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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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The Winter's Tale
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(c.1611)
Drama by *Shakespeare falling into two distinct parts, the first a tragedy of jealousy and the second a comedy of rebirth and reconciliation. The jealous tyranny of Leontes, king of Sicilia, leads to the apparent death both of his wife Hermione and of their infant daughter. But the child has been saved by Antigonus, who takes her to Bohemia and leaves her on the shore with some gold and a name, Perdita (the lost girl). This first half ends with the most famous stage direction in English drama: 'Exit, pursued by a bear'.
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The bear which thus hurries Antigonus off (and eats him, as we later hear) leaves the stage clear for a shepherd to find and bring up the baby. Sixteen years pass and the beautiful young shepherdess takes the fancy of a prince, thus bringing us back into the courtly world. Leontes has hardly heard the joyful news that his daughter lives before he is shown a statue of his wife, Hermione, which also comes to life (the story of her death had been invented, to save her from his vengeance). Comedy is provided in the second half by the pickpocket Autolycus, famous for his disarming definition of himself as a 'snapper-up of unconsidered trifles'.
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