Chris Biernacki and Kelly Inch

The Winter's Tale conveyed a lack of humanism, portrayed by Leontes. Bevington defines humanism as any attitude that tends to exalt the human element or stress the importance of human interests (31). Leontes does not possess humanism. His stubborn decisions were not fully thought out and also not human . Throughout the play Leontes abuses one person to the next: Camillo, Antiguous, Hermione and the Oracle. Leontes abused his priveledge as King by telling Camillo to poison Polixenes. Camillo agrees by saying, "Sir, my lord, I could do this, and that with no rash potion, But with a lingering dram that should not work Maliciously like poison; but I cannot Believe this crack to be in my dread mistress, So sovereignly being honorable, I have loved thee." Camillo tells Leontes that he will do what the king orders except if it is something that is not human. Leontes goes too far by demanding this hideous deed. Leontes then says, "This is all: Do't, and thow hast the one half of my heart; Do't not, thou split'st thine own." Leontes is trying to make Camillo feel guilty. Leontes's order caused him to lose one of his most loyal men. In Act III, Leontes continues his cycle of hatred toward his court. His next victim of abuse is Antigonus. He orders Antigonus to get rid of his own babe, "That thou commend it strangely to some place, Where chance may nurse or end it. Take it up." Antigonus then says, " Anything my lord, that my ability may undergo, And nobleness impose-at least thus much: I'll pawn the little blood which I have left, to save the innocent." Antigonus has no choice but to follow his Lord's stipulations because he knew that the result would be intense. Antigonus was killed thanks to Leontes's selfishness. Now he lost another fine man from his court. It seems like he is going down the line taking one man at a time.

---

Hermione was physically and mentally mistreated by Leontes. She was nine months pregnant and Leontes threw her to the ground. He had a ferocious temper. He tells his lords, "When you have said she's goodly, come between, Ere you can say she's honest. But be't known, From him that has most cause to grieve it should be, She's an adultress." He sets his mind straight that she is guilty and does not let her have a chance of speaking her truth, this is mental abuse. Hermione tries to get in one word by saying, "No, by my life, Privy to none of this; how will this grieve you When you shall come to clearer knowledge, that You thus have published me! Gentle my lord, You scarce can right me throughly then to say You did mistake." Hermoine is trying to show Leontes that she did not commit the crime but no matter what she says Leontes will not change. The Oracle is a form of God in which Leontes does not respect. The Officer tells Leontes, "Hermione is chaste, Polixenes blameless, Camillo a true subject, Leontes a jealous tyrant, his innocent babe truly begotten, and the King shall live without an heir, if that which is lost be found." Leontes does not believe that the Oracle is telling the truth and in return Apollo strikes down on the earth. Leontes goes above the word of God and says that he knows the real truth. In the end, Leontes indignity helps him lose the respect of his court. Leontes's abuse on his court and wife was the direct result of his jealousy. According to Frye, "Under the pressure of what Leontes calls "affection" or emotional stress, consolidates into something, and creates an irrational fantasy(162)". His fantasy ended up harming other people.

---

Return to Main Menu