ABSTRACT
Empirical observations of the natural world in areas of plant husbandry, astronomy, astrology, and alchemy work to reinforce the idea of regeneration in the play. The names of the Roman succession myths themselves form a logical link to the planets, stars, and constellations through the astronomy which underpins astrology and alchemy. My analysis of these specific textual references indicates that The Winter’s Tale may have been written for a specific moment in time, itself emblematic of renewal: the spring or vernal equinox of 1611, before the first known staging of the play. Surprisingly for its time, The Winter’s Tale repeatedly uses sensory and empirical aspects of the natural world to translate and authorize its literary representations of regeneration, whilst retaining some connections with older ideas. The Winter’s Tale can thus be seen as an early example of the diffusion of the forms and methods of the new science into literature.
