Such a Deal of Wonder: Structures of Feeling and Performances of The Winter's Tale from 1981 to 2002

• Main Author: Burt, Elizabeth Marie
• Format: Others
• Published: BYU ScholarsArchive 2005
• Subjects: The Winter's Tale; Shakespeare; structure of feeling; Raymond Williams; National Theatre; Royal Shakespeare Company; RSC; NT; theatre; performance; English Language and Literature
• Online Access: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/577; https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1576&context=etd

Structures of feeling represent the interaction between personal lived experience and fixed social values and meanings, which are found in interpretations of works of art. Studying various interpretations of any play in performance can provide a point of access into a culture because the choices made in the production can be compared to each other and to the written text and then reveal how the theatrical company views particular issues within their own time period. This study looks at productions of The Winter's Tale between 1981 and 2002 at the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Using numerous versions of this play not only increases the depth of our understanding of the play but also reveals how the actors and directors interact with British culture. Each production reveals a director's vision for the production as well as his or her own experience within the culture. Some issues and ideas that are reflected in these interpretations include both optimism and cynicism with regard to the political situation and public figures, an increase in spectacle, and secularization.