We need no grave to bury honesty. Although they have been friends since childhood, Leontes, king of Sicilia, mistakenly begins to suspect that Polixenes, king of Bohemia, is committing adultery with his wife, Hermione. Consumed by a jealous rage, he confronts Hermione, claiming that her newborn daughter is illegitimate. He casts her into the wilderness, causing their son to die of grief and Hermione to seemingly follow suit. With his family dead or believed dead, Leontes must face the tragic consequences of his actions. One of Shakespeare's most haunting tragic-comedies, The Winter's Tale is a moving exploration of family and friendship, jealousy and love.