Why do you like Cymbeline?

[Anstasia]

Hi all,

Besides Imogen, is there any other reason why Cymbeline moves you? I am trying to motivate myself to be passionate about this play because if I am not, I just have a hell of a time trying to figure it out. So I really need to find something that's super intriguing.

The strong character of Imogen is appealing, but she's too rich (the daughter of a king) and so I can't really associate myself with her. Yes, she has a tough problem to deal with--her lover is banished--but still I can't find a drop of compassion in me for her plight. That she loves Posthumous and that he loves her so well is something that attracts me, but still both are way too rich for me to identify with.

Anyway, it would help me if you let me know what moves you about this play. Thanks!

[xman]

How about the princes Guiderius and Arviragus raised in poverty in the wilderness by a banished nobleman to be gentlemanly themselves?

[Anstasia]

xman, this is better. Still something's missing. I have misgivings about them too; I feel that somehow their nobility will shine in the midst of poverty and what not, and I hate that kind of narrative because I certainly do not shine when things get rough. At least I do not feel that I shine... Still, I feel more tempted to read at least a summary of the plot only to see what happens to them.

[kelby_lake]

I think that leaving the money aside, it's about people who are unable to recognise love and those who have no doubt in it. Posthumus loves Imogen but if he had fully recognised her love, he would have had no doubt of her fidelity. The King did not recognise that the Queen did not love him. The banished nobleman has no doubt of his adopted sons love for their adopted father, so he can safely bring them back to the king. Imogen of course is faithful throughout, apart from a possible slip-up in the BBC version of the play where it looks like she might give in.

I quite like it because it has lots of twists that looking back on the play are all foreshadowed and it has a fantastic streak in it.