There’s a bear, a jealous husband, a pair of young lovers, a miraculous twist…. hmm, what else?
How well do you know this Shakespeare play? Can you keep track of the characters? Do you have a sense of the plot?
Challenge yourself to take this quiz before you go see Folger Theatre’s new production of The Winter’s Tale, onstage through December 17. (And then take it again after you see the play!)
Want to brush up on your Shakespeare? You can find a full synopsis and read the entire text of the play online, from the Folger Shakespeare edition. (Spoiler alerts, obviously.)
“He exits, pursued by a bear.”
<p>Who does “he” refer to in this famous stage direction?</p>
- Antigonus
- Polixenes
- Shepherd’s Son
- Camillo
How many years elapse in the middle of the play?
- 2
- 5
- 16
- 33
Fill in the blank for this famous line from the play:
<p><span style=”font-size: 18px”>”A ________ tale’s best for winter.”</span></p>
- sad
- dreary
- wondrous
- raucous
Which characters are from Sicilia?
- Leontes
- Hermione
- Perdita
- Paulina
- Polixenes
- Florizell
- Autolycus
When Leontes arrests his innocent wife, he accuses her of:
- Adultery and treason
- Attempted murder
- Child neglect
- Stealing the crown jewels
Your final challenge: Order these events as they take place in the play.
- Leontes becomes jealous, wrongly believing that Hermione has been unfaithful
- Leontes tries to have Polixenes killed
- Polixenes escapes back to Bohemia
- Leontes gives orders for his baby daughter to be abandoned
- Perdita is adopted by a shepherd
- Sixteen years pass by
- Polixenes discovers that Florizell loves Perdita
- Florizell and Perdita flee to Sicilia
- Perdita’s identity as a princess is revealed
- Perdita is reunited with her mother
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