• Winter's Tales, Shakespear

• Introduction
• Short Summary
• Detailed Summary
• Summary Act I-Scene-I
• Summary Act I, Scene II
• Summary Act II, Scene I
• Summary Act II, Scene II
• Summary Act II, Scene III
• Summary Act III, Scene I&II
• Summary Act III, Scene III
• Summary Act IV, Scene I-III
• Summary Act IV, Scene IV
• Summary Act V, Scene I
• Summary Act V, Scene II
• Characters in "Winter's Tales"
• Leontes, King of Sicilia
• Hermione, Queen of Sicilia
• Perdita: the shepherdess
• Character of Camillo
• Polixenes: King of Bohemia
• Florizel, Prince of Bohemia
• Character of Paulina
• Winter's Tales Themes and Topics
• Top 10 Quotes from Winter's Tales
• Best Quotes from Winter's Tales

Themes of Love, Loyalty, Forgiveness, Friendship and Important Topics in Winter's Tales by William Shakespeare

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Jealousy Theme in Winter's Tales:

It is probably the most important theme in this play. The king is jealous of his wife and friend. He views each and every act of them with suspicion. Under this strong negative feeling, the king plots to kill his friend but he survives. The wounded pride of the king forces him to take it all upon the queen; therefore, in punishing her, he punishes himself and ruins his entire family. He loses respect, dignity and falls a victim to the guilt. He eventually fails in all his vain attempts and becomes embarrassed of his devilish role in the few days of jealousy. These few days laden on him a lifelong starvation of happiness and this would come only when his repentance has been accepted by God!

Theme of Revenge and Forgiveness in Winter's Tales:

"Winter's Tales" is also a tale of revenge and forgiveness. There are two friends that used to forgive and forget in the past but when it comes to mingling friendship far, there comes revenge for the king of Sicilia feels:

"To mingle friendship far is mingling bloods".

Therefore, he must take the life of his dearest friend. The fit of the king does not harm his friend but it does impact the entire matters of the state as well as his personal life.

Theme of Loyalty:

There is no great blessing in the world for a king than to have noble and loyal counsels. But unfortunate Leontes remains fruitless from the just and apt advises of his true ministers and counsels while on the other hand, Polixenes spares no room to take the advantage of all such men whom he deems honest and true of opinion. Therefore, loyalty and nobility of company cannot benefit a jealous man like Leontes.

Theme of Love in Winter's Tales Shakespeare:

Love is the basic human feeling and the most discussed since creation. Shakespeare has elaborated his concept of love in this play; he finds it a force and power strong enough to reconstruct the broken states as well as to recreate the lost trust. This feeling helps in overcoming and defeating the negative emotions of jealousy and hatred. A deep observation reveals how Shakespeare portrays love and hatred side by side; love in Bohemia and jealousy followed by revenge in Sicilia. The outcome of both suggests the way of ideal life for man.

Kindness Theme in Winter's Tales

It is an old belief that kindness never goes unrewarded. The old shepherd was kind enough to help the poor child. He adopted her while she was abandoned by her own father. The old man received the prize of better titles as well as worldly wealth in the end of the play.