Cymbeline Act One – “Lest the bargain should catch cold and starve.”

Cymbeline Act One – “Lest the bargain should catch cold and starve.”

‘Cymbeline’, also known as ‘Cymbeline, King of Britain’ and ‘The Tragedy of Cymbeline’, has had a strange life as a play. It was written either at the end of 1610 or the beginning of 1611 and either had its first performance in one of the law colleges in the Christmas of 1610 or in April 1611 at the Globe. Curiously, it was listed in the First Folio as a tragedy but today is listed as a Comedy and it certainly has many aspects of comedies like ‘The Winter’s Tale’ and even ‘Much ado About Nothing’.

Shakespeare seems to have been based on a story about the ancient Welsh King Cunobelinus (20BC-40AD approximately) although some characters and subplots seem to be hark back to Boccaccio’s ‘Decameron’. It is interesting to note that at the age of 47, Shakespeare is interested in themes like fidelity and infidelity, redemption and the relationship between appearance and reality. Perhaps after years of fooling around in London, Shakespeare himself was examining these themes in his own life. Perhaps it is also pertinent that around this period in his life, many of his plays deal with father/daughter relationships. At the end of 1610, his daughter Susanna was 27 and had married a local doctor in Stratford upon Avon, and his younger daughter Judith (whose twin brother Hamnet had died in 1596 at the age of 11) was 25 and still unmarried and living at home in Stratford upon Avon. Judith eventually had a strange and unhappy marriage to a vintner named Thomas Quiney and some argue that plays like ‘Cymbeline’ express the general anxiety that Will Shakespeare had with some of Judith’s suitors like the rascal Quiney who she eventually married.

The play starts in Britain at Cymberline's castle where two gentlemen recount to the audience recent goings on in the court of King Cymbeline.
“You do not meet a man but frowns: our bloods

No more obey the heavens than our courtiers

Still seem as does the king…

His daughter, and the heir of's kingdom, whom

He purposed to his wife's sole son--a widow

That late he married--hath referr'd herself

Unto a poor but worthy gentleman: she's wedded;

Her husband banish'd; she imprison'd: all

Is outward sorrow; though I think the king

Be touch'd at very heart…

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 look's, hath a heart that is not

Glad at the thing they scowl at…

He that hath miss'd 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 banish'd--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.”

So we know the background we learn is that Cymbeline's only daughter, Imogen, had been promised to the son of his new wife and queen (from a previous marriage), Cloten. But Imogen has married Posthumus (the king's own ward) in secret. We know that Cymbeline has banished Posthumus. We also hear that Cymberline's had two sons who were stolen twenty years ago from court and "...to this hour no guess in knowledge which way they went."

Then the action starts properly. Cymberline's Queen enters with Posthumus and Imogen. She has heard their plight and she says that she will help them and not be "evil-eyed" like most stepmothers. The Queen says that she will try to calm the fire of the rage in Cymbeline and even lets Posthumus and Imogen have one last walk in the garden before Posthumus has to leave.

When the Queen exits, Imogen reveals that she thinks that the Queen is two faced and that her kindness is all facade and a cover up. "How fine this tyrant can tickle where she wounds." The Queen re-enters to tell them to be brief because the King is coming. Imogen gives Posthumus a ring and Posthumus gives her a bracelet and they swear to always wear these love tokens and swear their undying love for one another. Posthumus leaves just as Cymbeline enters and King Cymberline curses Posthumus as he goes.

Cymberline begins chastising Imogen for her behaviour. Imogen says that it is Cymberlines's fault that she fell in love with Posthumus because he "breed" him as her playfellow. He commands his men to "pen her up" even though the Queen stands up for her stepdaughter. Imogen is taken away. Then Posthumus's manservant Pisanio, enters and says that Posthumus has been accosted and Cloten drew his sword on him. They were separated before hurt was sustained. Pisanio says that Posthumus wanted him to be taken into Imogen's service and look after her as her servant.

We now cross to where Cloten is bragging to a couple of gentlemen about his fight with Posthumus. Although the gentlemen flatter him, we get the sense they think he is a bragging fool who Posthumus could easily beat in a duel. 

We then cross to a room in Cymberline's palace where Pisanio tells Imogen of how sad Posthumus seemed when he left and he assures Imogen that she will soon hear from Posthumus. One of the Queen's ladies then enters and tells Imogen that the Queen wishes to see her.

We now cross to Philario's house in Italy where Posthumus is staying while he is in exile from Britain. Philario and a group of men talk about the nature and relative virtue and fidelity of women from various countries. Posthumus enters and is introduced to the other men. Iachimo says that there is not woman in the world who can't be seduced but Posthumus argues against this and says that nothing or no-one could seduce his virtuous Imogen. But Iachimo claims that even Imogen would give in and he says that he will go to England and try to seduce Imogen. Posthumus eventually agrees to bet with Iachimo and Iachimo bets 10,000 ducats and Posthumus says that he will give Iachimo the ring Imogen gave him.

The action then transfers back to Britain where the Queen asks a Doctor Cornelius to make a lethal poison for her which she claims she wants to use on prepare her a deadly poison, which she claims will be used for science and on "on creators as we count not worth the hanging". The Doctor is suspicious but he tells the audience that what he gave the Queen was not in poison, but a sleeping potion which gives the user the appearance of death and then he exits. 

With the Doctor gone, the Queen reveals that she intends to kill Pisanio with this poison. She hopes that Pisanio will take it so that her son will then she will be able to seduce Imogen to the idea of marrying her son.

A little later, we see Imogen in her chambers mourning her husband's banishment. Then Pisanio announces Iachimo's arrival from Italy with letters from Posthumus to Imogen.  When Imogen asks about Posthumus, Iachimo says that Posthumus is not thinking about Imogen or England because he is having such a good time with Italian women. Imogen is shocked and hurt and Iachimo says that the only way to avenge Posthumus is for her to give herself over to pleasure with Iachimo himself. He even says that he will dedicate himself to her "sweet pleasure". Imogen rejects Iachimo's offers and then Iachimo says that he was only trying to test her out of the brotherly love he has for Posthumus. He asks for her forgiveness and offers to take any letters to she wants to Posthumus. Iachimo then says that he is in business with Posthumus and others and he asks whether he can store a trunk in her chambers. Imogen agrees to this:

“Willingly;

And pawn mine honour for their safety: since

My lord hath interest in them, I will keep them

In my bedchamber.”