Leontes' behaviour and themes of friendship and loyalty.
Shakespeare presents the effects of Leontes' behaviour on Camillo and Polixenes through the use of dialogue, humour, imagery and elliptical language. Leontes' behaviour intrigues many people who know the story of 'The Winter's Tale'. Behaviour such as that of Leontes can come from an experience of loss as a child. According to Henry James "the great source of terror in infancy is solitude". As a child Leontes and Polixenes were separated. Camillo speaks of this in 1.1 24. As children they had a very strong friendship. This is reiterated by Polixenes when Hermione questions him on it. (1.2 60). Behind Leontes' angry adult features are hidden a boy made desperate by the pain of loosing his friend at childhood. Long after the events of their separation the terror of solitude hits him. According to a book by John Bowleby there are three psychological characteristics of loss. 1) The anxiety of loosing, 2) the psychological defences when pain is too much and 3) the mourning which is experienced in the case of actual loss i.e. when Mamillius dies. During 1.2 419-460 Leontes is in stage two, his anger is strong and he doesn't understand where it's coming from. He takes it out on Hermione and Polixenes and also puts Camillo in a difficult
Camillo is not loyal to his master in this passage. Leontes has to pay for this and live with what he did. One strong theme running through this passage is friendship and loyalty. Camillo talks about the stars and the moon in 1. It also talks about time, which eventually rights most of the wrongs. But once she pretends to die the power changes. The ease between the two friends has gone, their friendship is less. Imagery is strong and shows some of the effects of Leontes' behaviour. "showing that he is definitely telling the truth. He says that"By the honour of my parents, IHave uttered the truth-. The effects of his behaviour are more subtly shown by Shakespeare in 1. Because of Leontes' irrational behaviour Polixenes is deprived of two of his good friends and watching their children grow up together. This is like Leontes obeying Hermione, which at the beginning he does not do; he has the power over her.
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