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The Winter's Tale

William Shakespeare,

Susan Snyder (Editor),

Deborah T. Curren-Aquino (Editor)

Start date: December 1, 2020

Finish date: December 31, 2020

Why we're reading this: December 2020 Old School Classic Group Read
[close] December 2020 Old School Classic Group Read

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Apr 26, 2016 Laura rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british-literature, read-2016, audio-books, drama, fiction-17th-century

From BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3:
Eve Best, Danny Sapani and Shaun Dooley star in the magical product of the Bard's later years. Treading new dramatic ground The Winter's Tale embraces tragedy, poetry, folklore, magic realism, music, comedy and the infamous stage direction "exit pursued by a bear".

Part of the BBC Shakespeare Festival.

Music composed by Tim Van Eyken, Singer Lisa Knapp.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b078wtnn

4* Antony and Cleopatra
4* A Midsummer Night's Dream
3* Twelfth Night
5* Lenny H ...more

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Dec 07, 2020 Franky rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, classics, 2020-reading-challenge, drama, poetry

Shakespeare’s The Winter Tale is one of his last dramas. This is a work that deals with the nature of jealousy and its many repercussions and consequences, but also deals with the themes of atoning and redemption. It is obviously known for “that one scene”, but it is also known as one of the plays that will give the reader pause as they try to decipher and makes sense of things.

What would a Shakespeare play be without a jealous leader bent on revenge? When the jealousy seed is planted in Leonte Shakespeare’s The Winter Tale is one of his last dramas. This is a work that deals with the nature of jealousy and its many repercussions and consequences, but also deals with the themes of atoning and redemption. It is obviously known for “that one scene”, but it is also known as one of the plays that will give the reader pause as they try to decipher and makes sense of things.

What would a Shakespeare play be without a jealous leader bent on revenge? When the jealousy seed is planted in Leontes’ mind early on in Act 1 (when he believes his wife is being unfaithful to him), he sees nothing else but what his own take on the matters are, even when others try to persuade him otherwise. Camillo tries to offer a warning to Leontes: “Good my lord, be cured of this diseased opinion, and betimes for it is dangerous.” There seems to be a jealous paranoia that absolutely consumes Leontes and he takes extreme measures. Consequently, those close to him suffer.

As much as I get that this is a “winter’s tale” to be told with fantastical elements of magic to be told perhaps on a cold winter’s night, this is one Shakespeare play that has a serious identity crisis. The first three acts set up the initial conflict of Leontes’ jealousy as well as the tragic elements that unfold as a result. However, the tone soon shifts from tragic to comic in Act 4, and while the scenes here do bare some meaning and significance at the eventual outcome in Act 5, the presentation of it was just way too clunky and uneven. We have just random events happening out of nowhere. It just does not add up.

I know this play has often been referred to as a romance, but it also has elements of the tragedy and some comedy as well. However, it is a weird mesh, and none of these elements—romance, tragedy, comedy--work very effectively together. In the end, everything is stitched together haphazardly and in a rushed, incoherent, fragmented way that made it a real head-scratcher.

At the end of the day, I guess I can see the over all theme of redemption, but The Winter’s Tale was fairly mediocre, and a tad of an underwhelming read, truth to told. For my money, I will take Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, or Julius Caesar before this one. ...more

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Dec 13, 2020 Melissa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: drama

Quotes:
The gods gods themselves humbling their deities to love have taken the shapes of beasts upon them... Their transformations were never for a piece of beauty rarer, Nor in a way so chaste, since my desires run not before mine honour, nor my lusts burn hotter than my faith.

I cannot be mine own, nor anything to any, if I be not thine.

See, your guests approach. Address yourself to entertain them sprightly, And let's be red with mirth.

...Were I the fairest youth that ever made eye swerve... ...more

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Dec 02, 2015 Dave rated it really liked it

Shelves: classic-lit

I read the Arden edition and thoroughly enjoyed it. The notes at the bottom were critical. I didn't read the whole 90 page intro but the half I read was good.

This play is underated. it's themes are very deep. Shakespeare merges high and low cultures very well.

ideas of reality and not growing up ate still relevant today. enjoyed his less the romantic take on the pastoral.

the end is enigmatic and will keep you wondering. much different from a Hamlet were every one dies on the last page. ...more

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