essay on attempts to mitigate leontes' jealousy in Winter's tale

 

QUESTION: For Homework: Go back through the play. What actions do people take to mitigate Leontes' jealousy, and do they work? Why or why (discussion Board) not? Write an essay that answers this question.

 

Leontes’ jealousy grew to an unbelievable level. at such a level no measure taken to mitigate his jealousy to the point of negating his actions worked. it is evident through the play that many people tried religiously but their contentment was no match for the jealousy of ‘the tyrant.’

In an effort to show Leontes that his accusations are false and his jealousy is unnecessary Antigonus confronted him. He warned Leontes by telling him “Be certain what you do, sir, lest your justice prove violence.” this  was in an effort of letting him know that if he is wrong there are consequences. Antigonus even went as far as to illustrate to Leontes that his wife cannot be such a person;that if his wife is an adulteress then “every dram of woman's flesh is false.”

The first lord also tried to mitigate Leontes’ jealousy by showing him that his accusations are false. he said “For her, my lord,I dare my life lay down and will do't, sir.....the queen is spotless.”

All of these efforts failed because of Leontes’ similar contentment. he thought for certain that he was right because all the evidence he had seemed to have been against Hermione but little did he know that his clouded judgment(of jealousy) formed figures in his imagination that would only seem to prove him right when he was wrong.

The opposition of these men to Leontes’ accusations forced him to seek spiritual counsel from an oracle. The oracles prophecy came from the god,Apollo. It declared Leontes to be totally wrong but Leontes still tried to deny it-“There is no truth at all i' the oracle.”

Indeed,contentment is a positive religious characteristic but Leontes was inaccurately content and was overly content. He was proud,he was boast,he thought he was right. He said “I am satisfied and need no more” but little did he know that his satisfaction was limited and needs were yet to come.