The Winter's Tale story
The Winter's 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 Shakespeare's late romances. Some critics consider it to be one of Shakespeare's "problem plays" because the first three acts are filled with intense psychological drama, while the last two acts are comic and supply a happy ending.
20 total · 2 choice · 11 major · 7 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| mistrust | choice | Leontes suspected his wife and best friend of having had an affair. These suspicions lead to the family being torn apart and the friends alienated for 16 years. |
| romantic love | choice | Leontes and Hermione; Florizel and Perdita |
| crime | major | adultery was considered a crime in this society, perhaps even treason as the accused was the King's wife |
| engaged couple | major | Florizel and Perdita |
| father and son | major | Polixenes and Florizel |
| friendship | major | Leontes and Polixenes were fast friends, fell out, and then reconciled |
| husband and wife | major | Leontes and Hermione |
| reconciliation | major | Leontes and Polixenes reconciled in the end, as were Polixines with Florizel |
| remorse | major | Leontes felt remorseful after his wife was vindicated yet his wife and son dead |
| reunion with a loved one | major | Leontes was reunited with Hermione returned from the dead (or a reanimated statue) after some 16 years |