The Winter's Tale: a tragicomedy play by William Shakespeare

The Winters Tale is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeares late romances. Some critics consider it to be one of Shakespeares problem plays because the first three acts are filled with intense psychological drama while the last two acts are comedic and supply a happy ending.The play has been intermittently popular revived in productions in various forms and adaptations by some of the leading theatre practitioners in Shakespearean performance history beginning after a long interval with David Garrick in his adaptation Florizel and Perdita (first performed in 1753 and published in 1756). The Winters Tale was revived again in the 19th century when the fourth pastoral act was widely popular. In the second half of the 20th century The Winters Tale in its entirety and drawn largely from the First Folio text was often performed with varying degrees of success.Following a brief setup scene the play begins with the appearance of two childhood friends: Leontes King of Sicilia and Polixenes the King of Bohemia. Polixenes is visiting the kingdom of Sicilia and is enjoying catching up with his old friend. However after nine months Polixenes yearns to return to his own kingdom to tend to affairs and see his son. Leontes desperately attempts to get Polixenes to stay longer but is unsuccessful. Leontes then decides to send his wife Queen Hermione to try to convince Polixenes. Hermione agrees and with three short speeches is successful. Leontes is puzzled as to how Hermione convinced Polixenes so easily and so he begins to suspect that his pregnant wife has been having an affair with Polixenes and that the child is Polixenes. Leontes orders Camillo a Sicilian Lord to poison Polixenes. Camillo instead warns Polixenes and they both flee to Bohemia.He throws her in prison over the protests of his nobles and sends two of his lords Cleomenes and Dion to the Oracle at Delphos for what he is sure will be confirmation of his suspicions. Meanwhile the queen gives birth to a girl and her loyal friend Paulina takes the baby to the king in the hopes that the sight of the child will soften his heart. He grows angrier however and orders Paulinas husband Lord Antigonus to take the child and abandon it in a desolate place. Cleomenes and Dion return from Delphos with word from the Oracle and find Hermione publicly and humiliatingly put on trial before the king. She asserts her innocence and asks for the word of the Oracle to be read before the court. The Oracle states categorically that Hermione and Polixenes are innocent Camillo is an honest man and that Leontes will have no heir until his lost daughter is found. Leontes shuns the news refusing to believe it as the truth. As this news is revealed word comes that Leontes son Mamillius has died of a wasting sickness brought on by the accusations against his mother. At this Hermione falls in a swoon and is carried away by Paulina who subsequently reports the queens death to her heartbroken and repentant husband. Leontes vows to spend the rest of his days atoning for the loss of his son his abandoned daughter and