The Theory of Mimetic Desire

So in my Shakespeare class this past semester, we read The Winter's Tale, which is one of his late plays, obscure, and makes no sense.  His later plays are renowned for having too many ideas, theories, and storylines tied together.  For example, a guy is eaten by a bear onstage and a long dead wife, who has been carved as a statue, comes back to life.  Crazy stuff.
The story is about a king who grew up with another king.  When they were children they were 'innocent rivals' but now things have taken a turn for the worst.  The first king accuses the second king of having an affair with his wife.  But the first king doesn't really like his wife until he became suspicious of the other king sleeping with her.
Thus we discussed the Theory of Mimetic Desire.  Rene Girard came up with this.  Anyway, mimetic desire is when you only like something because somebody else likes it.  In order for this to work, though, you have to like the other person enough to want to be like him.
For example: Basically every guy on the planet likes James Bond, wants to be James Bond.  Say a guy sees James Bond in Walmart, at the tie rack, and James Bond picks out a nice red silk tie.  The guy automatically wants that tie becasue he wants to be like James Bond.  But he really wants that tie.  When does a harmless 'man crush' turn into becoming rivals?
Of course, with Shakespeare, this is turned into a homoerotic subject, hinting that the first king and second king were more than just friends and that the first king loves the second king more than he does his own wife.

This is apparent in the world of dogs as well.  Just tonight, I poured water in the water bowl.  Bentley looked at it, and turned away.  Lady, on the other hand, heard the water hit the bowl and came running to drink it.  Only when Bentley saw that Lady wanted the water did he want the water.  Bentley thinks Lady is cool.
I just tied Girard, Shakespeare, Homoeroticism, and Dogs all into one post.  Eat your heart out.