The Winter's Tale

William Shakespeare

• Publisher: Read & Co. Classics
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781447402992
• eBook ISBN: 9781473370333
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

Read & Co. Classics presents this new beautiful edition of William Shakespeare's play, "The Winter's Tale", featuring a specially commissioned new biography of William Shakespeare. The play follows a transformative journey through estrangement and loss, hope and reconciliation. The first part of the story follows the destructive actions of the jealous King Leontes, of Sicilia. He believes that his pregnant wife Hermione has been unfaithful with King Polixenes of Bohemia. In the aftermath, the baby Perdita is abandoned but later rescued. However, further tragedies continue. In the second part, we re-join Perdita sixteen years later to find her in love with Polixines's son. William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is considered to be the greatest writer in the English language and is celebrated as the world's most famous dramatist.

THE
WINTER’S TALE

By

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

THE
WINTER’S TALE

A Comedy

By

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

First published in 1623

This edition is published by Classic Books Library
an imprint of Read Books Ltd.
Copyright © 2018 Read Books Ltd.
This book is copyright and may not be

reproduced or copied in any way without

the express permission of the publisher in writing

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library

Contents

William Shakespeare

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

ACT I.

SCENE I. Sicilia. An Antechamber in Leontes' Palace.

SCENE II. The same. A Room of State in the Palace.

ACT II.

SCENE I. Sicilia. A Room in the Palace.

SCENE II. The same. The Outer Room of a Prison.

SCENE III. The same. A Room in the Palace.

ACT III.

SCENE I. Sicilia. A Street in Some Town.

SCENE II. The same. A Court of Justice.

SCENE III. Bohemia. A Desert Country near the Sea.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

SCENE II. Bohemia. A Room in the Palace of Polixenes.

SCENE III. The same. A Road near the Shepherd's Cottage.

SCENE IV. The same. A Shepherd's Cottage.

ACT V.

SCENE I. Sicilia. A Room in the Palace of Leontes.

SCENE II. The same. Before the Palace.

SCENE III. The same. A Room in Paulina's house.

TO THE MEMORY OF MY BELOVED
THE AUTHOR, MR. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

By BEN JONSON

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare, as any reader of this book will presumably know, was an English poet, playwright and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language - and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Referred to as England's national poet, and the 'Bard of Avon', his extant works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses, (some with unconfirmed authorship). Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive, and there has been considerable speculation about matters as wide ranging as his physical appearance, sexuality and religious beliefs.

William Shakespeare was the son of John Shakespeare, an alderman and a successful glover originally from Snitterfield, and Mary Arden, the daughter of an affluent landowning farmer. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and baptised there on 26th April 1564. His actual date of birth remains unknown, but is traditionally observed on 23rd April, Saint George's Day. Although no attendance records for the period survive, biographers agree that Shakespeare was probably educated at the King's New School in Stratford, a free school ch...

Table of contents

• William Shakespeare
• DRAMATIS PERSONÆ
• ACT I.
• ACT II.
• ACT III.
• ACT IV.
• ACT V.
• TO THE MEMORY OF MY BELOVEDTHE AUTHOR, MR. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE