The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare

"The Winter's Tale" is a tragicomedy that tells the story of Leontes, a king who unjustly accuses his wife Hermione of infidelity with his best friend. Consumed by his jealousy, he orders her imprisonment, causing their son's death and supposedly leading to Hermione's death as well. After 16 years, Leontes is reunited with his daughter, believed to have died at birth but actually raised by a shepherd. The story concludes with a statue of Hermione coming to life, revealing that she had been alive all along, living in hiding. The play explores themes of jealousy, loss, redemption, and the healing power of time.

The 2248th greatest book of all time


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Total Points: 159

Since this book was first published in 1623, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 159.0.

This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.