3. Analyze the importance of Time in The Winter's Tale.
Introduction:
- Time is presented as a character / a figure and therefore Shakespeare’s focus is not so much on
the action/plot but also on the effect of the structural devices and the way these allow themes to
show. The 16 years allows the audience to truly see the “tale” and change of Leontes.
*By commenting on Leontes “leaving”, Time, as a playwright, moves the dramatic action away
from the character who dominated the Sicilian sequence to a new group of characters, asking his
audience to imagine themselves in Bohemia and therefore shows how important he is for the
structure of the play and its progression.
- Time appears as a figure halfway through the play and yet time figures through other guises
throughout: Archidamus in Act 1 references this.
Key quote: TS Eliot (20th Century poet): “Time the destroyer is time the preserver.”
How time “make” and “unfolds error” (Act IV Scene 1)
Also, make sure to refer to how you will develop your question – so refer to the fact that time
features at various points (subtly or more obviously). Symbolism is used to express time such as the
reference to the zodiac and the stars suggesting that the plot of the play is decided by fate itself (The
Gods). This is mentioned as early as Act 1 sc2.
Points to include and explore:
Robert Greene’s novel: Pandosto: 1588
Some brief information on this – this can be found in your blue texts. PAGE 66- 69
Here you only need some brief notes on some of the similarities and differences between the two
texts. This can be referred to as intertextual allusions.
However, some of the audience would recognize these parallels and therefore, the importance of
time would appear more prominent.
The figure of time
- The personification of Time and what he says - fulfilment of the oracle and relationship of time to
the wheel of fate and fortune.
- References to time at the beginning in Act 1 sc2 – 9 months of the wat’ry star – again relates
timing to fate/fortune through reference to “star” but also subtly establishes the start of a chain of
events through the connection between nine months and child birth (and Polixenes stay in Sicilia).
This is made even more apparent and clear to the reader through various references to Hermione’s
pregnancy through the lexis used. See page 86 of the play! (see intro page 34)
Introduction:
- Time is presented as a character / a figure and therefore Shakespeare’s focus is not so much on
the action/plot but also on the effect of the structural devices and the way these allow themes to
show. The 16 years allows the audience to truly see the “tale” and change of Leontes.
*By commenting on Leontes “leaving”, Time, as a playwright, moves the dramatic action away
from the character who dominated the Sicilian sequence to a new group of characters, asking his
audience to imagine themselves in Bohemia and therefore shows how important he is for the
structure of the play and its progression.
- Time appears as a figure halfway through the play and yet time figures through other guises
throughout: Archidamus in Act 1 references this.
Key quote: TS Eliot (20th Century poet): “Time the destroyer is time the preserver.”
How time “make” and “unfolds error” (Act IV Scene 1)
Also, make sure to refer to how you will develop your question – so refer to the fact that time
features at various points (subtly or more obviously). Symbolism is used to express time such as the
reference to the zodiac and the stars suggesting that the plot of the play is decided by fate itself (The
Gods). This is mentioned as early as Act 1 sc2.
Points to include and explore:
Robert Greene’s novel: Pandosto: 1588
Some brief information on this – this can be found in your blue texts. PAGE 66- 69
Here you only need some brief notes on some of the similarities and differences between the two
texts. This can be referred to as intertextual allusions.
However, some of the audience would recognize these parallels and therefore, the importance of
time would appear more prominent.
The figure of time
- The personification of Time and what he says - fulfilment of the oracle and relationship of time to
the wheel of fate and fortune.
- References to time at the beginning in Act 1 sc2 – 9 months of the wat’ry star – again relates
timing to fate/fortune through reference to “star” but also subtly establishes the start of a chain of
events through the connection between nine months and child birth (and Polixenes stay in Sicilia).
This is made even more apparent and clear to the reader through various references to Hermione’s
pregnancy through the lexis used. See page 86 of the play! (see intro page 34)
