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Cymbeline (1609)

by William Shakespeare

Other authors: See the other authors section.

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1,741309,901 (3.52)44
Imogen, the daughter of King Cymbeline, is persecuted by her wicked stepmother, the Queen, and by Cloten, the Queen's doltish son. Disguised as a boy, she sets out to find her husband, the banished Posthumus.
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» See also 44 mentions

English (27)  Catalan (1)  Swedish (1)  All languages (29)
Showing 1-5 of 27 (next | show all)
Definitely enjoyed it more than when I saw it performed but still not my favorite.

*Going to add an extra star after thinking it over. ( )
  Fortunesdearest | Feb 2, 2024 |
If I were rating the American Players Theatre performance of this play that I saw a couple of weeks ago, it would be a million stars, but I can’t say reading it gave me too much of a thrill. It was fine, it was weird, and in this case, it was more enjoyable to read it after I’d seen it (rather than before, which I usually do).
I like all the extras you get with these Folger’s editions—the introductory info about Shakespeare’s life, theatre during that period, the First Folio, and essays about the play—so it was a nice supplement to seeing it performed.
( )
  Harks | Dec 17, 2022 |
This play is not greatly to my taste. But it does work on stage, and is a surviving work of the great writer. Imogen, the King's daughter is falsely accused of adultery, by the machinations of Iachimo, who creates an appearance of the deed. Imogen flees her father's court, but does recover her position by an unlikely series of events. the play did not give birth to the usual number of later clichés in language. ( )
  DinadansFriend | Apr 5, 2022 |
A Comedy in the sense that most of the characters come out alive, but not much humor to it. A love tragedy which ends Happily Ever After.

I enjoyed the reading of this, and watching the BBC production of it. I would like to have a talk with Imogen about her everlasting love for a man who put out a hit on her because of circumstantial evidence, no matter how damning, but other than that it was one of the more satisfying plays I've read recently. I love the part of Pisanio, the servant. In my eyes, he is the man who deserves all praise. If I were ever to direct this play, he would be the focus. A level-headed man amongst all the flighty nobility. ( )
  MrsLee | Feb 11, 2022 |
This is definitely my favorite Shakespeare plays. It serves as a mashup of all of them, in terms of plot content, and I think that it has some of Shakespeare's most vivid characterizations. It also seems to have fewer vulgar jokes, so that makes it much more enjoyable. Altogether, a tough read, but an excellent one. ( )
  et.carole | Jan 21, 2022 |
Showing 1-5 of 27 (next | show all)
I confess to a difficulty in feeling civilized just at present. Flying from the country, where the gentlemen of England are in an ecstasy of chicken-butchering, I return to town to find the higher wits assembled at a play three hundred years old, in which the sensation scene exhibits a woman waking up to find her husband reposing gorily in her arms with his head cut off. Pray understand, therefore, that I do not defend Cymbeline. It is for the most part stagey trash of the lowest melodramatic order, in parts abominably written, throughout intellectually vulgar, and, judged in point of thought by modern intellectual standards, vulgar, foolish, offensive, indecent, and exasperating beyond all tolerance.
added by SnootyBaronet | editThe Saturday Review, George Bernard Shaw (Sep 26, 1896)
 

» Add other authors (191 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Shakespeare, Williamprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Cajander, PaavoTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Dowden, EdwardEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Göhler, GerhartAfterwordsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Hudson, Henry N.Editorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kredel, FritzCover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Nosworthy, J. M.Editorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Rolfe, William JamesEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Tieck, DorotheaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed

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Epigraph
Dedication
First words
You do not meet a man but frowns: our bloods
No more obey the heavens then our courtiers
Still seem as does the king.
First Gentleman. You do not meet a man but frowns.
our bloods
No more obey the heavens than our courtiers
Still seem as does the King.
Second Gentleman. But what’s the matter?
First Gentleman. His daughter, and the heir of his
kingdom, whom
He purposed to his wife’s sole son—a widow
That late he married—has referred herself
Unto a poor but worthy gentleman. She’s wedded,
Her husband banished, she imprisoned; all
Is outward sorrow; though I think the King
Be touched at very heart.
Quotations
No, 'tis slander,
Whose edge is sharper than the sword, whose tongue
Outvenoms all the worms of Nile, whose breath
Rides on the posting winds, and doth belie
All corners of the world.
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
This work is for the complete Cymbeline only. Do not combine this work with abridgements, adaptations or simplifications (such as "Shakespeare Made Easy"), Cliffs Notes or similar study guides, or anything else that does not contain the full text. Do not include any video recordings. Additionally, do not combine this with other plays.
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Wikipedia in English (3)

Imogen, the daughter of King Cymbeline, is persecuted by her wicked stepmother, the Queen, and by Cloten, the Queen's doltish son. Disguised as a boy, she sets out to find her husband, the banished Posthumus.

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Book description
Cymbeline, an early British king, seeks to marry his daughter to his new stepson; she, however, prefers the adopted son whom Cymbeline has exiled — and she runs away to find him. The stepson hunts for them both, but, dressed in the beloved's clothes, is beheaded. When she awakens, she fears the worst. Her woods companions turn out to be the man who had kidnapped Cymbeline's own two baby sons years before, now grown. When they return to help the British fight off the Romans seeking their annual tribute, the kidnapper is a hero, but confesses to Cymbeline and his sons. All are finally reconciled.
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