The Winter's Tale

William ShakespeareProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.4

Word count: 147K words
Chapters: 15

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Winter's Tale by William ShakespeareAuthor: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Dec 1, 1997

Editor's review

The Winter's Tale is the most emotionally charged of Shakespeare's late romances. The first half ends in jealousy and tragedy, while the second half moves through a span of time and pastoral scenes toward forgiveness and reunion; the structural rupture and reversal are precisely where its charm lies. The play's explorations of jealousy, judicial error, parent-child relations, and the healing power of time still resonate strongly today; the contrast between the Sicilian court and the Bohemian countryside also shows Shakespeare's late thinking about nature and court, innocence and intrigue. This edition is a public-domain English ebook from Project Gutenberg and preserves the original language and textual form, making it suitable as a base text for close reading of the original. When reading, pay special attention to the setting of Time as a character in the play and to the handling of the final statue scene, as these are key to understanding the play's themes. For classroom teaching or reading groups, discussions can be organized around the stylistic differences between the two halves; for individual reading, it is advisable after finishing the whole play to reread the jealousy passages of the first half and appreciate the foreshadowing and irony.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literature students and researchers studying Shakespeare's late romances and tragicomedies
Readers of English originals interested in themes of jealousy, forgiveness, and time
Enthusiasts who want to complete Shakespeare's works and become familiar with less frequently staged plays
Teachers offering drama courses who need public-domain electronic texts

Not a good fit for

Casual readers who prefer coherent plots and dislike abrupt shifts in style between halves
Beginners without a foundation in reading English originals who need detailed annotation

Reading tips

First read the whole play to grasp the structural rupture between the two halves, then go back and reread the jealousy passages of the first half to appreciate the foreshadowing and irony.
Read closely the monologue of Time and the final statue scene, and consider how the theme of forgiveness is presented through stagecraft.
Use alongside an annotated edition or introductory materials, note the differences in diction between archaic language and pastoral scenes, and look up difficult points after finishing the whole text.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Why does The Winter's Tale differ so greatly in style between its two halves?

The first half centers on jealousy and tragic conflict, while the second half, after a leap in time, shifts into pastoral scenes and moves toward reconciliation. This structure is a typical device of Shakespeare's late romances, intended to present the power of time and forgiveness; readers may regard it as a deliberate artistic choice.

Does this edition include annotations or an introduction?

This edition is the public-domain English original provided by Project Gutenberg and generally does not include modern annotations, an introduction, or a glossary; its language and spelling are preserved as in the original. If you need help in understanding, it is advisable to use it together with a separate annotated edition or course introduction materials.

What is the function of the character Time in the play?

Time, the play's only choric figure, appears between the first and second halves, explains the sixteen-year span, and guides the audience to accept the change in style; it is a key device for understanding the play's structure and deserves special attention when reading.

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About the author

William Shakespeare Author · English · 1564–1616

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was the greatest playwright, poet and actor of the English Renaissance. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, he is known as the "Bard of Avon." He wrote roughly thirty-seven to thirty-nine plays, one hundred and fifty-four sonnets and narrative poems. His representative works include Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. His works span tragedy, comedy and history play, distinguished by rich, poetic language and profound characterization. His explorations of human nature, power, love and fate have had a lasting influence, and his works have been translated into many languages and circulated widely around the world.