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The Winter's Tale Analysis

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In what ways is the portrayal of women in ‘The Winter’s Tale’ influenced by the society Shakespeare lived in? Camilo Jose Cela stated that “literature is the denunciation of the times in which one lives.” This quote has inspired the thesis statement: the portrayal of women in ‘The Winter’s Tale’ is influenced by the society Shakespeare lived in. Before going any further it must be noted that Shakespeare lived in two periods of time (1564-1616), which were the Tudor (1485-1603) and the Stuart period (1603-1714). Within these periods he lived in the Elizabethan era (1558-1603) and the Jacobean era (1567-1625). Therefore the thesis statement shall explore how his exposer to these two societies has impacted the portrayal of women within ‘The Winter’s Tale’ (specifically, Hermione and Paulina). The two societies, had similar norms and expectations regarding women. These societal norms are highlighted within Hermione, making her an example of how the portrayal of a female character within the play was …show more content…

Like Anne, she was falsely accused of adultery, her child was rejected by her father (as the child was believed to have been the lover’s child) , she did not boldly go against the accusation, she was found guilty (despite lack of evidence that she committed the crime) and died. This conveys that the plot surrounding Hermione is not just influenced by events within the Tudor period, but is in fact an allegory of one of these events. Therefore Hermione is a reflection of societal norms in the Elizabethan and Jacobean era’s as well as an allegory of the life of Anne Boleyn (an event which occurred within the Tudor period). This means that aspects of her (her behaviour and the plot that surrounds her) have been influenced by both the periods in time that Shakespeare lived

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