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Shakespeare’s Amazing Cymbeline: A Brief Synopsis
Posted by Kinsley Suer | 19 January 2012 | Comments (0)
Let’s be honest. Cymbeline is not usually used in the same sentence with the words “straightforward” and “uncomplicated.” In fact, some consider it one of the Bard's most convoluted pieces. Although scholars have organized Shakespeare's plays into four distinct categories (history, tragedy, comedy and romance), Cymbeline arguably contains aspects of all four of these genres. When Artistic Director Chris Coleman set out to adapt the play into his world premiere production, one of his main goals was to simplify and streamline the plot, bringing out the best and brightest aspects of each of these genres.
If you don’t mind us spoiling the ending, here’s a short and sweet summary of the play to use a guide before seeing it yourself onstage. But first, let’s go over the cast of characters. It’ll help you keep track of who’s who, especially since most of the actors in our new adaptation will be playing multiple roles!
Shakespeare's Amazing Cymbeline: Cast of Characters
Imogen
Cymbeline's daughter, the British princess. Wise, beautiful, and resourceful, she incurs her father's displeasure when she chooses to marry the lowborn Posthumus instead of Cymbeline's oafish stepson, Cloten.
Posthumus
An orphaned gentleman, he is adopted and raised by Cymbeline, and he marries Imogen in secret, against her father's will. He is deeply in love with her but is nevertheless willing to think the worst of her when she is accused of infidelity.
Cymbeline
The king of Britain and Imogen's father. A wise and gracious monarch, he is led astray by the machinations of his wicked Queen.
Queen
Cymbeline's wife and Imogen's stepmother. A villainous woman, she will stop at nothing--including murder--to see her son Cloten married to Imogen and, thus, made the eventual king of Britain.
Cloten
The Queen's son, he was betrothed to Imogen before her secret wedding to Posthumus. Her unwillingness to marry him is understandable, since he is an arrogant, clumsy fool.
Iachimo
A clever and dishonest Italian gentleman. He makes a wager with Posthumus that he can seduce Imogen, and when his attempt at seduction fails, resorts to trickery to make Posthumus believe that he has succeeded.
Pisanio
Posthumus's loyal servant, he is left behind in Britain when his master goes into exile, and he acts as a servant to Imogen and the Queen.
Belarius
A British nobleman, unjustly banished by Cymbeline. He kidnapped Cymbeline's infant sons to revenge himself on the king, and, under the name of Morgan, he has raised them as his own sons in the Welsh wilderness.
Guiderius
Cymbeline's eldest son and Imogen's brother, he was kidnapped and raised by Belarius under the name of Polydore.
Arviragus
Cymbeline's younger son and Imogen's brother, he was kidnapped and raised by Belarius under the name of Cadwal.
Philario
An Italian gentleman. Posthumus stays at his home during his exile from Britain.
Caius Lucius
The Roman ambassador to Britain and, later, the general of the Roman invasion force.
Cornelius
A doctor at the court of Cymbeline.
Soothsayer
A seer, in the service of Caius Lucius.
Shakespeare's Amazing Cymbeline: Synopsis
Cymbeline, the King of Britain, is a widower with three children. His two boys Guiderius and Arviragus were kidnapped 20 years ago at age three, leaving his daughter Imogen as the only heir to the throne. Cymbeline marries, gaining a stepson Cloten through his wife the Queen. Cymbeline wishes Imogen to marry Cloten. Imogen disobeys and marries her childhood friend Posthumus Leonatus. Outraged, Cymbeline banishes Posthumus from Britain and imprisons Imogen.
Posthumus goes to Rome and meets his wartime friend Philario. In Rome, Iachimo bets that he can woo Posthumus' wife Imogen, thereby breaking her chastity. Posthumus takes Iachimo up on the bet, and Iachimo heads to Britain. Iachimo fails to seduce Imogen. However, he sneaks into her bedroom, steals her bracelet, and returns to Rome to successfully convince Posthumus that he has succeeded. Heartbroken and murderous, Posthumus orders his servant Pisanio to kill Imogen. Doubting his master’s motives, Pisanio fakes Imogen’s death by taking her to Milford Haven and disguising her as a youth named Fidele. In Milford Haven, Imogen (as Fidele) meets Guiderius and Arviragus living with Belarius, a lord banished years ago by Cymbeline. Imogen is oblivious to the fact that she has just met her long-lost brothers. We learn that Belarius kidnapped the boys in anger towards Cymbeline for banishing him. Thus, Arviragus and Guiderius are ignorant of their true identities.
Unbeknownst to Imogen, Cloten has followed her to Milford Haven, wearing Posthumus' clothes. He plans to kill Posthumus in front of Imogen and then drag her home and force her to marry him. Upon arrival, Cloten meets Guiderius and treats him rudely; a fight ensues and Guiderius cuts off Cloten's head. To cover up the death, he puts the head in the river and lets it float to the sea.
Meanwhile, Imogen falls sick and takes medicine that was given to her by Pisanio as a present. Earlier, the Queen had given the medicine (she thought poison) to Pisanio, thinking he would give it to Imogen or Posthumus as a gift. The Queen wanted one of them dead so that either her son would be the only heir, or Imogen would have no husband and would be forced to marry Cloten. The medicine was given to the Queen by the doctor Cornelius. Though she had requested he give her poison, Cornelius had suspected the Queen's malice and switched out the "poison" with a drug that would cause the imbiber's body to mimic death for a while before reviving. It works. The medicine puts Imogen into a deep sleep, and Belarius et al., thinking she is dead, lay her to rest beside Cloten's body. When Imogen awakes, she thinks (by the clothing) that she is beside her dead husband.
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Back at the palace, Caius Lucius visits Cymbeline demanding tribute to Rome. Cymbeline refuses and Lucius declares war on Britain. Distressed by war and grieving the loss of her son, the Queen sickens and dies. On her death bed she admits many evils, including hating Cymbeline. Caius Lucius comes across Imogen right after she awakens and convinces her to join to Roman army. During battle, Cymbeline is first captured by the Romans, and then rescued by Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus. The Britons then capture Posthumus, thinking he is Roman, and take him to Cymbeline. In the last scene of the play, everything is resolved. Imogen returns to her father, Iachimo confesses to his evils and stealing Imogen's bracelet, Cloten's death is explained, Belarius admits to kidnapping the princes, Cymbeline allows Imogen and Posthumus to stay married, and peace is made with the Romans.
Everyone lives happily ever after!
Special thanks to Collin Lawson and Ryan Mooney, our fabulous Education & Community Programs interns, for compiling this clear and concise (as possible, for Cymbeline) synopsis!
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