Maternal Figures in Shakespeare

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the presence and lack of maternal figures in William Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale" and "King Lear." It discusses both the societal and familial implications of maternal absence and acknowledges the fact that this trend is still common in modern fiction.

From the Paper:

"As in many contemporary stories, the tragedy King Lear begins without a mother present. Nothing is known of her; the reader is unaware of the circumstances of her death, or if she actually is dead. What is clear is that her presence is missing, not only throughout the course of the play, but in the lives of Lear and his three daughters. Seemingly the opposite, The Winter's Tale begins with an existent maternal figure, Hermione. Not only is Hermione present, she seems to represent all that maternity should. She is a just and gentle queen, and although her royal husband, Leontes, accuses her of adultery, this accusation stems from his own maddened jealousy, and has no basis in truth. In fact, Hermione spends a good deal of the play defending her womanly honesty against her husband's unfounded jealous rage."

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