Cymbeline
1623
A play written in the early 17th century. The narrative unfolds in Britain and Italy, intertwining themes of love, honor, and betrayal. Central to the story are the characters of Imogen, Cymbeline's courageous daughter, and Posthumus, her banished husband, whose loyalty and virtue come into question as they navigate challenges posed by familial conflicts and external pressures. At the start of the play, the troubled political climate in Britain is introduced, highlighted by King Cymbeline's anger towards his daughter Imogen for marrying Posthumus, a man of lower status. This tension leads to Imogen's imprisonment and her husband's banishment, setting the stage for a series of misunderstandings and self-discovery. The opening scenes establish important relationships and foreshadow the conflicts that will ensue, hinting at themes of loyalty, identity, and the struggle for personal agency in a world rife with deceit.
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“Fear no more the heat o' the sun,Nor the furious winter's rages;Thou thy worldly task hast done,Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages;Golden lads and girls all must,As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.Fear no more the frown o' the great;Thou art past the tyrant's stroke:Care no more to clothe and eat;To thee the reed is as the oak:The sceptre, learning, physic, mustAll follow this, and come to dust.Fear no more the lightning-flash,Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone;Fear not slander, censure rash;Thou hast finished joy and moan;All lovers young, all lovers mustConsign to thee, and come to dust. No exorciser harm thee! Nor no witchcraft charm thee! Ghost unlaid forbear thee! Nothing ill come near thee! Quiet consummation have; And renownéd be thy grave!””
— William Shakespeare
“Hang there like a fruit, my soul, Till the tree die!””
— William Shakespeare
“Golden lads and girls all must as chimney sweepers come to dust.””
— William Shakespeare
“Kneel not to me.The pow'r that I have on you is to spare you;The malice towards you to forgive you. Live,And deal with others better.””
— William Shakespeare
“I am glad I was up so late, for that's the reason I was up so early.””
— William Shakespeare
“The pow'r I have on you is to spare you / The malice towards you, to forgive you. Posthumus””
— William Shakespeare
“Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered.””
— William Shakespeare
“our cageWe make a quire, as doth the prison'd bird,And sing our bondage freely.””
— William Shakespeare
“Pardon's the word to all.””
— William Shakespeare
