Cymbeline (Shakespeare)

In my quest to read all of Shakespeare's plays I can now add Cymbeline to my tally - the 9th of his plays that I've read this year (of my goal of 12), and the 23rd of his credited 38 plays.

Cymbeline is one of Shakespeare's late plays - and it is not one of his best. The plot is unrealistic - a fairy tale of sorts (wicked stepmother, potions, nobles in disguise), but flawed. None of the lines struck me as particularly memorable. It has a happy ending, with people repenting and family members reunited, so somewhat of a comedy. There are tragic elements - though it lacks a real great villain. The queen is evil, but repents and simply dies. Iachimo is a liar and plotter, but he too repents. And the son of the queen, Cloten, is wicked but an idiot. As for heroes, the king of the title is also a fool, and Posthumus, the husband of the princess, is a dupe and a hothead wo doesn't deserve his wife. The "best" character is Imogen - the princess - who stands out among the nobles as admirable. 

Despite it's flaws, it was worth reading. It's Shakespeare, after all, and it's certainly not the worst of his plays that I've read.

The tally so far: 

Cymbeline

Troilus and Cressida

Henry VIII

Henry IV Part II

Antony and Cleopatra

The Life and Death of King John

Twelfth Night

The Tragedy of Richard II

As You Like It

Richard III
The Taming of the Shrew
Romeo and Juliet
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The Merchant of Venice
Henry IV Part I
Henry V
Julius Caesar
Hamlet
Othello
King Lear
Macbeth
The Winter’s Tale

The Tempest.    

The plays I have yet to read (in chronological order)

Henry VI Part I
Henry VI Part II
Henry VI Part III
The Comedy of Errors
Titus Andronicus
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Love’s Labour’s Lost
As You Like It
The Merry Wives of Windsor
All’s Well That Ends Well
Measure for Measure
Coriolanus
Timon of Athens
Pericles
The Two Noble Kinsmen

I'll read at least three more before the year ends But for now, another mystery.

Pax et bonum