Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), By William Shakespeare When creating can alter your life, when writing can improve you by offering much money, why don't you try it? Are you still extremely confused of where understanding? Do you still have no suggestion with just what you are visiting compose? Now, you will certainly require reading Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), By William Shakespeare A good author is a great user simultaneously. You could specify how you create depending on what books to review. This Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), By William Shakespeare can help you to resolve the trouble. It can be among the right resources to establish your composing ability.
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare
Ebook Download : Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare
The secret marriage of a king's daughter sets off a chain reaction of slander, jealousy, and divine intervention in this fairy tale-like romance. Shakespeare based his play on myths of an early Celtic king of Britain, incorporating historical elements from classical Rome and Renaissance Italy. With a cast that includes an evil stepmother, scheming suitor, and devoted lovers, the drama is heightened by duels, kidnappings, and disguised identities.Cymbeline offers captivating storytelling that's crowned by the beauty of its language. Virginia Woolf, T. S. Eliot, Samuel Beckett, and countless others have quoted Act IV's funeral song: "Fear no more the heat o' th' sun/Nor the furious winter's rages;/Thou thy worldly task hast done,/Home art gone and ta'en thy wages." A moving story of loss and recovery, Shakespeare's drama promises that a leap of faith can lead to miracles.
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare - Amazon Sales Rank: #649510 in Books
- Brand: Dover Publications Inc.
- Published on: 2015-06-17
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 7.90" h x .30" w x 4.80" l, .20 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 128 pages
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare Review “A remarkable edition, one that makes Shakespeare’s extraordinary accomplishment more vivid than ever.”—James Shapiro, professor, Columbia University, bestselling author of A Year in the Life of Shakespeare: 1599 “A feast of literary and historical information.”—The Wall Street Journal
About the Author
"He was not of an age, but for all time," declared Ben Jonson of his contemporary William Shakespeare (1564–1616). Jonson's praise is especially prescient, since at the turn of the 17th century Shakespeare was but one of many popular London playwrights and none of his dramas were printed in his lifetime. The reason so many of his works survive is because two of his actor friends, with the assistance of Jonson, assembled and published the First Folio edition of 1623.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
ACT 1
Scene 1
Enter two Gentlemen.
FIRST GENTLEMAN You do not meet a man but frowns. Our bloods No more obey the heavens than our courtiers' Still seem as does the King's.
SECOND GENTLEMAN But what's the matter?
FIRST GENTLEMAN His daughter, and the heir of 's kingdom, whom He purposed to his wife's sole son -- a widow That late he married -- hath referred herself Unto a poor but worthy gentleman. She's wedded, Her husband banished, she imprisoned. All Is outward sorrow, though I think the King Be touched at very heart.
SECOND GENTLEMAN None but the King?
FIRST GENTLEMAN He that hath lost her, too. So is the Queen, That most desired the match. But not a courtier, Although they wear their faces to the bent Of the King's looks, hath a heart that is not Glad at the thing they scowl at.
SECOND GENTLEMAN And why so?
FIRST GENTLEMAN He that hath missed the Princess is a thing Too bad for bad report, and he that hath her -- I mean, that married her, alack, good man! And therefore banished -- is a creature such As, to seek through the regions of the earth For one his like, there would be something failing In him that should compare. I do not think So fair an outward and such stuff within Endows a man but he.
SECOND GENTLEMAN You speak him far.
FIRST GENTLEMAN I do extend him, sir, within himself, Crush him together rather than unfold His measure duly.
SECOND GENTLEMAN What's his name and birth?
FIRST GENTLEMAN I cannot delve him to the root. His father Was called Sicilius, who did join his honor Against the Romans with Cassibelan, But had his titles by Tenantius, whom He served with glory and admired success, So gained the sur-addition Leonatus; And had, besides this gentleman in question, Two other sons, who in the wars o' th' time Died with their swords in hand. For which their father, Then old and fond of issue, took such sorrow That he quit being; and his gentle lady, Big of this gentleman our theme, deceased As he was born. The King he takes the babe To his protection, calls him Posthumus Leonatus, Breeds him and makes him of his bedchamber, Puts to him all the learnings that his time Could make him the receiver of, which he took As we do air, fast as 'twas ministered, And in 's spring became a harvest; lived in court -- Which rare it is to do -- most praised, most loved, A sample to the youngest, to th' more mature A glass that feated them, and to the graver A child that guided dotards. To his mistress, For whom he now is banished, her own price Proclaims how she esteemed him; and his virtue By her election may be truly read What kind of man he is.
SECOND GENTLEMAN I honor him Even out of your report. But pray you tell me, Is she sole child to th' King?
FIRST GENTLEMAN His only child. He had two sons -- if this be worth your hearing, Mark it -- the eldest of them at three years old, I' th' swathing clothes the other, from their nursery Were stol'n, and to this hour no guess in knowledge Which way they went.
SECOND GENTLEMANÂ Â How long is this ago?
FIRST GENTLEMANÂ Â Some twenty years.
SECOND GENTLEMAN That a king's children should be so conveyed, So slackly guarded, and the search so slow That could not trace them!
FIRST GENTLEMAN Howsoe'er 'tis strange, Or that the negligence may well be laughed at, Yet is it true, sir.
SECOND GENTLEMANÂ Â I do well believe you.
FIRST GENTLEMAN We must forbear. Here comes the gentleman, The Queen and Princess.
They exit.
Enter the Queen, Posthumus, and Imogen.
QUEEN No, be assured you shall not find me, daughter, After the slander of most stepmothers, Evil-eyed unto you. You're my prisoner, but Your jailer shall deliver you the keys That lock up your restraint. -- For you, Posthumus, So soon as I can win th' offended king, I will be known your advocate. Marry, yet The fire of rage is in him, and 'twere good You leaned unto his sentence with what patience Your wisdom may inform you.
POSTHUMUS Please your Highness, I will from hence today.
QUEEN You know the peril. I'll fetch a turn about the garden, pitying The pangs of barred affections, though the King Hath charged you should not speak together. She exits.
IMOGEN O, Dissembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant Can tickle where she wounds! My dearest husband, I something fear my father's wrath, but nothing -- Always reserved my holy duty -- what His rage can do on me. You must be gone, And I shall here abide the hourly shot Of angry eyes, not comforted to live But that there is this jewel in the world That I may see again. [She weeps.]
POSTHUMUS My queen, my mistress! O lady, weep no more, lest I give cause To be suspected of more tenderness Than doth become a man. I will remain The loyal'st husband that did e'er plight troth. My residence in Rome at one Philario's, Who to my father was a friend, to me Known but by letter; thither write, my queen, And with mine eyes I'll drink the words you send, Though ink be made of gall.
Enter Queen.
QUEEN Be brief, I pray you. If the King come, I shall incur I know not How much of his displeasure. [Aside.>] Yet I'll move him To walk this way. I never do him wrong But he does buy my injuries, to be friends, Pays dear for my offenses. [She exits.]
POSTHUMUS Should we be taking leave As long a term as yet we have to live, The loathness to depart would grow. Adieu.
IMOGENÂ Â Nay, stay a little! Were you but riding forth to air yourself, Such parting were too petty. Look here, love: This diamond was my mother's. [She offers a ring.] Take it, heart, But keep it till you woo another wife When Imogen is dead.
POSTHUMUS How, how? Another? You gentle gods, give me but this I have, And cere up my embracements from a next With bonds of death. [He puts the ring on his finger.] Remain, remain thou here, While sense can keep it on. -- And sweetest, fairest, As I my poor self did exchange for you To your so infinite loss, so in our trifles I still win of you. For my sake, wear this. [He offers a bracelet.] It is a manacle of love. I'll place it Upon this fairest prisoner. [He puts it on her wrist.]
IMOGEN O the gods! When shall we see again?
Enter Cymbeline and Lords.
POSTHUMUS Alack, the King.
CYMBELINE Thou basest thing, avoid hence, from my sight! If after this command thou fraught the court With thy unworthiness, thou diest. Away! Thou 'rt poison to my blood.
POSTHUMUS The gods protect you, And bless the good remainders of the court. I am gone. He exits.
IMOGEN There cannot be a pinch in death More sharp than this is.
CYMBELINE O disloyal thing That shouldst repair my youth, thou heap'st A year's age on me.
IMOGEN I beseech you, sir, Harm not yourself with your vexation. I am senseless of your wrath. A touch more rare Subdues all pangs, all fears.
CYMBELINE Past grace? Obedience?
IMOGEN Past hope and in despair; that way past grace.
CYMBELINE
That mightst have had the sole son of my queen!
IMOGEN
O, blessèd that I might not! I chose an eagle And did avoid a puttock.
CYMBELINE Thou took'st a beggar, wouldst have made my throne A seat for baseness.
IMOGEN No, I rather added A luster to it.
CYMBELINE O thou vile one!
IMOGEN Sir, It is your fault that I have loved Posthumus. You bred him as my playfellow, and he is A man worth any woman, overbuys me Almost the sum he pays.
CYMBELINE
What, art thou mad?
IMOGEN
Almost, sir. Heaven restore me! Would I were A neatherd's daughter, and my Leonatus Our neighbor shepherd's son. [She weeps.]
CYMBELINE
Thou foolish thing!
Enter Queen.
They were again together. You have done Not after our command. Away with her And pen her up.
QUEEN
Beseech your patience. -- Peace, Dear lady daughter, peace. -- Sweet sovereign, Leave us to ourselves, and make yourself some comfort Out of your best advice.
CYMBELINE
Nay, let her languish A drop of blood a day, and being aged Die of this folly. He exits,
QUEEN
Fie, you must give way.
Enter Pisanio.
Here is your servant. -- How now, sir? What news?
PISANIO My lord your son drew on my master.
QUEEN Ha? No harm, I trust, is done?
PISANIO There might have been, But that my master rather played than fought And had no help of anger. They were parted By gentlemen at hand.
QUEEN I am very glad on 't.
IMOGEN
Your son's my father's friend; he takes his part To draw upon an exile. O, brave sir! I would they were in Afric both together, Myself by with a needle, that I might prick The goer-back. -- Why came you from your master?
PISANIO
On his command. He would not suffer me To bring him to the haven, left these notes Of what commands I should be subject to When 't pleased you to employ me.
QUEEN, [to Imogen] This hath been Your faithful servant. I dare lay mine honor He will remain so.
PISANIO
I humbly thank your Highness.
QUEEN, [to Imogen]
Pray, walk awhile.
IMOGEN, [to Pisanio] About some half hour hence, Pray you, speak with me. You shall at least Go see my lord aboard. For this time leave me.
They exit.
Where to Download Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare
Most helpful customer reviews
64 of 72 people found the following review helpful. A late, loony, self- parodying masterpiece By A Customer "Cymbeline" is my favourite Shakespeare play. It's also probably his loopiest. It has three plots, managing to drag in a banishment, a murder, a wicked queen, a moment of almost sheer pornography, a full-on battle between the Romans and the British, a spunky heroine, her jealous but not-really-all-that-bad husband, some fantastic poetry and Jupiter himself descending out of heaven on an eagle to tell the husband to pull his finger out and get looking for his wife. Finally, just when your head is spinning with all the cross-purposes and dangling resolutions, Shakespeare pulls it all together with shameless neatness and everybody lives happily ever after. Except for the wicked queen, and her son, who had his head cut off in Act 4."Cymbeline" is, then, completely nuts, but it manages also to be very moving. Quentin Tarantino once described his method as "placing genre characters in real-life situations" - Shakespeare pulls off the far more rewarding trick of placing realistic characters in genre situations. Kicking off with one of the most brazen bits of expository dialogue he ever created, not even bothering to give the two lords who have to explain the back story an ounce of personality, Shakespeare quickly recovers full control and races through his long, complex and deeply implausible narrative at a headlong pace. The play is outrageously theatrical, and yet intensely observed. Imogen's reaction on reading her husband's false accusation of her infidelity is a riveting mixture of hurt and anger; she goes through as much tragedy as a Juliet, yet is less inclined to buckle and snap under the pressure. When she wakes up next to a headless body that she believes to be her husband, her aria of grief is one of the finest WS ever wrote. No less impressive is her plucky determination to get on with her life, rather than follow her hubby into the grave.Posthumus, the hubby in question, is made of less attractive stuff, but when he comes to believe that Imogen is dead, as he ordered (this play is full of people getting things wrong and suffering for it), he rejects his earlier jealousy and starts to redeem himself a tad. There's a vicious misogyny near the heart of this play, as Shakespeare biographer Park Honan observed, kept in balance by a hatred of violence against women. The oafish prince Cloten, who lusts after Imogen, is a truly repellent piece of work, without even the intelligence of Iago or the horrified panic of Macbeth; his plan to kill Posthumus and rape Imogen before her husband's body is just about as squalid and vindictive as we expect of this louse, and when a long-lost son of the king (don't even _ask_) lops Cloten's head off, there are cheers all round.Shakespeare sends himself up all through "Cymbeline". I wonder if the almost ludicrously informative opening exposition scene isn't a bit of a gag on his part, but when a tired and angry Posthumus breaks into rhyming couplets, then catches himself and observes "You have put me into rhyme", we know that Shakespeare is having us on a little. Likewise, the final scene, when all is resolved, goes totally over the top in its piling-on "But-what-of-such-and-such?" and "My-Lord-I-forgot-to-mention" moments.Yet the moments of terror and pity are deep enough to make the jokiness feel truly earned. When Imogen is laid to rest and her adoptive brothers recite "Fear no more the heat o' the sun" over her body, it's as affecting as any moment in the canon. That she isn't actually dead, we don't find out until a few moments later, but it's still a great moment.Playful, confusing, enigmatic, funny and shot through with a frightening darkness, this is another top job by the Stratford boy. Well done.
22 of 26 people found the following review helpful. misleading and outdated By A Customer This is probably one of the most outdated and misleading of the Arden editions. Nosworthy really doesn't like the play and dismisses it as an experiment leading up to _The Tempest_. Even his editing of the text is affected by his reading of the play. Only scholars who know something about Shakespeare should venture here.
22 of 27 people found the following review helpful. Simply Magnificent By Sean Ares Hirsch A combination of "Romeo and Juliet," "Much Ado About Nothing," "As You Like It," and "King Lear?" Well somehow, Shakespeare made it work. Like "Romeo and Juliet" we have a protagonist (Imogen) who falls under her father's rages because she will not marry who he wants her to. Like "Much Ado About Nothing," we have a villain (Iachimo) who tries to convince a man (Posthumus) that the woman he loves is full of infidelity. Like "As You Like It," we have exiled people who praise life in the wilderness and a woman who disguises herself as a man to search for her family in the wilderness. Like "King Lear," we have a king who's rages and miscaculated judgement lead to disastorous consequences. What else is there? Only beautiful language, multiple plots, an evil queen who tries to undermind the king, an action filled war, suspense, a dream with visions of Pagan gods, and a beautiful scene of reconciliation at the end. While this is certainly one of Shakespeare's longer plays, it is well worth the time.
See all 36 customer reviews...
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare PDF
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare iBooks
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare ePub
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare rtf
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare AZW
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare Kindle
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare
Cymbeline (Dover Thrift Editions), by William Shakespeare
