Leontes’ Paranoia

Ripe Good Scholar

In this episode…

Dr. Lisa Grogan and I will take a look at Leontes’ from The Winter’s Tale. Early in the play, he becomes obsessed with the idea that his wife is having an affair with his friend, the King of Bohemia. His paranoia escalates quickly and, once he suffers any consequences, subsides just as quickly. This, to me, seemed unrealistic, so I spoke with Dr. Grogan about it. Her insights were interesting because the pattern was realistic, just sped up, which is pretty on par with Shakespeare.

In addition to examining Leontes in particular, we discuss paranoid delusions in general, what it looks like, and how to combat it. While this episode can provide some interesting insight into the character of Leontes and the inner workings of his mind, it is not medical advice that should be applied outside of fictional characters. If you suspect you or someone in your life is suffering from paranoid delusions, please seek the help of a medical professional.

For the full show notes, go to ripegoodscholar.com/ep25

Teller of Tales by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4467-teller-of-the-tales

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Minstrel Guild by KevinMacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4056-minstrel-guild

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/