The relationship between Polixenes and Leontes would be interesting to study. We are given a little bit of information at first from the interaction between the two and we gather that they were good friends when they were younger. I wonder if when they went their separate ways to be King of Bohemia and Sicilia respectively, they only matured and grew up once they were away from each other. Now being back in the same place, both with wives and being King, they may indeed go back to their childish selves bceause that is the only way they remember acting around each other.
A short analysis like this might help explain why Leontes overreacts so much to Pelixenes having some sort of potential romance with Hermione. He may still be in this state of immaturity where jealousy is such a prominent part of friendships- especially in an odd number of friend groupings. I can distinctly relate this to my life where any attempted grouping of 3 girls, never went down well. Always one of us felt left out and would get bitter and jealous towards the others.
[I said most of this in our discussion today but it's still on my mind sorry!]
In class I was trying to think of good examples of lopsided friendships, and I couldn't really think of any. (Maybe Zack and Screech in "Saved by the Bell"?) But you know the friendships where really just one of the friends ends up getting his/her way all the time? And it's easy for the other friend to get jealous?
ReplyDeleteI guess it could be like the "best friend" in a romantic comedy. The "leading lady" is beautiful and gets the man, while the best friend is just there for comic relief, and often seems to go along with her prettier friend getting all the attention. (Like these two from "27 Dresses": http://www.hotflick.net/flicks/2008_27_Dresses/008TSD_Katherine_Heigl_014.jpg) You can see the potential for the funny yet plain-looking friend to snap. Maybe that's what Leontes is doing.
It's good to reiterate what was said in discussion. It almost seems like they treat each other that way because it is how they remember each other. I have been like that with past companions and certainly family. That is a good comment, there might be more to it in the play...
ReplyDeleteI like that you brought up mission companions. Have you ever gone to a mission reunion and all anyone wants to talk about is how great the mission was? I enjoy those conversations too, but I'm more interested in what my mission friends are doing now.
ReplyDeleteI remember getting together with some mission friends once, and one of the guys was at one time the assistant to the president. And I could tell that he wanted to reminisce about how great it was being the assistant. And then another former assistant said something like, "You know, it's funny that after you've been home for a while, being an assistant or a zone leader or whatever just really doesn't matter. No one really cares." Boom! Smackdown! Hahaha.
(No offense to any of you who had leadership positions on your missions...but I'm sure you can think of a few missionaries who liked to brag about that.)