The Winter’s Tale – Act Two plot synopsis: a baby delivered and news delayed

Previously… on The Winter’s Tale:
In the court of King Leontes of Sicilia, Camillo and Archidamus, lords from Sicilia and Bohemia, respectively, converse in exposition-filled speeches. We also get some background on these two kings, Leontes of Sicilia and Polixenes of Bohemia, “trained together in their childhoods” (I.i.22), who have a friendship that “[n]either malice [n]or matter [could] alter” (I.i.33). If you’re suspicious like me, this seems ominous. Doubling down on this possibly bad future vibe, they speak of Sicilia’s young prince Mamillius, a boy who makes “old hearts fresh” (I.i.38), and makes the old want to live until they see him become a man.
We get the state entrance of some major players: King Leontes, his pregnant wife Hermione, their son Mamillius, King Polixenes, and assorted lords, including the previous scene’s Camillo. Polixenes talks of the nine months (“Nine changes of the watery star” [I.ii.1]) he has been in Sicilia, and speaks glowingly of his love and friendship with Leontes. But he has decided to head home the next day. Polixenes repeats his decision to leave, staying not even “one sev’night longer” (I.ii.18), despite the urging of Leontes. The Bohemian king begins to say his farewells, and Leontes calls upon his wife to speak. Much to Leontes’ surprise, Hermione talks with Polixenes, and announces, “He’ll stay, my lord” (I.ii.88); even though we really haven’t him say this. When Hermione and Polixenes walk off to continue their conversation, Leontes, in an aside, states concerns and suspicions: “Too hot, too hot! … paddling palms and pinching fingers … that is entertainment / My bosom likes not, nor my brows” (I.ii.109, 116, 119-20). He fears being cuckolded (the horn reference). Leontes sends Mamillius off, then questions Camillo if the lord has seen what he has: Polixenes bowing to the “good queen’s entreaty” (I.ii.220). And over the course of the next hundred or so lines, Leontes lays out his argument for his own cuckolding. The lord is incredulous, but in an attempt to calm down the king, Camillo tells the king that he will poison Polixenes that night. Leontes leaves, and Camillo bemoans his state. Polixenes joins Camillo on stage, and the final hundred lines of the scene are spent with Camillo explaining the situation to Polixenes, urging him to flee the country. Polixenes agrees.

 

The second act of The Winter’s Tale begins with Continue reading “The Winter’s Tale – Act Two plot synopsis: a baby delivered and news delayed”

The Winter’s Tale — authorship

The authorship question for The Winter’s Tale is pretty much a slam-dunk. It’s Shakespeare, through and through.

What’s interesting (at least to me) is the sub-question of order…

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Friday Film Focus: The Winter’s Tale YouTube update

It’s July and a Friday, which means a new summer blockbuster is being released. A new Spiderman. Excuse me while I yawn. To ditch the boredom, I’ve updated the Bill / Shakespeare Project YouTube channel to include a playlist for The Winter’s Tale

The playlist includes:

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The Winter’s Tale – Act One plot synopsis: twin lambs torn asunder

The Winter’s Tale begins in the court of King Leontes of Sicilia, as Camillo and Archidamus, lords from Sicilia and Bohemia, respectively, bring us–the audience–up to date. Think the two numbered gentlemen at the beginning of Cymbeline, or Kent and Gloucester in King Lear. Archidamus urges Camillo to visit Bohemia, where he’d find a “great difference” (I.i.3) from Sicilia, and Camillo says this may happen “this coming summer” (I.i.5) when the Sicilian king repays the Bohemian king for his kindness in his current visit to Sicilia.

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The Winter’s Tale: sources

The title of this entry is mostly a misnomer. We’re not talking sources in regards to The Winter’s Tale, but source. Singular. There are a few elements that seem to have been influenced by other works, but they feel more like shouts-out or intertexts rather than stolen properties.
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Podcast 156: Cymbeline — a concept, cast (not really), and conclusion

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This week’s podcast concludes our two-month discussion of Cymbeline. We’re going to start off with a directorial concept for the play, and end with a overview-y conclusion.

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Can you believe it?

A new month, another play: The Winter’s Tale.

This is our penultimate play (though, realistically speaking, it’s not… when this is all said and [not] done, I’m going to hit up some of the “other” works…but not until I’ve done the poetry).

Continue reading “Can you believe it?”