The Cymbeline play is set in England, Wales and Rome in ancient times, probably about 10 BCE, during the Roman occupation of Britain. Read more on Cymbeline settings.
Date written: 1609
Genre classification: Cymbeline is generally regarded as a comedy.
Main characters in Cymbeline: Cymbeline is the King of Britain. He has three children, Imogen, Guiderius and Arivaragus. The two boys have been missing for a long time and appear in disguise as Polydore and Cadwal. They have been raised in the woods by Balarius, a banished lord, who has kidnapped them and educated them into gentlemen.
The Queen is Cymbeline’s wife, is a power-hungry and scheming woman, wanting Imogen to be killed so that she can get her hands on her inheritance.for her son, Cloten, a nasty young man, who wants to marry Imogen so that he can inherit the throne.
Posthumus Leonatus, a noble young man, is Imogen’s husband. See a list of all characters in Cymbeline.
Cymbeline themes: The play is very strongly about the concept of truth triumphing over falsehood, good over evil, exemplified in the life of the heroine, Imogen.
Appearance and reality infuses the play. Nothing is as it seems as the deceptions the characters perpetrate drive the action.
Shakespeare’s Cymbeline play performed on stage
Please could you help me with the translation of the monologue in Cymberline the Queen ACT 1 SCENE 6 “Weeps she still….” and also, Tamora from Titus Andronicus “My lovely Aaron…..”.
If you could, it would be brillant, thankyou xx
Hi Karen,
We’d love to help but unfortunately don’t have anyone available to translate those passages at the moment. Have you tried NoFearShakespeare? They do a line by line translation of Shakespeare’s plays, so may have what you need. Best of luck with the assignment!
Hi and thanks for your excelent wbsite. I’m Iranian and i love literture very much and am searching for shakespear’s well known stories, please help me to find them and learn english more and more.