Leontes' Stupidity

Because of the King’s stupidity he suffers terribly. Do you think he got what he deserves? Justify your answer.

    Throughout Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, King Leontes has been described as evil, despicable, irrational, petulant, jealous and delusional. Although Shakespeare takes pains to make the audience sympathize with Leontes, it seems to be a lost cause.

      In Acts 1-3, the audience sees the King so overcome with anger and jealousy that he becomes irrational and fixated on his own false beliefs. He imprisons his wife; He defames her innocent reputation; He banishes his daughter; He plotted to kill his best friend and he even drove Mamillius, his only son to his deathbed.

      Did he deserve the harsh fate of his sentiments being false the entire time? Did he deserve the death of his only son and wife? Did he deserve the suffering that he had banished his daughter to an unknown fate?; Accusing and plotting to kill his friend for his make-belief tale of jealousy?; And accusing his loyal servant of betraying him? Did he deserve the harsh words he received in the end? The answer is a resounding yes.

     As the story unfolds one is ceased on the wrong path that King Leontes has followed throughout which leads to the death of his only son and wife. The banishing of his daughter based on his false premise was another example of his irrationality and paranoia of King Leontes.

     Shakespeare skillfully has woven a plot of unfortunate incidents based on an entirely false notion and everything crumbles around Leontes. All familial relationships crumble as his fixation unfolds throughout the story. King Leontes does not put any faith in the virtues and fidelity of his wife; he is distrusting of his servant which points to certain egocentricity and selfishness on his part. He clearly believes only in his values and the perceived good he sees in himself blinds him to the actual good in others.

      For instance, the manner in which King Leontes deals with his unborn daughter is a clear premise to highlight the stupidity and ignorance:

King Leontes imprisons Hermione while pregnant with the innocent babe causing Hermione to have a premature birth due to the grief arising from her husband’s callous actions. Paulina dutifully carries the newborn baby and shows it to the King thinking that once he sees her he will have mercy on Hermione and the baby. However, he then is so outraged that he speaks of burning the baby and thereafter decides that he will only banish it to fend for itself.

         Thus, Leontes did in fact get his just deserts. He allowed jealousy to take over his rationality and as a result lost his family, friends and loved ones due to the misconceptions and accusations he wrongfully made.