William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale In Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, the playwright introduces his audience to a world blending natural imagery with that of ancient religion. Appearing as nature’s child, Perdita fails to realize her own identity and does not recognize that the flowers she describes mimic her own image. Just as gillyvors are a result of crossbreeding, the shepherdess is essentially one of nature’s bastards since she eventually discovers Porrus has been an adoptive father for her, and Leontes is her biological father. Perdita not only shares her natural image with the goddess Proserpina, but also shares in the goddess’ fate as a lost daughter. Much like Proserpina who represents the springtime, Perdita exemplifies the natural growth and prosperity that accompanies the season. When Antigonus agrees to take up Perdita and leave her to chance, he understands that she is nature’s child since “Some powerful spirit instruct the kites and ravens / To be thy nurses. Wolves and bears, they say, / Casting their savageness aside, have done / Like offices of pity” (II.iii.185-8). Nature then raises the infant as her own when Perdita takes on natural attributes uncommon among humankind. Before Antigonus abandons the infant Perdita in accordance with Leontes’ orders, he addresses the babe, “Blossom, speed thee well” (III.iii.45), as though Perdita resembles a flower in full bloom. As Perdita grows older, the shepherdess imparts her “blossoming” image on others, particularly on the courtiers who greet her in the country. After asking Dorcas to “Give [her] those flowers there,” she distributes “rosemary and rue [which] keep / Seeming and savor all the winter long” (IV.iv.73-5). The flowers ... ... middle of paper ... ...u might well enjoy her” (V.i.214-5). Perdita’s beauty surpasses her lowly stature to the point where she is not regarded as a shepherdess to Leontes, but rather as a higher power. Perdita ultimately takes on the natural image of Proserpina as well as her role as a lost daughter. Through the flowers Perdita mentions, she effectively manages to describe not only her own identity, but that of the goddess. Even though Antigones abandons the shepherdess at birth, Perdita’s missing person and questionable identity causes others to also lose the ones they love and opportunities they could have had. Because the loss of Perdita creates significant loss for others, it is as though the maiden has a hand in others’ lives, much like the gods. Thus her indirect intervention, image, and role as a lost daughter all play a key part in her representation of Proserpina.
Dramaturgy refers to how art brings out the dramatic actions and representation by creating a series of engaging elements on the stage. Dramaturgy is more of how actionable the piece of work is to the presenters and audience. It is somehow distinct from playwriting and directing since one piece of art can contain variant concepts of dramaturgy. It gives the narrative about the relationship with cultural signs, gender roles, historical sources and origin if not specific references. The Shakespeare's work titled Winter’s Tale exposes credible illustrations of dramaturgy bringing particular insight into the history to the surface. Technically, the in-depth investigation revealed that the union between King Henry VII and Anne Boleyn creates challenging reflections on the ruling of the Mighty Kingdom. In fact, it brands the novel with the scenic introduction and ending as well.
During this time, Felicitas gave birth to a baby girl, who was taken away from her hours after her birth. The day before they were to be martyred, Perpetua had a dream of her battling a “savage Egyptian”, and proclaimed that she would battle the devil himself. The day of their execution, the soon-to-be martyrs are led into the amphitheater where they are to be killed by beast. They are first scourged by Gladiators, and then a boar, a bear, and a leopard are set on the men, a wild cow on the women. After the two were wounded by the animals, Perpetua and Felicitas gave each other the kiss of peace before they are put to the sword. Both are beheaded, and both became martyrs for their faith.
The depiction of the Greek and roman myths are given unique insights from different authors. The Hymn to Demeter and Ovid's Metamorphosis provide and insight to Demeter's love for her daughter, Persephone, and explores its affect on the surrounding environments. The theme of separation and isolation is present in both of these myths, however, in Ovid's Metamorphosis, he symbolizes the environment in important events, has characters playing different roles, and empowers female deities.
What makes Perpetua’s story captivating and memorable besides being a Christian martyr during the Roman empire, she was the only one to keep a diary during her imprisonment. Her experiences as an elite noblewoman reflected her leadership skills and education to shape her and the others’ memory. Perhaps one of the most extraordinary aspects of Perpetua’s story was her dreams. Her identity of a prophet helped her cause of martyrdom. The spread of prophecies among the Christian community was not uncommon. Throughout the ancient world prophecies were a sign of the divine among the living. For example, the most acclaimed prophet was the Pythian priestess at the Oracle of Delphi for
It is generally held that the tragic essence of Antigone lies in the state’s brutal suppression of individual emotions and humanity. However, it is not only individual emotions and humanity, but also family honor and responsibilities that Antigone tries to defend and fulfill. So it is not completely true that what Antigone stands for is timeless and universal justice. The tragic conflict of the play consists in the extremist attitude Creon and Antigone hold towards the state law and the family honor. The fundamentalist ideas of the state ...
...the horrific incident of his murder to his dearest Porphyria. Finally, the employment of the clever use of irony serves in proving the persona’s inner madness, as what he thinks and does is contrary to what Porphyria has done earlier prior to her death. Though the persona’s execution of his late lover was done to keep his everlasting moment of intimacy with her, the act was still malevolent and evil, and was a poor and foolish attempt in displaying his own affection for his love. In the end, it greatly epitomized his greediness over keeping Porphyria to himself, and his cruelty by taking away her life for his own benefit.
As she helps Oedipus in Oedipus at colonus and remains loyal to her sister, Antigone.
Despite the male dominant society of Ancient Greece, the women in Sophocles’ play Antigone all express capabilities of powerful influence and each individually possess unique characteristics, showing both similarities and contrasts. The women in the play are a pivotal aspect that keeps the plot moving and ultimately leads to the catharsis of this tragedy. Beginning from the argument between Antigone and Ismene to Eurydice’s suicide, a male takes his own life and another loses everything he had all as a result of the acts these women part take in. The women all put their own family members above all else, but the way they go about showing that cherishment separates them amongst many other things.
At the outset of Oedipus Rex no female characters are present; the reader sees a king who comes to the door full of curiosity: “Explain your mood and purport. Is it dread /Of ill that moves you or a boon ye crave?” When the priest has responded that the people are despairing from the effects of the plague, the king shows sympathy for his subjects: “Ye sicken all, well wot I, yet my pain, /How great soever yours, outtops it all.” Thomas Van Nortwick in Oedipus: The Meaning of a Masculine Life : “We see already the supreme self-confidence and ease of command in Oedipus. . . . exudes a godlike mastery in the eyes of his subjects. . . .”(21-22); such “godlike mastery” will be his undoing. The critic Ehrenberg warns that it “may lead to ‘hubris’” (74-75). Throughout the drama Sophocles draws out an ongoing contrast between the “godlike mastery” of the king and the softer, more balanced and selfless characteristics of Jocasta, his wife. She is a foil to Oedipus. Shortly thereafter Creon, Jocasta’s brother, is returning from the Delphic oracle with the fateful words of the god’s command: “...
It would seem that these women are very different when its comes to the question of power. Bernarda Alba is immediately powerful in all aspects of the world that she lives in, and especially in her own household, “Tyrant over everyone around her”2. Medea, on the other hand, seems to be utterly powerless from the start: “But what of me? Abandoned, homeless, I am a cruel husband’s plaything”3, she is a foreigner in Corinth, she has burned all her bridges in her native land, her husband has left her, and she now has no protection in a land that is not her own. However, thanks to her single minded character she overcomes this ‘handicap’ and takes matters into her own hands: “The day on which I will make corpses of three of my enemies, father, daughter and husband-my husband.”4 This makes her unlike any other tragic hero in Greek mythology; another would have let this weakness take over their fate.
In two amazing poems, both poets make allusions to the myth of Persephone. The myth of Persephone tells of her kidnap by Hades, the God of the Underworld. She is then fated to spend one-third of the year in the underworld as Hades’ bride because she consumed pomegranate seeds. This myth appears frequently as a metaphor not only in “The Pomegranate” and “The Bistro Styx,” but in many others as well. In both poems, the myth of Persephone is used to symbolize the mother-daughter relationships.
The parallels between the protagonists, Laura and Persephone, are quite evident. First and foremost, Laura’s mother, Mrs. Sheridan, stands as a counterpart for Demeter, Persephone’s mother. Mrs. Sheridan chose to pass down her black hat to Laura, the youngest of all of her children (Masfield 251). Laura and her mother share an intimate relationship that mirrors that of Persephone and Demeter. This display of affection expresses how comfortable mother and daughter are around each other. Mrs. Sheridan thinks highly of Laura, she sees her as a mature young lady. In comparison, when Persephone is whisked away to the Underworld without her consent, Demeter is overcome with grief and depression. Demeter’s life was centered on Persephone; she had the sensation that something was the matter. When he daughter vanished, Demeter lost her sense of direction. In addition, bot...
is unfolded, the reader sees a wife in love with the husband who was wise enough to earn her love (and consequently her fortune!). Beware, gentle reader! Do not fall under the spell of Portia the control freak! The following scenerios must be proof that this woman is not to be trusted!
Line ninety-eight begins with a half-line consisting of only two feet, "No foot shall stir." The brevity of the line and the slowness of the opening spondee help to create the tension before Paulina attempts to summon the statue of Hermione. Leontes wants everyone to stand still while Paulina tries to give life to the statue. He says, "No foot shall stir" (98). Meanwhile, the metrical feet in line ninety-eight do "stir" as the pentameter is broken up into two ha...
Shakespeare creates many topics for discussion throughout his play, The Winter's Tale. For many of these themes, multiple viewpoints can be derived from the thoughts, words, and actions of the characters in the play. The reasoning for Shakespeare's title is indeed one of the aforementioned topics.