Western Tale, The
About the Story
![Western Tale, The](/playimage/689.jpg)
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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