The trial of Hermione (Act III, scene 2), Queen of Sicily, is the crucial moment in The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare. It effectively closes the tragic chapter of the opera, leaving room for the short comedy that follows. It sets up the incredibly unlikely ending and leads to the scene that forms the basis for the action in subsequent acts. Perhaps most importantly, it is in this scene that we are shown the full extent of King Leontes' degeneration, which calls into question the very identity of the work. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Winter's Tale is effectively two plays in one. The first three acts constitute a mini-tragedy, of which the trial scene is the culmination. The following two acts seem to belong to one of Shakespeare's comedies. It is this dual nature that requires such a monumental event to take place so early in the drama. Structurally, this scene gives the work a sense of cohesion when it would otherwise be a confusing, polarized mess. However, this scene does more than successfully separate two contrasting parts of the same story. The deaths of Hermione and Mamillius set off the action that fills the rest of the play, as does the play's joyous, but impossible, conclusion. After the death of Mamillius, Leontes is forced to accept (due to the proclamation of the Delphic Oracle) the loyalty of Hermione and to recognize Perdita, still nameless, as his legitimate daughter, otherwise "he will live without heirs" (II.ii, lines 135-136). Hermione's subsequent disappearance creates the wonder of her "resurrection" scene, as well as the controversy surrounding it. The fact that her death occurs behind the scenes with only Paulina (the woman who supposedly brings her back from the grave) as a witness leads the practical reader to wonder if she ever died. If we accept Hermione's death, we are legitimizing the mysticism surrounding her return, something our realistic culture is eager to do. However, if we reject the idea of ​​her death, we must recognize the fact that a queen has been hiding in the house of a nobleman's widow on an island for a decade and a half, which is just as unlikely as her becoming a woman Lazarus. Regardless of whether we accept Hermione's death or not, there is no denying that Leontes' rejection of her creates the action of the rest of the play. It is because of this mistrust that Perdita, Leontes' last living heir, is banished to Bohemia, where drama and confusion ensue. Although the young girl's exile occurs elsewhere in the play, the reason for this is Leontes' jealousy, of which this scene is the culmination. Indeed, this scene focuses primarily on Leontes' degeneration into a distrustful and jealous shell of a man. Over the course of this play, Leontes transforms from a powerful king into a fake Othello. However, unlike the tragic Moor, the king's fall occurs by his own will. He is instantly convinced that Hermione is an adulteress, with no other proof than having committed an act of which Leontes himself accused her (the attempt to prolong Polixenes' stay). He is neither deceived nor goaded by anyone but himself. Since Leontes' death is his own doing, we cannot even give him the pity we feel for the ignorant Othello, nor the respect we show the vengeful Hamlet. Othello can be pitied because his crimes were committed out of reckless ignorance, having been deceived by an evil man in whom he placed much trust. Hamlet can be respected because he seeks revenge for those he loves on a villain who actually exists. But Leontes cannot.