She really does have beef with Leontes. Reading it, I though, I know it's been fifteen years, but you're still guilt tripping him. SURELY he felt bad enough, as seen in Act V? Nope. Not enough.
Leontes (V.i.2826-32)
Whilst I remember
Her and her virtues, I cannot forget
My blemishes in them, and so still think of
The wrong I did myself; which was so much,
That heirless it hath made my kingdom and
Destroy'd the sweet'st companion that e'er man
Bred his hopes out of.
Doesn't sound like he's full of godly sorrow, regret, and anguish for what he's done? He sees himself as so imperfect next to her, and that he never deserved her from the beginning. But, he also destroyed her? Imagine how much horrendous guilt he felt! Paulina seems pretty heartless as she's raking and stabbing him with each little reminder that, oh by the way, you killed your perfect wife and both of your children.
Her and her virtues, I cannot forget
My blemishes in them, and so still think of
The wrong I did myself; which was so much,
That heirless it hath made my kingdom and
Destroy'd the sweet'st companion that e'er man
Bred his hopes out of.
Doesn't sound like he's full of godly sorrow, regret, and anguish for what he's done? He sees himself as so imperfect next to her, and that he never deserved her from the beginning. But, he also destroyed her? Imagine how much horrendous guilt he felt! Paulina seems pretty heartless as she's raking and stabbing him with each little reminder that, oh by the way, you killed your perfect wife and both of your children.
But in the end... she's really been faking it? She was just hiding the queen the whole time? (By the way, wouldn't you eventually just want to escape if you were trapped in Paulina's house for fifteen years?) Did she enjoyed mentally torturing Leontes?
And, why didn't she get killed off for harassing the king? (Just a thought.)
Clearly, Paulina is NOT a Pollyanna.
Clearly, Paulina is NOT a Pollyanna.
I agree with you, it's ridiculously harsh to think that not only has she been cutting him down the whole time, but lying to him as well...I mean after the first year you would think she could bring Hermione out and say "Surprise!"
ReplyDeleteThis is actually why I think I would prefer a supernatural reading of the play, especially with the mixture of the oracle at the beginning. It tells him that life will perk up once he finds his daughter again, so why not have some divine intervention with some resurrection at the end? To me that would increase Pols credibility to talk about faith, because what right does she have to say anything about that when she's been hiding the queen?
So, kill the queen, bring her back miraculously, and I'll be more happy.
I would like to think that as well, just because of the implications that it has on Hermione and Paulina.
ReplyDeleteHowever it really deepen the characters of Herminoe and Paulina to think that they have been hiding this for the last 16 yrs. Also it does fit a little with the fact that Paulina talks about how the king should never marry again till she says so and how she is the one that starts, from the beginning, talking about the statue and it's features and how faith is required...extra
I will also admit that it shows a great price paid by the king, as judged by Paulina and possible Hermione, to receive forgiveness and part of his family back. Also it does make a little more sense that she didn't die because if she was miraculously brought back to life, i would like to see his son brought back too!