Most scholars agree that Shakespeare wrote The Winter's Tale in late 1610 or early 1611. The play's first known performance occurred at the Globe Theatre on May 15, 1611. Scholars have made speculative attempts at a more accurate dating of the play's composition, but such theories have not gained widespread acceptance. What most critics do agree upon is that the style and themes of The Winter's Tale clearly link the play to Shakespeare's other late romances. They conclude that The Winter's Tale is therefore a product of Shakespeare's final period of play writing and that the play was most likely composed after Cymbeline, which is believed to have been written in 1609-10.
The primary source for The Winter's Tale is a novel by Robert Green entitled Pandosto; or, The Triumph of Time, which was first published in 1588. The novel was reprinted a number of times after 1607 as Dorastus and Fawnia. In Pandosto, the title character is driven by passionate jealousy to drive away his friend and banish his infant daughter. This results in the deaths of Pandosto's wife and young son. Although this basic format closely parallels The Winter's Tale, Shakespeare did make some significant alterations to his source. Leontes's jealousy is quite sudden, compared with that of Pandosto. In Greene's novel, Pandosto is presented with an array of circumstantial evidence before his jealousy erupts. Also, the characters of Paulina, Autolycus, and the figure of Time are entirely Shakespearean creations. Other additions to the source include Shakespeare's sheep-shearing scene and the statue scene. Perhaps the most drastic alteration to Greene's novel is the restoration of both Perdita and Hermione to Leontes. In Greene's story, Pandosto's wife truly does die, and Pandosto commits suicide after learning that Fawnia, whom he has attempted to seduce, is in fact his long-lost daughter. A great Shakespearean story told in modern times. Get your tickets for The Winter’s Tale and enjoy a great story.
