Discusses the background, context, dramatic art, themes, reception, and performance history of Shakespeare's play With a raging bear, the figure of Time, and a statue that turns out to be a living woman, The Winter's Tale is one of Shakespeare's most unusual dramas. The play appealed to Shakespeare's audience, with its taste for romantic adventure and tragedy that turns to comedy. And because our own era appreciates sudden dislocations, dreamlike strangeness, and the mythic dimension of dramatic literature, The Winter's Tale is enjoying a renewal of interest at all levels. This book is a convenient introduction to Shakespeare's play. Accessible to students, undergraduates, and general readers, this guide explores the play's background, contexts, and legacy. The book begins with a look at the textual history of The Winter's Tale and its relation to early 17th-century political, social, and agrarian developments. It then studies Shakespeare's dramatic art, characters, and themes. The final chapters examine the play's critical and scholarly reception and its performance history. Included are photos from several productions. Part of the Greenwood Guides to Shakespeare series; Overviews the play's sources and contexts; Discusses Shakespeare's dramatic art; Analyses the play's themes, and its critical and scholarly reception; Reviews the play's performance history and presents photos from productions