The Winter’s Tale Resources

Websites

Would Winter’s Tale make a good tabloid story?

The BBC does. Check out the BBC’s 60-Second Shakespeare for a look at how the play would translate to a newspaper story.

Interview with Director David Farr

David Farr discusses his dramatic choices in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of the play.

Full Text Version of The Winter’s Tale

In a pinch, you can read the play online. Just don’t expect any footnotes.

Movie and TV Productions

1999 Royal Shakespeare Company Production

This tends to be a favorite among literary critics. We love the staging of the statue scene.

1981 BBC Production (TV)

The BBC’s simple set design plays up the winter/summer dichotomy in The Winter’s Tale.

1994 “Shakespeare: The Animated Tales”

This 26 minute animated production of the play uses stop-motion puppets.

Historical Documents

Folio Edition of The Winter’s Tale

Check out the first page of the play in the 1623 Folio.

Pandosto

You can read Robert Greene’s Pandosto (originally published in 1588) here. This is Shakespeare’s major literary source for The Winter’s Tale.

Ovid’s Metamorphosis (Book 10)

The story of Pygmalion (from Book 10 of Ovid’s Metamorphosis) partly inspired the stature scene in The Winter’s Tale. Read Arthur Golding’s 1567 translation of the story here.

Video

Mamillius, art thou my boy?

Check out Leontes as he tries to convince himself that Mamillius is his biological son in this Royal Shakespeare Company production.

Got 26 minutes?

Watch the animated version of The Winter’s Tale from “Shakespeare: The Animated Series.”

"A Sad Tale's Best for Winter"

Watch little Mamillius deliver these famous lines in the BBC production of the play.

Audio

Read Along with Shakespeare
You can download a full-cast audio version of The Winter’s Tale here.

Images

Antigonus Chased by a Bear

This picture is taken from a 2008 production at the Globe Theater.

Autolycus Peddles his Wears

Artist Augustus Leopold Egg’s portrayal of the sheep-shearing feast (1845).