The Winter's Tale is Shakespeare's most fully realized tragicomedy,
noted for the richness and complexity of its poetry. Though the title
may suggest an escapist fantasy, recent criticism has seen in the play a
profoundly realistic psychology and a keen commentary on the violence
implicit in family relationships and deep friendships. Orgel traces the
changing critical and theatrical attitudes towards the play, and places
its psychological and dramatic conflicts within the Jacobean cultural
and political context. This edition is made complete with a reprint of
Shakespeare's source for the play, Pandosto, by Robert Greene.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has
made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the
globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to
scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other
valuable features, including expert introductions by leading
authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date
bibliographies for further study, and much more.