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Overview
Synopsis
At the opening of The Winter’s Tale, the Sicilian King Leontes and his beloved, pregnant wife, Hermione, try to persuade their dear friend, King Polixenes of Bohemia, to stay longer in their royal court. When Hermione proves more successful in getting Polixenes to remain with them, Leontes quickly spirals into a pit of jealousy, convinced that the two have been having an affair and that his wife is pregnant with a bastard. Polixenes flees the kingdom, but Hermione is put on trial for adultery after giving birth to her daughter in the palace jail. Though the oracle that Hermione calls upon to prove her innocence proclaims her to be virtuous, she collapses with grief upon hearing that her young son, Prince Mamillius, has been murdered. She dies and leaves a repentant Leontes to mourn the ruins of his once perfect life. The second half of the play largely takes place in the Bohemian countryside sixteen years later, where we find Perdita, the long lost daughter of the Sicilian king and queen, living the life of a shepherdess, ignorant of her royalty. There she meets Polixenes’ son, Florizel, disguised as a shepherd, and the two fall in love. Polixenes is enraged when he discovers their secret engagement, and threatens Perdita with death. But the two flee to Sicilia, where Perdita is reunited with Leontes, who has been mourning Hermione’s death all the while. Polixenes follows the young lovers, but when he arrives at court and realizes Perdita’s royal lineage, Sicilia and Bohemia make amends. Shortly after, Paulina, Hermione’s lady in waiting, reveals a statue of Hermione to the royal court. Upon seeing her, Leontes relives his grief anew. But, as if out of the power of his remorse, the statue comes to life and Hermione, Perdita and Leontes embrace as a family once again. Though the shadow of Mamillius’s death lingers, The Winter’s Tale is a story of redemption, that embraces joy over despair.
Show Information
- Book
- William Shakespeare
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 5
- First Produced
- 1611
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- sicilia and bohemia, flexible time period
- Cast Size
- large
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, Ensemble Cast, Large Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult, Mature Adult, Child Characters
Context
The Winter’s Tale, William Shakespeare’s pastoral romance, was most likely written in 1610 or 1611, towards the end of his career. The source material was Robert Greene’s pastoral prose romance Pandosto. (Coincidentally, Robert Greene was the University Wit who, in 1592, disparagingly referred to a young Shakespeare as an “upstart crow” on the stage.) However, there are some notable and significant differences between Shakespeare’s play and Greene’s original--namely, the royal couple in
to read the context for The Winter's Tale and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
Archidamus, a courtier from Bohemia, and Camillo, of Sicilia, enter. They are talking about the history of Leontes and Polixenes as childhood friends, and how such a friendship has extended so positively to their people. The men engage in courtly and earnest flattery, and they agree that there is great promise in Prince Mamillius, Leontes’ son and heir to the throne of Sicilia.
At the court, Polixenes, the king of Bohemia, has decided that it is time to leave. Leontes wants him
to read the plot for The Winter's Tale and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
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Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
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Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
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|
Ensemble |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
|
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|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
|
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
Dealing with sexual matters in a comical way; humorously indecent.
Wish mischief or bad luck upon someone or something
Opinion, judgment, or idea
Cheat
A man whose wife has cheated on him.
Beautiful
Burden
Away, away from here
Referring to life in England under the reign of King James I, 1603-1625.
Popular in Renaissance England, stories set in the countryside, often with shepherds.
A play that includes both comic and tragic elements.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress