William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale - Unabridged (eBook)

William Shakespeare's "e;The Winter's Tale"e; has long been hailed as one of his more poignant and moving works (part comedy, part tragedy), exploring the repercussions of jealousy and false accusations of betrayal. At the outset of the play, all is well in Sicily, where King Leontes and his pregnant wife Hermione are playing host to Leontes' childhood friend Polixenes, the King of Bohemia. But when Hermione manages to convince Polixenes to extend his visit (a task Leontes himself could not accomplish), Leontes becomes convinced that the two are lovers and begins to plot his revenge. Enlisting a confidant named Camillo to agree to assassinate Polixenes, Leontes has his wife arrested and accused of infidelity. Camillo, unwilling to commit regicide, instead warns Polixenes of the plot and the two flee together to Bohemia. Driven to madness in his rage, Leontes even doubts the legitimacy of his own child and when Hermione gives birth in prison, the King summons a courtier, Antigonus, to take the child to a distant land and kill her. It is not until his own son dies (and Hermione soon afterwards) that Leontes realizes that the gods are punishing him for his tragic folly in falsely accusing Hermione. The question remains: Can there be redemption for Leontes in causing so much heartbreak and death? At times beautiful, disturbing and even hilarious, "e;The Winter's Tale"e; is presented here in its original and unabridged format.