Introduction to the play
The Winter’s Tale, one of Shakespeare’s very late plays, is filled with improbabilities. Before the conclusion, one character comments that what we are about to see, “Were it but told you, should be hooted at / Like an old tale.”
It includes murderous passions, man-eating bears, princes and princesses in disguise, death by drowning and by grief, oracles, betrayal, and unexpected joy. Yet the play, which draws much of its power from Greek myth, is grounded in the everyday.
A “winter’s tale” is one told or read on a long winter’s night. Paradoxically, this winter’s tale is ideally seen rather than read—though the imagination can transform words into vivid action. Its shift from tragedy to comedy, disguises, and startling exits and transformations seem addressed to theater audiences.
The Folger Shakespeare
Our bestselling editions of Shakespeare's plays and poems
A sad tale’s best for winter. I have one
Of sprites and goblins.
—Mamillius
Act 2, scene 1, lines 33–34
… My father named me Autolycus, who,
being, as I am, littered under Mercury, was likewise
a snapper-up of unconsidered trifles.
—Autolycus
Act 4, scene 3, lines 24–26
The Winter’s Tale in our collection
A selection of Folger collection items related to The Winter’s Tale. Find more in our digital image collection
Essays and resources from The Folger Shakespeare
The Winter’s Tale
Learn more about the play, its language, and its history from the experts behind our edition.
About Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale
An introduction to the plot, themes, and characters in the play
Reading Shakespeare’s Language
A guide for understanding Shakespeare’s words, sentences, and wordplay
An Introduction to This Text
A description of the publishing history of the play and our editors’ approach to this edition
Textual Notes
A record of the variants in the early printings of this text
A Modern Perspective
An essay by Stephen Orgel
Further Reading
Suggestions from our experts on where to learn more
Shakespeare and his world
Learn more about Shakespeare, his theater, and his plays from the experts behind our editions.
Shakespeare’s Life
An essay about Shakespeare and the time in which he lived
Shakespeare’s Theater
An essay about what theaters were like during Shakespeare’s career
The Publication of Shakespeare’s Plays
An essay about how Shakespeare’s plays were published
Related blog posts and podcasts
“God help the wicked”: Searching for redemption in Shakespeare
Austin Tichenor explores how the shift of a narrative’s perspective can offer answers to questions about which characters deserve redemption and our forgiveness, from Lear to Iago to Richard III.
Prelude to the bear: Antigonus's agonizing decision in "The Winter's Tale"
Philip Goldfarb Styrt argues that Antigonus and the famous bear scene are frequently misunderstood.
Slippery thoughts in "The Winter's Tale"
“Leontes puts a new spin on an idea familiar to those living in Shakespeare’s time: that one could fish for people,” writes Douglas Clark.
Teaching The Winter’s Tale
Use the Folger Method to teach any of Shakespeare’s works. Become a Teacher Member to get exclusive access to lesson plans and professional development.
Early printed texts
The Winter’s Tale was printed for the first time in the 1623 First Folio (F1), and that text is the basis for all subsequent editions of the play.
