The Winter's Tale Contents
- Social / political context
- Religious / philosophical context
- The Theatre
The state as a body
Just as God is seen to be at the top of the hierarchy in the Universe, so are kings and other rulers within the state, and so is the head, the seat of reason, within the body.
When Shakespeare has Camillo, lament in Act I, sc ii that he has ‘A master … in rebellion with himself', he is using the image that a man is like a kingdom; the head is the ruler, and the passions those who need ruling. Here, Camillo sees that Leontes' passions are rising up and over-ruling his reason.
See also - The nature of humanity in The Winter's Tale: |
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The chain of being | The state as a body | Reason and passion | Disease and healing |
The Bible describes God as the unique supreme being, creator and ruler of the universe.
The ability of humans to think clearly and logically, and hence to make significant decisions.
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