timon of Athens

Titus Andronicus

Histories

King Henry IV Part 1

King Henry IV Part 2

King Henry V

King Henry VI Part 1

King Henry VI Part 2

King Henry VI Part 3

King Henry VIII

King John

Richard II

Richard III

Comedies

All’s Well That Ends Well

As You Like It

Comedy of Errors

Cymbeline

Love’s Labour’s Lost

Measure for Measure

Merchant of Venice

Merry Wives of Windsor

Midsummer Night’s Dream

Much Ado About Nothing

Pericles, Prince of Tyre

Taming of the Shrew

Tempest

Trolius and Cressida

Twelfth Night

Two Gentlemen of Verona

Winter’s Tale

Poetry

A Lover’s Complaint

Sonnets 1-30

Sonnets 121-154

Sonnets 31-60

Sonnets 61- 90

Sonnets 91-120

The Passionate Pilgrim

The Phoenix and the Turtle

The Rape of Lucrece

Venus and Adonis    

He is considered the greatest writer of all time and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. This may be so because of his vast collection of works displayed in the aforementioned. Also, his plays have been translated into basically every major living language, and have been performed more often than those of any other playwright in the world.

William Shakespeare joined with The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, one of the most successful acting troupes in London. The troupe lost the lease for the theatre, in which they performed, and had to build their own theatre across the Thames, south of London, which they called “The Globe”.  The new theatre opened July of 1599, during the Elizabethan Era, with the Motto “Totus mundus agit historionem”, which means a whole world of players.

Shakespeare wrote fewer plays after 1606-1607 and none are accredited to him after 1613. Shakespeare died on 23^rd April, 1616 and was survived by his wife and two daughters.

Elements of drama

Elements of Drama

Act:  a subdivision of a play

Scene: a subdivision of an act in a dramatic presentation

Exposition: the explanation of necessary events at the beginning of a play, leading up to the start of the play

Conflict:  an opposition of people or other entities; the problem or struggle on which the play is based.

Complication: the intensification of the conflict in a play.

Climax: the highest point of the narrative, all actions are built towards this.

Denouement: the unravelling of the plot in a play

Peripetia: the sudden change for the good, as in a comedy.

Characterisation: the way in which a writer creates characters in a narrative, so as to attract or repel sympathy of the audience

Protagonist:  The main character in a play

Antagonist:  the villain: the person who opposes and challenges the protagonist.

Main plot: The main event a story comprises as they relate to one another in a pattern, a sequence , through cause and effect , or by coincidence.

Subplot: a plot subordinate to the main plot of a play.

Form of Drama:

Comedy:  a literary works that aims solely to provoke laughter.

History:  a play based on or depicting historical events.

Tragedy:  a literary work in which the main character suffers extreme sorrow, as a consequence of being unable to deal with unfavourable circumstances

Tragic-comedy: a literary work in which the elements of tragedy and comedy are combined.

Theatre of the Absurd: a designation of particular plays of absurdist fiction, written by a number of primarily European playwrights.

Satire: writing which exposes and ridicules the subordinates or the stupidity of people or society

Farce:  a light dramatic work in which high improbable plot situations, exaggerated characters, and often slapstick elements are used for humorous effect.

Modern Drama: the western development of drama beginning in the late 19^th century,  where the role of the play was of illumination and examination.

Melodrama: A drama characterized by exaggerated emotions, stereotypical characters and interpersonal conflicts.

Features of Drama

Monologue: a long speech made by one person

Dialogue:  a conversation or discussion between characters in a play.

Soliloquy:  a dramatic convention which allows a character in a play to speak directly to the audience, as if thinking aloud about motives, feelings and decisions.

Aside:  a dramatic convention in which a character speaks in such a way that some of the characters on stage do not hear what is said but others do.

Set:  a construction of scenery for theatrical productions

Stage direction:  advice about the requisite movements, gestures and appearance of actors incorporated in the text of a play.

Stage Conventions: elements which aid in the production of plays (e.g. props and costumes)

Chorus: a simultaneous utterance by a number of people.

Dramatic Unities:  the unities of time, place and action that are observed in classical drama.

Disguise: a means of altering one’s appearance to conceal one’s identity.

Literary Devices

Imagery: The “word pictures” that writers use to help evoke emotional response; figurative language that presents pictures from words.

Motif:  a significant word, description, idea or image that is repeated throughout a literary work.

Symbolism:  the practice of representing things by use of symbols, or  of giving things a symbolic meaning or character.

Dramatic Irony: Irony that is intrinsic in a situation of drama which is understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters in the play

Tragic Irony: a situation in which there is an absurdity or discordance that goes beyond the what is actually stated.

Juxtaposition: the instance of positioning close together, side by side, especially for comparison and contrast.

Essay on Persuasion in "Much Ado About Nothing".

Many different characters in this play are persuaded to do things they would not do of their own accord. What are some of these instances, and how does persuasion affect the course of the plot?

In the Shakespearean play, ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, there are instances of persuasion. Persuasion in the play causes characters of the play to do things which they would not have done otherwise. Therefore, it can be said that the incidence of persuasion affects the events in the play, more so the course of the plot of the play.

Persuasion is the art successfully convincing someone to agree to, accept or do something through verbal influence. This is used majorly in ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, on several occasions. For instance, in Act 3,Scene 1, where Hero, with the help of Ursula and Margaret meet in Leonato’s Garden, to try and trick Beatrice into believing that Benedick is in love with her. This is a form of persuasion, as Beatrice is convinced or accepts Benedick’s love and in turn, ends up loving him. The same can be said about Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato’s attempt to persuade Benedick that Beatrice is in love with him, in the previous Act.

Further, evidence of persuasion can be found in Act 3, Scene 2, where Don John tries to convince Don Pedro and Claudio that Hero is a whore. He persuades them further by providing proof, in that he leads them to Hero’s window where they see the act of unfaithfulness. Also, on the day of the Hero’s wedding, persuasion takes place, as Claudio makes the wedding party, and those at the wedding believe that Hero committed an unfaithful act. In addition, in the instance where Beatrice tells Benedick to challenge Claudio to a duel for disgracing her cousin, Hero, can be seen as a form of persuasion.

Throughout the play, there are many occurrences of persuasion. The existence of persuasion adds to the plot of the play. Furthermore, it affects the course of the plot, in that, persuasion in the play, causes unlikely events which weren’t likely to occur.