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Lex-Ham
Community Theater Shakespeare Reading Series Cymbeline |
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Lex-Ham
Community Theater Shakespeare Reading Series Cymbeline |
"I have not slept one wink." says Pisanio, Posthumus' servent, in Cymbeline III,iv.
That could also describe the reaction of readers of Cymbeline as they tried to understand the plot complexities and multitude of characters of this hard to classify play set in Britain during the first century A.D.
Three stories intertwine and come together at the end: Imogen, the unjustly accused wife, and her husband, Posthumus; the brothers, Guiderius and Arviragus, searching for their father; and the play's namesake, Cymbeline, who defends his country against invaders.
| If you like: | You'll love this character in Cymbeline |
| Juliet, in Romeo and Juliet, as she appears to be dead | Imogen |
| the villain, Iago, in Othello | Iachamo or Cloten |
| the ghosts in Richard III | Providence |
| Cinderella's wicked stepmother | The Queen |
Some good references for the play are:
| The Story Text of the play SparkNotes summary of the play Charles and Mary Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare |
Background information Cymbeline: legend and the history |
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Sources |
Film Versions Cymbeline (1981) Cymbeline (1913 Silent Film) |
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Last updated: 06/16/2004