The Library Annex

Wherein I am false I am honest; not true to be true:
These present wars shall find I love my country,
Even to the note o’ the king, or I’ll fall in them.
All other doubts, by time let them be clear’d:
Fortune brings in some boats that are not steer’d.

Why entitle this play Cymbeline?

It’s is a page-turner, wildly entertaining, with facets magnificently engineered to bring about a pleasant resolution; a puzzle with pieces splattered across the table and re-assembled to form a beautiful picture.

Shakespeare introduces us to a broken family, banished husbands, villainous spouses, pompous fools and a king named Cymbeline who, strangely, doesn’t effect much of anything. All of the drama unfolds under his nose in which he really has no part. Though we know he has banished two of his best soldiers, one of whom is married to his daughter, his only remaining child, and seems shrouded by the influence of his nefarious queen. One might think he drowns in the throes of depression vented through anger and poor judgement. But this is for the audience to speculate.

Those around him formulate the melodrama. His daughter, Imogen, who like many of the women in Shakespeare’s plays, proves more honest and true than his heroes. She admonishes the advances of an Italian whose only interest is in winning a wager to test her honor. And when her husband, Posthumus, believes the false proof of her infideility manufactured by the Italian’s mechinations, he flies into a rage and orders her killed. Thanks to his servant, serving honor above command, she learns of this and herself rebukes him. For her, honor and dignity rule all whereas for her husband, and most men, pride wears the crown.

To escape, Imogen disguises herself as a man and thus begins the thematic element of falsehood. Imogen impersonates a man, the servant disobeys orders, the royal fool impersonates an honorable nobleman, Posthumus impersonates a peasant soldier and Cymbeline’s lost sons are disguised as mountaineers. But the disguises only serve to confuse others. They do not inhibit the true natures of the disguised. Royalty cannot hide the brutish fratboy in Cloten. Mountain poverty cannot hide the true nobility of Cymebline’s sons. A gender transition cannot hide the honesty of Imogen. Ambiguous peasantry cannot hide Posthumus’ passion. And servitude cannot disuade Pisanio from his honor.

But, again, why call this play Cymbeline? It might even seem as if Shakespeare disguises the true title of the play with this name. For nearly the totality of Act V, Shakespeare unveils the truth behind the disguises. Yet the audience already knows all this. Why retell it? Because Cymbeline does not know and all is revealed to him. The revelation is like an awakening for him, like the lifting of a shroud. As king, Cymbeline represents Brittain herself and Brittain’s house, previously in such chaos, is again in order through the painful journeys of her heroes. Where once falsehood reigned, now truth, reconcilation, and perhaps redemption, make her whole. Falsehood cannot hide the true nature of Brittain, who calls herself Cymbeline.