The Winter

1
The Winters Tale

• LOVE

2

• Romantic love Leontes and Hermione
• Florizel and Perdita
• Parental love
• Love for a friend
• Love of a servant for his/her master
• Love of country
• Love of nature
• Love of a child for their parent
• Loves redemptive power

3
Love of a servant for his/her master

• Camillo only sees fault with himself when he does
  not understand Leontes jealousy if
  industriously / I play'd the fool, it was my
  negligence
• It is against his nature to Forsake the court
• When Antigonus speaks up he makes clear It is
  for you we speak, not for ourselves
• Antigonus agrees to take the baby into exile
  though a present death Had been more merciful
• Paulina feels it is her duty to speak strongly
  If I prove honey-mouth'd let my tongue blister
• True love and genuine loyalty means making
  sacrifices and choosing what is right not what is
  beneficial or safe

4
Love of country

• Polixenes explains Leontes bad mood by saying it
  seems as if he had lost some province and a
  region Loved
• Camillo is desperate to Purchase the sight again
  of dear SiciliaAnd that unhappy king, my master
• The return of children and servants restores
  order in the play
• Marriage completes this order

5
Love for a friend

• We were as twinn'd lambs that did frisk i' the
  sun shared fun and innocence
• They both light-heartedly talk of the way their
  lives have changed since meeting their wives
• Indeed Leontes jealousy destroys the friendship
• It is predicted that rooted betwixt them then
  such an affection, which cannot choose but branch
  now
• Leontes says To mingle friendship far is
  mingling bloods
• Notably in his last speech Leontes is keen to
  restore his friendship with his brother

6
Romantic Love - Leontes and Hermione

• I love thee not a jar o' the clock behindWhat
  lady-she her lord Hermione about Leontes,
  being apart will not affect their relationship
• Jealousy is either a disease or venom
• For Leontes jealousy quickly turns love to hate
  My wife's a hobby-horse. He belittles her
• Yet we can see that without trust love, life, the
  world and all that's in't is nothing
• Love relies on trust and loyalty

7
Romantic Love - Florizel and Perdita

• Florizels happiness means that he can Apprehend
  nothing but jollity
• He longs for the ability to capture his love in
  its first, special moments
• when you do dance, I wish you
• A wave othsea, that you might ever do
• Nothing but that move still, still so
• Their love is youthful and fresh
• In Polixenes rage it is this youthful beauty he
  wants to destroy I'll have thy beauty
  scratch'd with briers
• But it is strong and eternal for all the sun
  sees

8
Love of nature

• The language of F Ps speeches links their love
  to nature it is shown in spring
• Perdita shows a love of Nature which befits her
  innocent and caring character
• However, there is a strength and practicality
  about her which is also attractive
• She speaks of the transformative power of Nature
  daffodils... Take the winds of March with
  beauty
• Her debate with Polixenes suggests deep-seated
  traits of faithfulness and purity

9
Parental Love

• If the king had no son, they would desire to
  live on crutches till he had one (1.1)
• Polixenes speaks for himself and Leontes when he
  says of his son He makes a July's day short as
  December
• When he is first infected with jealousy he seeks
  refuge in his son and the fact they are Almost
  as like as eggs
• But he is tainted by the dishonour of his
  mother
• Mamilliuss guilt by association means that
  Leontes has lost all that makes life worthwhile

10
Loves redemptive power

• Love is hugely powerful in the play
• It, as much as Apollo or the stars, seems to
  guide the fate of the characters
• It must be coupled with reason, trust and loyalty
• But if it is it can create regeneration,
  transformation and awe