The Winter’s Tale, one of Shakespeare’s very late plays, is filled with improbabilities. Before the conclusion, one character comments that what we are about to see, “Were it but told you, should be hooted at / Like an old tale.” It includes murderous passions, man-eating bears, princes and princesses in disguise, death by drowning and by grief, oracles, betrayal, and unexpected joy. Yet the … joy. Yet the play, which draws much of its power from Greek myth, is grounded in the everyday.
A “winter’s tale” is one told or read on a long winter’s night. Paradoxically, this winter’s tale is ideally seen rather than read–though the imagination can transform words into vivid action. Its shift from tragedy to comedy, disguises, and startling exits and transformations seem addressed to theater audiences.
The authoritative edition of The Winter’s Tale from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes:
-Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play
-Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play
-Scene-by-scene plot summaries
-A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases
-An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language
-An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play
-Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books
-An annotated guide to further reading
Essay by Stephen Orgel
The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit Folger.edu.
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I will begin this review of The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare by saying a few things to keep it in context:
1. I read this play back in my junior year of college as part of my Shakespeare course. The course was 15 weeks long and held on Saturday mornings at 9am. I had no option but to take it at this time. As a junior, even though I was quite studious, I also liked to have some fun… and Friday nights were a key period of fun… I may or may not (no confessions here) have not quite turned 21 yet… but did enjoy a few drinks (that’s all I will say) on Friday evenings. And then I had to go to class the next morning.
2. In this Shakespeare course, we read 1 play each week, wrote a paper on it, and then discussed it from 9 to 12. This was a really difficult course mostly due to the advanced nature of the analysis, the ruthless professor (whom I actually was quite close with) and the time it was held. Towards the end, The Winter’s Tale was one of those 15 plays… and by the grace of every single deity out there, this was not one I had to present or do a major paper on. We wrote 5 major papers, 5 small papers and 5 journal entries. I got lucky and this was a journal entry.
3. It did not capture my attention for all of the above reasons, but also because it was a little too “out there” for me. I love most of Shakespeare’s work, but this was not one I could engage with. It was written towards the end of his career and probably one of his better masterpieces, given everything he learned over his prolific career. But the play had so many themes, sub-plots and topics, I was just a bit overwhelmed.
4. If this is the first review you’re reading from me, you should have stopped earlier and read some different ones before this one. I rarely give a 5 out, only when my life has been changed as a result of reading it. I only give a 1 out of it should never have been published. So in the scale of 2 to 4… 4 is a strong recommendation to read it and a 3 is your generally good book. I haven’t given many 2’s out either, but this one is on the border of 2 or a 3, but my memory yells at me to give it a 2. I suppose I should re-read it… but why? There are definitely other great works of literature before I’d go back to read something I didn’t much care for.
That said… I’ve given you very little in this review other than to re-count a tale of my college experience and a time when I couldn’t connect with a book. I’m sorry Mr. Shakespeare. I’m sorry book review readers. This one just fell too flat for me to even put more energy into describing all the reasons why.