\\"The Winter's Tale\\" is indeed one of Shakespeare's most underrated masterpieces. It defies easy classification as either a romance or a comedy, which perhaps has led to its unjust neglect. This rich and emotionally charged play showcases Shakespeare's remarkable writing skills and his profound understanding of human nature. It is simply breathtakingly moving and exquisitely crafted.

Polixenes, the King of Bohemia, pays a visit to his friend King Leontes in Sicilia. After Queen Hermione persuades him to stay a while longer, Leontes suddenly goes berserk and convinces himself that Polixenes and Hermione have been having an affair. He even believes that her unborn child is his old friend's. Polixenes flees back to Bohemia, and Hermione dies shortly after her newborn daughter is abandoned in the wilderness.

Leontes soon realizes that he was completely wrong and that poor Hermione was innocent all along. Sixteen years later, Polixenes' son Florizel falls in love with a mysterious young shepherdess, who turns out to be Leontes' daughter Perdita. However, with royal opposition to their marriage, the young couple faces numerous obstacles before finding their happy ending.

\\"A Winter's Tale\\" is a curious blend of Shakespeare's different theatrical styles. It contains elements of gentle comedy, mellow tragedy, and a generous helping of romance. The first three acts are filled with disaster as Leontes' crazy paranoia shatters his friendships, marriage, and children's lives. It seems as if there is no hope for a happy ending.

But the last few acts take a different turn. Shakespeare's writing becomes more romantic and sweet, especially when Florizel and Perdita exchange loving praises. Having built up a massive tragedy in the first part of the play, Shakespeare spends the latter half repairing the broken lives of the characters.

If there is a flaw in the story, it may be that Hermione is so in love with a crazy man like Leontes. However, his story is perhaps meant to illustrate the folly of allowing suspicions to govern one's actions. Florizel and Perdita are charming and earnest young lovers who are initially unaware of their parents' tragic past. The supporting characters, such as the thief Autolycus and the steadfast Camillo, add depth and complexity to the story.

Overall, \\"The Winter's Tale\\" is an emotionally draining yet ultimately uplifting story. It takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride, plunging them into the depths of tragedy before lifting them back up to a place of hope and happiness.

This has been called one of Shakespeare's "problem plays." However, if Robert Louis Stevenson loved it, then it's definitely good enough for me! In fact, it's one of my absolute favorites.

The reason it's regarded as problematic is due to its strange tonal inconsistency. For the majority of the play, it is rather dark and tragic. It delves into the jealous wrath of the king of Sicily, who wrongly accuses his wife of being unfaithful with his best friend. But then, quite unexpectedly, it takes a comic turn. It can actually become quite bawdy and excessive. That's precisely one of the reasons why I have such a deep affection for it!

But one of the main factors that makes this rank among my top works by Shakespeare is its clever way of evoking audience participation. Shakespeare creates a situation where a king makes a dreadful mistake and fully pays the price for his paranoia and frivolous tyranny. He presents the audience or the reader with the choice of desiring to witness vengeance for such a heinous deed or somehow hoping to see things resolve favorably in the end. He leaves the conclusion of the play ambiguous, allowing us to form our own judgments. Modern filmmakers frequently do this, leaving things open to interpretation to generate more attention by having fans debate what truly occurred. This, to my knowledge, is one of the earliest examples of such a device.

Of course, I won't disclose how it concludes because you simply must read it for yourself or check out one of the many outstanding performances of this underappreciated play.

Along with "Titus," this is Shakespeare at his most experimental and creative. If you've overlooked this one until now, I firmly believe you're in for a wonderful treat.

Exit, pursued by a bear.

SCORE: 5 dildos out of 5

As another reader wrote before me, in this work we find all of the theater and, since the theater reproduces existence, all of human nature. We find tragedy and comedy. We find the obsessive jealousy of a man towards his wife. Unlike Othello, it grows and mounts in his soul despite the contrary opinion of all those who surround him, but it becomes even more devastating and will cause fatal consequences. There are abandoned infants, men mauled by bears, fathers who curse their children, mothers who die of grief.

At the same time, we find comic scenes of thieves and swindlers who masterfully deceive others. We find bucolic festivals where the nobles dress as peasants and the peasants dress as nobles. Then there is love in every form, filial love, conjugal love, the affection between childhood friends. There is pain, the greatest suffering inflicted on an exemplary wife and mother. There is remorse, the repentance that never stops eroding the life of the one who has caused the tragedy.

In short, there is so much in this work of Shakespeare that, in my opinion, it is a masterpiece of the greatest playwright who has ever existed.

...or Loopy Bi-Polar Resurrection.

It is truly a remarkable piece of work. So odd in its nature, with some parts being spare while others are incredibly dense. It seems to have the characteristics of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), being both flippant and serious, coy and yet acausal. It is so strange that I feel the need to read it further to convince myself that Shakespeare indeed intended all that he has wrought.

The play itself gives the impression as if it has been reconstituted after being dismembered by a bear. It has a certain disjointedness that is both puzzling and captivating. My first reading, which was just 3 days ago, earned it 3 stars. However, upon my second reading this morning, I found myself awarding it 4 stars. I have a feeling that a 5th star might be added anon as I continue to explore the depths of this mysterious play.

Hermione, I could treat you better. (-Paulina)

I saved this one for last because I truly desired to like it. However, in the end, I sort of didn't. I do understand its appeal, but I found the execution to be overly long. Honestly, I wish we could have seen more of Hermione. Even though I know the whole point is that she spends a significant amount of time being dead offscreen. That being said, I don't really care because after four years (years during which I graduated from high school, moved to college, and had other things happen like coming out as trans), I finally finished the freaking canon. It's been a long journey, but I'm glad I made it through. There were definitely parts that I loved and parts that I didn't, but overall, it was an experience. I'm curious to see what others think of it and how it will be received in the future.

One of my all-time favourite plays is definitely a masterpiece. It is probably in my top 5 Shakespeare plays. The language used in this play is extremely beautiful and well-written. The words seem to dance on the page, creating a vivid and enchanting world. The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, each with their own unique personalities and motives. The plot is engaging and full of twists and turns, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Every time I read or watch this play, I am always amazed by the genius of Shakespeare. His ability to create such a wonderful work of art is truly remarkable. I would highly recommend this play to anyone who loves literature or the performing arts.

A masterpiece,

demonstrating how grace redeems and love restores over time.

This play is truly a remarkable work that showcases Shakespeare's genius. It features one of his most interesting psychological studies in the character of Leontes. His jealousy and paranoia drive the plot and create a complex and engaging story. Additionally, the play presents two of Shakespeare's most charming heroines, Hermione and Perdita. Their beauty, grace, and strength make them truly unforgettable.

Shakespeare's art has deepened to the point where he can deliberately choose an outrageously improbable denouement and present it in a way that makes his play more moving and richer symbolically than it would have been with a more probable conclusion. This shows his mastery of the craft and his ability to take risks and create something truly unique.

Overall, this play is a must-see for anyone who loves Shakespeare or great theater. It is a powerful and moving exploration of love, jealousy, and redemption that will leave you thinking long after the final curtain has fallen.

The Winter's Tale is a remarkable play by William Shakespeare. Originally published in the First Folio of 1623, it was likely penned in 1610 or 1611. Labeling this play is a challenging task as it combines elements of both comedies and tragedies, and also showcases traits of the Greek romance.

It is indeed one of the more intricate plays, boasting a diverse cast of characters, multiple jumps in location and time, and numerous in-depth discussions on various themes. As such, it may not be the best choice for those new to Shakespeare, but for those with some experience, it is well worth checking out, especially for the iconic stage direction "Exit, pursued by a bear".

The main plot is adapted from Robert Greene's pastoral romance "Pandosto", but Shakespeare made some astute changes, such as omitting the sub-plot of a father's lust for his daughter. Kudos to him for that.

Essentially, The Winter's Tale is about the King of Sicilia, Leontes, and how his jealousy leads to the destruction of his life and family. He wrongly accuses his wife Hermione of cheating with his childhood friend Polixenes and even of treason, believing she has plotted his murder. After a failed defense at the trial, Hermione gives birth to a daughter and dies. Leontes refuses to acknowledge the child and orders Antigonus to abandon it, resulting in Perdita growing up away from court, raised by a shepherd.

While the title may not immediately resonate with modern readers, Shakespeare's contemporary audience would have expected an old wives' tale or a "ghost story". The title emphasizes the expectation of an incredible, perhaps not entirely realistic story, which might include some extraordinary elements, like the resurrection of a character pronounced dead.

However, the play is titled "The Winter's Tale" and not "A Winter's Tale", suggesting that Shakespeare had a specific story in mind. At the beginning of Act II, Hermione asks her son Mamillius to tell her a story, and he replies with a tale of sprites and goblins that mirrors parts of the overarching play.

Another interpretation, and my personal favorite, is that the title implies that Leontes creates a winter within and around himself after losing his family. This ties into the play's theme of the fragility of human happiness and how easily it can be lost. The first half of the play is predominantly destructive, while the second half is creative and restorative, highlighting the sudden and violent blows of fortune that can turn life into a lasting storm.

One of the most interesting aspects of this play is the shift in Shakespeare's narrative compared to his earlier works. The Winter's Tale features a significant jump in time, dividing the play into two halves separated by 16 years. This is highly unusual as most of his plays cover a period of a few days or months at most. It is also theorized that Shakespeare may have written the role of the Chorus, Time, for himself, as it is the Chorus who announces the time jump at the beginning of Act IV.

Another narrative choice that sets this play apart is Shakespeare's attempt to arouse a sense of wonder in the audience. Instead of revealing all the secrets as he usually does, he deliberately misleads the audience, as seen when Paulina proclaims the death of the Queen even though she is still alive.

One interpretation that I find particularly fascinating is that The Winter's Tale can be seen as a reflection of Dante's Divine Comedy, especially when considering Leontes' spiritual journey. Acts I-III can be seen as the Inferno, Act III and the beginning of Act V as the Purgatorio, and the remainder of Act V as the Paradiso. This analysis shows the universality of the story and the value of cross-textual studies.

Overall, I was impressed by the richness of the story and the multitude of interpretations it offers. While it may not be my absolute favorite due to its lack of humor and brilliance, it is still a crucial read for any Shakespeare enthusiast.

The quote ""Αιρετικός είναι εκείνος που ετοιμάζει την φωτιά και όχι εκείνη που θα κάψουν" is simply wonderful! It's a magical fairytale that has humor, drama, love, and redemption. For some reason, I had never seen it in the theater nor did I know anything about its story, but it really intrigued me!

"Αυτό το πράγμα βέβαια δεν είναι ούτε σπάνιο ούτε παράξενο, ο χυμός της ανανέωσης έχει τη δύναμη να εισχωρεί παντού και να μεταμορφώσει ακόμα και τα πιο ταπεινά όντα της δημιουργίας από το φτωχό και ταπεινό ζουζούνι, ως τον μεγάλο εγωιστή, τον άνθρωπο."

This statement further emphasizes the power of renewal and transformation. It shows that no matter how humble or insignificant something or someone may seem, they have the potential to be changed and uplifted. It's a beautiful and inspiring thought that makes us believe in the possibility of positive change in all aspects of life.

:: 2020 :: 5 stars
Act 5 is truly remarkable. I read this while listening to The Literary Life Podcast, and it was like a shining gem. They accurately pointed out the fairy-tale quality of the play. It's a story of redemption, resurrection, and the arrival of spring after winter. The way the events unfold in Act 5 is simply captivating, drawing the reader in as if they were right there in the Globe Theater. It's magical and pure gold.

:: 2017 :: 4 stars
In 2017, I upgraded my 2014 three-star rating to four stars. I read the play while listening to the wonderful Arkangel production. I despised yet another idiot husband, King Leontes, who accused his wife of infidelity based on his wild and diseased imagination. A curse on such blockheads! However, something extraordinary happened in Act V. I was completely drawn into the scene, mesmerized by the drama. It was like a spell had been cast, and I couldn't look away. Combining the five-star scene with the three-star scenes, it still makes for a memorable reading experience.

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::
(2014) 3 stars
Take one part Othello, add a dollop of Oedipus, an unveiling, and a resurrection, and you have this play. What really struck me was how King Leontes, a blockhead who nursed his unfounded jealousy despite the wisdom of all his counselors, accepted the word of the oracle and was transformed. He went from being accusative to humble, from blustering to contrite, and from stinging to stung. My favorite character was the brave Paulina. She was loyal and compassionate, visiting the queen in jail. She was also bold and direct, challenging the king in court. Later, she was unsparing of the king, extracting his promise to trust her judgment. Her direct words provided the healing that he needed.

4/5stars

I firmly believe that I have a greater penchant for tragicomedies as opposed to pure tragedies or comedies. The reason behind this preference lies in the unique blend of emotions that tragicomedies offer. They have the power to make us laugh heartily one moment and then bring a tear to our eye the next. It's this rollercoaster of feelings that keeps me engaged and enthralled.

((I will surely update my thoughts once we actually get to study this particular play. I'm excited to see how it will further shape my understanding and perception of tragicomedies. I anticipate that it will offer new insights and perhaps even deepen my love for this genre.))

Toto bolo také krásne, že sa hra okamžite zaradila k mojim obľúbeným. It was so beautiful that the play immediately became one of my favorites.

Tentoraz je to úplne iný žáner, než na aký som u Shakespeara zvyknutá. This time, it is a completely different genre than what I am used to with Shakespeare.

Žiadna tragédia ani komédia, ale romanca a, ako napovedá názov, tak trochu aj rozprávka. There is no tragedy or comedy, but a romance and, as the name suggests, a bit of a story as well.

A hoci začíname tragédiou, nechýba príznačný šťastný koniec. And although we start with a tragedy, the characteristic happy ending is not missing.

Krásne. <3 It's beautiful. <3