"Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again."

This passage seems to fit perfectly! I firmly believe so. Even though we may not have Aslan in this place of wonder, we do possess the redemptive quality of art. We have beauty that captivates our souls, joy that fills our hearts, and wonder that expands our minds. These elements ultimately bring renewal in the form of spring. It doesn't mean that spring will forever conquer winter; in fact, we wouldn't desire that. Instead, it reminds us that only after the harshness of winter can the beauty and rebirth of spring arrive.

This wonderful piece was read alongside The Literary Life Podcast, with compliments from the Royal Opera House ballet (whose performance was truly delightful), Harold Goddard (his essay was amazing!!!), BBC Radio Drama, and Lauren Wade from YouTube. It's quite an extensive array of works and interpretations that made my first real and thorough reading of a Shakespeare's play. What a mouthful indeed!

When I first read this in High School, I was convinced that I adored it more than all of Shakespeare's other plays put together. And even now, it still retains a great deal of charm for me, although perhaps not to the same extent as before.

For one thing, the thief character was a bit more irritating than I remembered, rather than being the charming plot device I once thought.

For another, it's difficult to fathom that divorce could be so easily reconciled. Granted, this is an almost magical divorce, but still.

Why not intensify the reconciliation to erase the tragedy of a child's death, the loss of the newborn, the wrongful accusation and downfall of a true wife, and his betrayal of his loyal servant, just because he's been regretting his actions for 20 years?

If we're supposed to feel pity for the old man, it's a very powerful story. He regains everything except his eldest child because of his sincere remorse. It's even damn beautiful, but in the end, it's pure fantasy.

This play was written at the end of Shakespeare's career and might have been his own expression of remorse. It fits the narrative, similar to how Mozart composed his own Requiem.

However, from an alternative perspective, I can't help but despise the blasé attitude towards Hermione. The way she quietly withdrew from everyone's company for 20 years after the events (or perhaps she really did die and return as a reanimated statue, which is slightly more acceptable since at least she wouldn't have been so bored or lonely), or the way the rest of the world could have allowed these events to occur in the first place.

Look, I'm just frustrated with the state of the world as presented here. I assume Shakespeare was also upset about it. After all, he dedicates the second act entirely to allowing young people to choose whom they want to love and portrays all other choices as tyrannical. Perdita herself clearly knows her own mind, so it's not all black and white in the play. Her mother also knew her own mind when she used her wits to obey her husband's commands, but we all know how that ended.

Double standards and insane jealousy seem to be the order of the day for all of us, don't they? Sigh.

Still, it's undeniably a brilliant play.

Oh, this was amazing.

It was an excellent story and a fantastic translation.

I don't know why I haven't read anything from Shakespeare for so long.

Perhaps it was because I was caught up in other literary works or simply didn't have the time.

But now, having experienced this wonderful piece, I am reminded of the beauty and depth of Shakespeare's writing.

His plays and sonnets are like treasures that offer无尽的insights into human nature and the human condition.

I am determined to explore more of his works and discover the magic that lies within them.

Who knows what other amazing stories and characters I will encounter along the way?

One thing is for sure, I am excited to embark on this literary journey and see where it takes me.

I haven't delved into Shakespeare for such a long time. It's truly a pity. However, reading this play, which was one of the last he wrote, was mostly an enjoyable experience. I must state that I'm deeply in love with Shakespeare's style of writing. It is wonderfully witty and charming. I never get tired of reading his works.

The characters and the themes within this play were carefully crafted. The story had me hooked from the beginning. I found myself very interested in the development of the plot and the relationships between the characters. However, when compared to some of the other plays I've read, the overall quality was slightly lacking. There were some parts that felt a bit rushed or not as well-developed as they could have been.

Nonetheless, there were still a couple of my favourite excerpts that stood out to me. For example, "Exit, pursued by a bear" is such a memorable and dramatic line. It immediately grabs the reader's attention and leaves them wondering what will happen next. Another excerpt that I liked was "Is this nothing? Why then the world and all that’s in’t is nothing: The covering sky is nothing, Bohemia nothing, My wife is nothing, nor nothing have these nothings, If this be nothing." This passage is so profound and thought-provoking. It makes you question the nature of reality and the meaning of life.

Overall, although this play may not be one of Shakespeare's greatest works, it still has its own charm and beauty. It's a reminder of his genius and his ability to create unforgettable characters and stories. I'm glad that I took the time to read it and I look forward to exploring more of his plays in the future.

Reading as part of a Shakespeare project, I delved into this late period work of Shakespeare. It's a play that we don't often witness being performed on stage or in film, and is relatively lesser known. Shakespeare seems to have poured all the knowledge and experience he gained over his career into this particular piece. It's a unique blend of a comic tragedy, split neatly into two halves.

I faced real difficulties getting through the first half. King Leontes' jealousy, much like Othello's, seems to emerge out of thin air without any reasonable explanation. After all, his wife Queen Hermione is already pregnant and they have a son before King Polixenes arrives. The passage of time is an interesting element here, as we leap forward 16 years in Act IV, and the tone of the play becomes much lighter.

I was recommended to watch the play while reading it. I tuned in to two separate TV productions, but unfortunately, I dozed off during both. In parts, it's an intelligent play, yet it fails to hold my attention in the same way that Hamlet, Macbeth, or A Midsummer Night's Dream do. Even the inclusion of a bit of Greek mythology couldn't quite rescue it for me. I'm at a loss as to how to conclude this review. While I thought the ending was terrible, from a technical standpoint, it is a good play. After all, where else would you encounter a stage direction like 'exit followed by a bear'?

2023 Shakespeare Complete works challenge

#20 - The Winter's Tale

Read - 6/12/23 - 6/16/23

Rating: 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

———————————————————

The Winter's Tale is truly a remarkable story that delves deep into the themes of repentance and redemption.

The transformation of Leontes throughout the play is nothing short of astonishing. From his initial state of jealousy and paranoia, which leads to tragic consequences, he eventually undergoes a complete turnaround.

Moreover, the play offers an engaging subplot and a memorable character in the form of the rogue and pickpocket Autolycus. His antics and cleverness add a touch of humor and excitement to the overall narrative.

This Shakespeare play is like a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. It is truly great, with its complex characters, intricate plot, and powerful themes.

Next up in my challenge will be Love's Labor's Lost. I'm looking forward to exploring this new play and uncovering its unique charms.

A beautiful reading of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. As its name suggests, it is a work full of fairy tale flavor. Starting by wondering if there could be such a heartless and cruel king, and ending by making one wonder if a wonderful and happy ending will come. It is a beautiful play that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. The story is filled with complex characters, intense emotions, and unexpected twists and turns. The dialogue is rich and poetic, adding to the overall charm of the play. Whether you are a fan of Shakespeare or just looking for an entertaining and thought-provoking piece of literature, The Winter's Tale is definitely worth reading.

The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare is a remarkable play. It was originally performed around 1610 - 11 and published in 1623. The editor, Frank Kermode, made edits in 1963 and 1988, while Sylvan Barnet's latest edits were from 1998. The format is a 299-page Signet Classic paperback, with the play itself being 116 pages. I acquired it from the library and read it from November 21 to December 11, spending a total of 13 hours and 16 minutes, which averages to 2.8 minutes per page. I rated it a 5.

This play is a unique blend of jealousy taken to dark and lethal extremes and a charming romantic comedy. It's the second play I've read with a Shakespeare read-along group on Litsy. Shakespeare based it on Pandosto, a book on jealousy by Robert Greene, an older contemporary. However, he added the character Autolycus, who is like a predecessor to the Dicken's Artful Dodger in a pastoral version and kind of steals the show. Shakespeare doesn't shy away from tragedy either. He stretches it out over three intense acts, which might make the turn to comedy in act four a bit confusing for a modern audience. But, it seems Shakespeare was having fun all along while exploring time and nature with a touch of philosophic depth. Overall, it's a really fun play.

64. The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare
editor: Frank Kermode
published: 1623. Originally performed ~1610 - 11. Kermode's edits are from 1963 and 1988, Barnet's latest edits are from 1998
format: 299 page Signet Classic paperback (The play is 116 pages)
acquired: Library
read: Nov 21 - Dec 11
time reading: 13 hr 16 min, 2.8 min/page
rating: 5

Other contributors:
Sylvan Barnet: general editor and contributor of a 54 page Shakespeare overview
Excerpts from Robert Greene's Pandosto
Essays/miscellany from Simon Forman, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, E. M. W. Tillyard, G. Wilson Knight, Carol Thomas Neely, and Coppélia Kahn

For a summary:

What a fascinating Shakespeare!

His works are truly a wonder to behold. Even though they may contain some familiar elements, each story is unique and captivating in its own way.

The ending of this particular play is masterful, leaving the audience on the edge of their seats and craving for more.

I am so excited that I can't wait to discuss it with Melissa. She always has such interesting insights and perspectives on literature.

Together, we can explore the themes, characters, and plot of this play in more depth.

In addition, I am looking forward to continuing to listen to The Literary Life episodes on this topic. The hosts always do a great job of analyzing and discussing classic literature, and I know I will learn a lot from their discussions.

Overall, Shakespeare's works are a treasure trove of literary genius, and I can't get enough of them.

A winter's tale, as a romance genre, incorporates elements of myth and fable. It is told for the entertainment of children and women, perhaps with a special meaning for older women.

Shakespeare begins with a winter tale and uses Greene's Pandosto, a prose romance, to transform the tale-romance into a play.

The sudden anger that seizes King Leontes causes long-term damage in two kingdoms. This winter tale serves as a warning against sudden outbursts of anger and validates the family message to avoid such eruptions. We can never fully know the consequences of our anger. Let it never be as what unfolds in The Winter's Tale.

Redemption takes its own sweet time. A generation must grow up not to seek vengeance but to address the actions of the parents. By then, precious childhoods are lost, an estranged friend is aging and becoming less weak, a worthy wife has been wronged for years, and a child is gone. Amends can only address the hurts and not return things to the way they were. May amends be easier and less costly than what is depicted in The Winter's Tale.

Before my next reread, I will read Greene's Pandosto, which has fewer than 200 pages, as it will assist me in deepening my understanding of The Winter's Tale.

An astonishing work, this is late Shakespeare at his absolute best, perhaps just prior to The Tempest. It features the best children's role in the canon, Mamilius. There is also Leontes, perhaps the most jealous of all the Bard's jealous lovers and spouses, and Hermione, the most innocent accused. The best stage direction, "Exit pursued by a Bear," adds to the drama. The story showcases the best friendship that turns sour and the best speech on flowers, Perdita's "Now my fairest friend, / I would I had some flowers o' the spring that might/ Become your time of day, and yours and yours,/...daffodils, / That come before the swallow dares…lilies of all kinds,/ The fleur de luce being one…" (IV.4). This last, perhaps the worst line in all the canon, is in a grand compendium speech.

Then there is the unique Chorus in the canon: "I am Time. I have passed" (as Amherst's T Baird said). Sixteen years pass between the first half and... Enough time for Perdita to grow from a baby to a Babe. (By the way, "Babe" is difficult to render into the Romance languages, like Italian: No, not "bimbo, or Bambina, or Tesoro.")

Until the 18C, interest centered on Hermione, particularly the statue scene, but from the early 18C to the mid-19th, the play was performed "as a sheep-shearing festival" (176, Arden ed., 1986). Autolycus sings the famous "When daffodils begin to peer" which includes the favorite line, "For a quart of ale is a dish for a king" (86). And though a thief, Autolycus has great insight into the Humperty-Dumpty White House. He says, "I cannot tell, good sir, for which of his virtues it was, but he was certainly whipped out of the court [White House]" (IV.iii.85), which seems to describe Sally Yates and Comey.

There is the riotous thievery of Autolycus…recently played to perfection by (Director) Fred Sullivan, Jr., at the Gamm Theater, Pawtucket RI *(perhaps the best Shakespeare I have seen in 40 years, including many in England). The most famous historical Autolycus was in the 18C, Richard Yates, who later began the New Theatre in Birmingham (1773). And finally, there is the animation of art, the statue invigorated--a variation on the Renaissance topos.

As in every play by the Bard, one finds acute analysis of character and satire of leaders, as in IV.iii above, but also here, Paulina says of the hypersuspicious Leontes, "These dangerous, unsafe lunes i' th' king, beshrew them!" (II.2.30). As a student of lunar mapping and influence in the seventeenth century, I love madness termed "lunes," and I apply the word to the US would-be King Humperty-Dumpstery.

*PS The Gamm Theater has moved from its excellent small venue to a huge theater, which I've never gone to. There has been a serious reduction in the level of excellence, though an increase in the level of tickets-- but not from me.

\\n  \\n    Book Review\\n  \\n

I will commence this review of The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare by providing some context.

1. I perused this play during my junior year of college as part of my Shakespeare course. The course spanned 15 weeks and was held on Saturday mornings at 9 am. I had no alternative but to attend at this time. As a junior, although I was rather diligent in my studies, I also relished having some fun. Friday nights were a crucial period for enjoyment. I may or may not (no admissions here) have not yet reached the age of 21, but I did partake in a few drinks (that's all I'll disclose) on Friday evenings. And then I had to trudge off to class the next morning.

2. In this Shakespeare course, we read one play each week, penned a paper on it, and then engaged in a discussion from 9 to 12. This was an extremely challenging course, mainly due to the advanced nature of the analysis, the exacting professor (whom I was actually quite close to), and the time it was scheduled. Towards the conclusion, The Winter's Tale was one of those 15 plays. By the grace of every deity imaginable, this was not one that I had to present or write a major paper on. We composed 5 major papers, 5 small papers, and 5 journal entries. I was fortunate, and this was a journal entry.

3. It failed to captivate my attention for all of the aforementioned reasons, but also because it was a bit too "out there" for my taste. I have a profound love for most of Shakespeare's work, but this was not one that I could fully engage with. It was written towards the end of his career and was probably one of his finer masterpieces, considering all that he had learned over his prolific career. However, the play had an abundance of themes, sub-plots, and topics, which left me feeling somewhat overwhelmed.

4. If this is the first review you are reading from me, you would have been better off stopping earlier and reading some different ones before this. I seldom award a 5, only when my life has been transformed as a result of reading a particular work. I only give a 1 if it should never have been published. So, on a scale of 2 to 4, a 4 is a strong recommendation to read it, and a 3 is a generally good book. I haven't given out many 2's either, but this one hovers on the border of 2 or 3, but my memory insists that I give it a 2. I suppose I should re-read it, but why? There are undoubtedly other great works of literature that I would turn to before going back to read something that I didn't care for much.

That being said, I have provided you with very little in this review other than to recount a tale of my college experience and a time when I couldn't establish a connection with a book. I apologize, Mr. Shakespeare. I apologize to my book review readers. This one simply fell too short for me to invest more energy in describing all the reasons why.

\\n  \\n    About Me\\n  \\n

For those new to me or my reviews, here's the lowdown: I read copiously. I write profusely. And now I blog extensively. First, the book review appears on Goodreads, and then I transfer it over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you will also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge, and a plethora of blogging about places I have visited around the world. And you can discover all my social media profiles to obtain the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.

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