Winter’s tale starts developing quickly, right out of the gate.  You are painted a picture of 2 Kings from 2 different types of kingdoms whom grew up best friends. Sicily which seems to be the more beautiful of the 2 with more entertainment and things to offer.  Bohemia sounds like it’s beautiful in its own right but with less entertainment and more love and hospitality.  Polixenes has been visiting his good friend Leontes for quite some time now, 9 months to be exact, but finally feels it is time for him to head back to his kingdom in Bohemia.  Polixenes makes it seem like he really needs to head home, which makes me wonder if there may be trouble back home, he’s homesick, or just wants to get back to his throne and ensure all is well.  Leontes attempts to get his friend to stay one week longer but fails terribly in his persuasion, which is where Hermione (Leonte’s pregnant wife) comes into play.  She has a much better use of language and has little to no trouble persuading Polixenes to stay for an additional week, which immediately makes Leontes feel uneasy and insecure.  He starts to put pieces together and forming his own theory of the relationship his Queen and his so called “best friend” may have.  He see’s the way they communicate, how Polixenes was easily swayed by Hermione, as well as the subtle yet possibly valuable piece of information that he’s been in Sicily 9 months and his ready to pop wife is ready to give birth any day now.  My initial thoughts are why is Leontes so insecure.  I understand Kings always must watch their own backs, game plan for any possible situation they could face, and be the most aware man in the room at all times but he went zero to one hundred so quick!  Not a half an hour goes by and he went from begging Polixenes to stay to deciding to have him poisoned.  That’s irrational if you ask me!  Since they’re best friends and seem to have competed against one another all their lives, I can’t help but wonder what they both look like.  Is Polixenes an extremely good looking King whom Leontes constantly compares himself to?  Does he worry about his performance in the bedroom with Hermione making him question if she would look for affection elsewhere?  With so little evidence I’m so curious as to why Leontes jumped to such extremes.  Is he crazy or just incredibly good at reading body language?  I couldn’t figure out for myself what I thought, until I continued reading and saw how he threw his own Queen in prison, and even wanted to burn his own daughter.  He took a theory with little to no evidence and ran with it, and at this moment of the play he sees only what he wants to see (didn’t see his physical qualities in his baby daughter).  After reading through Acts 1 and 2 I can’t wait to see if he is indeed crazy (which I believe more and more with each line I read), or if he was right all along.  It also will be interesting to see if Polixenes chooses to retaliate after learning of Leontes intentions for him, or when Hermione gets out of prison if she will keep true on her threat,”I never wish’d to see you sorry; now I trust I shall”.  A theory I could see taking place is Leontes is wrong and no adultery took place, however Polixenes and Hermione go after him, defeat him and do end up together in the end.  Would be rather ironic if this was the crazy kings fate.