English-Chinese Comparison: The Story of Prince Telecles in Winter

Author: (English) William Shakespeare, translated by Zhu Shenghao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: The main and subplots of The Prince of Tyre revolve around Pericles and his long-lost daughter Marina, featuring twists and turns that are absent in romantic comedies. This is followed by the time span covered by the play's story. In this play, the story spans 16 years, giving the protagonist ample time to marry and have children. By the end of the play, the daughter has grown up and reached marriageable age. This inconsistency in time is something that classical dramatists could not tolerate. This may also be one of the reasons why the play did not receive favorable reviews for several centuries. A Winter's Tale is one of Shakespeare's most successful and tragicomedies. The play encompasses the main elements of tragicomedy: conspiracy, disguise, suspense, and surprise. In most tragicomedies, character portrayal is often secondary, but in A Winter's Tale, Shakespeare successfully creates a vivid image of Hermione as a "virtuous wife and mother," making her one of the female characters in Shakespeare's plays that has been highly regarded by generations of audiences and readers.