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Cymbeline (Penguin Shakespeare)

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A combination of "Romeo and JJuliet," "Much Ado About Nothing," "As you Like It," and "King Lear?" Well, Shakespeare somehow made it work. Of his romance plays, I like this one the best. Early, we learn that the king is not so happy with his daughter. Imogen has married the low born Posthomus. So like in "King Lear," we have a king who rages at his daughter. Though Asimov points out that Cymbeline is to be somewhat excused: "Cymbeline was getting on in years, and his final duty to the state was exactly to arrange a peaceful succession. No wonder he is annoyed by Imogen's actions."

Posthumus is banished. Moving on, Cymbeline's wife is more sinister. She is willing to poison her stepdaughter if Imogen will not marry her stepbrother (and the king's stepson), and of course the queen's son Cloten. But Cornelius substitutes 'knock out juice.' Well, Posthumus and Imogen have their tragic farewell. ("Romeo and Juliet" elements.) Will these 2 get back together? Soon we learn that this pair of lovers is not quite as likable as Romeo and Juliet. Posthumus is willing to make a bet on the fidelity of Imogen with Iachimo. (Something we couldn't imagine Romeo doing.) Iachimo is kind of like Don John from "Much Ado About Nothing." Though Iachimo doesn't really want to hurt anyone. He just wants to win a bet. He just grabs a bracelet so he can make it LOOK like he slept with Imogen.

We later see that Cloten has an unhealthy obsession with Imogen. But Imogen has no feelings for him. (Though a bit of tragic irony here is that if Imogen loved Cloten, it would have been a good wedding that would have made peace between the king and queen, and been a good marriage for the state.) And we will later see that Posthumus is not so admirable.

Onto Act 3. We see the growing tensions between Britain and Italy. Cymbeline defies the Roman Empire, and interestingly, the queen and Cloten show some redeeming traits and stand by Cymbeline in this matter. Now here we come to the trait of Posthumus that is not so admirable. He actually wants his servant Pisanio to kill Imogen for her supposed infidelity. (Would Romeo have done this?) Again, this seems to help justify Cymbeline's dislike of Posthumus. Moving on though, Pisanio can not do this, and he encourages Imogen to hide in the wilderness disguised as a man (Fidele) until the many matters can be resolved.

Now here we come to the "As You Like It" element. Disguised as a man, Imogen runs into her 2 brothers, though none of them know who the other is. Belarius was wrongly accused of treason, and in a vile act, kidnapped Cymbeline's 2 infant sons. While Belarius loves life in the wilderness, the king's 2 sons (who think they are Belarius's sons) do not find life in the wilderness so grand.

Well, Imogen meets the group, and the become fast friends. Meanwhile, Cloten decides to borrow some of Posthumus's clothes and rape Imogen. Though he is killed by one of the king's sons. Well, Belarius knows that the death of the queen's son could cause trouble. Imogen then drinks her 'knock out juice' and is presumed dead. And we have a funeral for Cloten and Imogen. (Though Imogen will of course come back.) Here we can get a little annoyed with Imogen when she rebukes Pisanio who went to great lengths to help her. On top of that, romantic little Imogen thinks that the 3 people who helped her in the wilderness were but a dream.

War breaks out, and poor Cymbeline is not in the best shape. (His queen is ill, his stepson is dead, and his daughter has joined the enemy.) Finally though, Posthumus seems to grow, and he decides to make up for his crimes against Imogen by fighting for Britain. (Well, he grows more than Imogen does.) War starts bad for the British, but Belarius, Guilderius, and Arviragus join the fight, and the British win.

In a well done scene, Posthumus sees his parents pray to Zeus on his behalf, and Zeus promises that happiness awaits Posthumus.

Cymbeline learns that his wife was poisoning him in hopes that her son would become king, and we have a happy ending. The king gets his sons back, Belarius is pardoned, and even Iachimo is forgiven.