A Winter's Tale Act I

The Comedy of Errors

Egeon , who is a merchant of Syracuse is in trouble because he has disobeyed a law governing the city of Ephesus. The law states that no native of Syracuse may enter the bounds of Ephesus and the penalty of doing so is either a thousand levies or death. Unfortunately Egeon does not have that type of capital to avoid execution. He is not currently in Syracuse for the exchange of goods or profit, but rather he is there to search for his long-lost son. He begins to tell Solinus, a Duke of Ephesus his reasoning for being there. Many years ago, he was happily married. His wife became pregnant with twins. When they were born. Egeon and his wife also decided to adopt another set of twins who happened to be poor to look after each son. Shortly after their birth, they left to sail back home when a violent storm wrecked their ship forcing them to separate. Each parent, son and twin boy drifted separately towards different cities. It is Egeon and his son’s mission to find the other members of their family which is what brings him to Syracuse. Because Shakespeare plays tend to be ironic, I feel that they will eventually meet up with the other family members but the question is how will Egeon survive with no money to pay his penalty?

Winter’s Tale

Leontes and Polixenes has the typical “bromance” relationship except there is a twist; Leontes is secretly jealous of his friend. It is really emphasized the closeness that these two characters posses with one another. They have a long friendship, being described as childhood friends. In Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 19-21, Camillo speaks of them, “There rooted betwixt them then such an affection which cannot choose but branch now”. Even Polixenes stated, “We were as twinned lambs that did frisk I’th’ sun, and bleat the one at th’other” in 1.2.69-70. Despite their closeness, Leontes seems to feel that his best friend is having an affair with his wife.

Hermione and Polixenes seem to have a relationship that definitely causes concern, and not merely because of Leontes’ accusation. As seen in Scene 2, it is Hermione that finally convinces Polixenes to stay for another week, despite his insistence. There also seems to be a slight sense of flirtation between them, especially after he agrees to stay. Even her husband remarks that there is only one other moment in which she has never spoken to better purpose, which is the time where she take his hand in love and marriage. But there are moments in which Hermione reminds the audience that Polixenes is merely a friend of the family, so her friendliness and being a gracious host could be mistaken for something more.

We have seen this type of jealously amongst friends in Much Ado About Nothing. Claudio quickly became suspicious of Hero and Don Pedro, one of his closest friends. The audience knew that this was unwarranted so I am predicting that it will be the same in Winter’s Tale.