29 Mar 2019

MA English Part.1 Paper.2 Drama The Winter s' Tale by William Shakespeare




The winter s’ Tale
William Shakespeare
Short Summary:
Winter s’ Tale is written by William Shakespeare. It was published in 1623.Setting of the play is in Sicilia and Bohemia. The play starts at Sicilia when the Bohemian King Polixenes is visiting Sicilian King Leontes.He gives a warm welcome to the king and entertains him well. After staying long, the king Polixenes says that now he wants to go back. Leontes, the king says that he should stay a little more but the king Polixenes resists. When Leontes’ pregnant wife queen Hermione requests Polixenes to stay, he accepts her request and becomes willing to stay more.

Here Polixenes also tells Hermione that how fast their friendship is. A seed of suspect rises in the mind of Leontes and he is possessed with jealousy. He thinks that there are some unfair relations between Polixenes and Hermione. He becomes skeptic and declares that Mamillius is not his own child but of Polixenes.

Now Leontes calls for Camillo: a noble man. He orders him to poison Polixenes to death. At this Camillo decides that he will not give poison to King Polixenes. Instead, he tells the entire story to the king. On this Polixenes and Camillo flee to Bohemia successfully.

When Leontes comes to know of their escape, his suspect becomes clearer and now he is cock sure that there were unfair relations between Polixenes and her wife Hermione. Now he starts thinking that the baby she is carrying is not his own but of Polixenes. Hermione tries to prove her innocence but Leontes imprisons her. Paulina: the wife of Antigonus visits prison and comes to know that Hermione has given birth to a baby girl. Paulina gives this news to Leontes with the hope that the king will change his decision and will forgive Hermione. But Leontes is still sure that his wife is guilty and Camillo and Polixenes are conspiring against him.

On this he decides to throw Hermione as well as the new born baby girl into fire, Paulina tries to pacify him. Leontes orders Antigonus to tackle his wife and also orders him to throw the new born baby girl far away at some coastal deserted place. Antigonus did so and when he was returning, was eaten up by a wild bear.

At the protest of the nobles, the king sends a man to consult the Delphic oracles. Two men come and reveal the prediction of god Apollo. It is told in the prediction that Hermione is not guilty but innocent and the king will die childless if the thrown baby is not found. But Leontes does not believe in it. A person from the palace comes and tells that Mamillius has died. Hearing this, Hermione faints. Paulina takes her away. Later she informs the king that queen is no more in this world. Now Leontes confesses his guilt and starts repenting.

At the coastal area, the baby girl is found by a shepherd. He takes her to his home and names her as Perdita. Sixteen years later, Camillo declares that he wants to go back to his native country Sicilia. Polixenes forbids him. Polixenes is worried about his son Florizel who spends his most of the time in the shack of a shepherd. He and Camillo go to the shepherd cottage in disguise. A sheep shearing festival of shepherd is going there. There Florizel is also in disguise but Camillo recognizes him. He comes to know that Perdita and Florizel are in deep love with each other. Hearing this Polixenes gets into rage and he goes against his son marriage with a shepherd s’ daughter. Here Camillo plans of going back. He advises Florizel to elope with Perdita to Sicilia, thinking that Polixenes will chase his son to Sicilia and he will get a chance to go back to his country. It happened so, Florizel and Perdita flee to Sicilia and chasing them Camillo and Polixenes also reach Sicilia. Now they all gather at the palace of King Leontes. Earlier it was also declared by the shepherds that Perdita was not Shepherd s’ daughter.

In the Palace of Leontes, Florizel tells a lie that they have married with his parents’ approval. Polixenes appears at the scene and says that Florizel has fled from Bohemia with a shepherd s’ daughter Perdita. Florizel confesses his crime and seeks help from Leontes. There a shepherd reveals the secret that Perdita was found by him years ago at a coastal area. Leontes was happy to know that Perdita was his own daughter. Hearing this, Polixenes also becomes happy and accepts the marriage of Florizel and Perdita. Paulina says that she wants to show the king the statue of queen Hermione. Leontes sees the statue and is much amazed that the statue was same as the queen herself. There Paulina discloses the secret that queen is alive. Hearing this king becomes happy. Camillo and Paulina get married in the end.

the winter tale by william shakes peare short summary,ma english part.1 paper 2 drama punjab university syllabus


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