Western Tale, The
About the Story
William Shakespeare’s "The Winter’s Tale" was first published in 1623 in the First Folio and is considered by critics to be one of Shakespeare’s later works, presumably written in 1610-1611. The first documented performance of "The Winter’s Tale" was in 1611 at the Globe Theatre. The source for the play is thought to be Robert Greene’s novel, "Pandosto: The Triumph of Time," which was first published in 1588. However, the two most popular characters in the play, Autolycus and the shepherd’s son, are fully Shakespeare’s creations. First considered a comedy but later labeled a romance, "The Winter’s Tale" has been grouped with Shakespeare’s other “problem plays,” which include "Pericles," "Cymbeline," and "The Tempest." "The Winter’s Tale" contains Shakespeare’s most famous stage direction, “Exit, pursued by a bear.” It is unknown if Shakespeare used a real bear in his productions, but scholars posit that the bear was most likely portrayed by an actor wearing a bearskin costume.
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