The Winter's Tale

"A sad tale's best for winter..." --Mamillius Ahh but "The Winter's Tale" ends with joy and redemption...after three acts of tragedy. The story is of King Leontes of Sicilia whose jealousy destroys those dearest to him. He believes erroneously that his wife is carrying the child of his best friend, King Polixenes of Bohemia. But perhaps this tale is known best not by tragedy or romance but by the stage direction: "Exit, pursued by a Bear." Please bring a copy of the play with you so we can discuss and read a few scenes. The full printable text may be found here. or you can go to one that has a Shakespearean dictionary. If all else fails here's a link to "The Winter's Tale" SparkNotes.