The Romance Cycle

CYMBELINE: A Romance
A Synopsis
By Celise Kalke

It is ancient Britain and the Roman Empire dominates the European continent. Cymbeline, King of the Britons, maintains an uneasy alliance with the Empire based on payments of tribute. Cymbeline’s daughter, Imogen, is the heir to the throne.

Before the play’s events, a terrible tragedy strike’s Cymbeline’s court. His beloved wife dies, and a disgruntled courtier steals away his two sons. No one knows if they are dead or alive. Their fate a mystery, Cymbeline marries a second Queen. This new Queen conspires stealthily against Imogen and persuades the aging Cymbeline to marry his new stepson, Cloten, to Imogen.

Imogen, against her father’s wishes, falls in love with Posthumus, the son of a noble and valiant family. Married in secret, the lovers hope Posthumus’ character and military valor will win over the King. Alas, Cymbeline banishes Posthumus on pain of death as soon as the marriage comes to light.

Cymbeline begins with a rushed exchange of presents between Imogen and her beloved husband. Imogen gives Posthumus a ring, and Posthumus gives her a bracelet. Posthumus sorrowfully leaves for Rome, and as a last act of love, he sends back his loyal servant, Pisanio, to serve and protect Imogen.

In Rome, news of Posthumus’ honor and valor precede his introduction into Imperial society. Posthumus strengthens this reputation by bragging about his beautiful princess and her virtue. A Roman aristocrat, Iachimo, decides to put Posthumus’ faith in Imogen to the test. After much banter, Iachimo makes a bet with Posthumus that he can seduce Imogen. He boasts that he will bring back the bracelet Posthumus gave Imogen as proof of her infidelity. Posthumus takes the wager.

Iachimo then journeys to Britain, and introduces himself to Imogen as Posthumus’ friend. His attempt to seduce her fails. Pretending that the seduction was merely a test, Iachimo then asks Imogen to guard his large chest in her room. Imogen agrees.

Later in her room, Imogen reads herself to sleep. In the dead of night, the trunk opens and Iachimo emerges. He surveys the room, and removes the covers from the sleeping Imogen. He examines her closely, notes the details of her bedchamber, steals the bracelet from her arm, and then hides back in the trunk.

Outside Imogen’s door, the persistent Cloten serenades the princess. Imogen, innocent of what occurred while she slept, asks her women to find the missing bracelet. When Cloten declares his love for Imogen, she says that she doesn’t care for him and further that he isn’t worthy to wear Posthumus’ “meanest garment.”

Back in Rome, Iachimo deceives Posthumus into thinking that Imogen betrayed him, using the details of her bedroom and the bracelet as proof. Posthumus feels as if the world has cracked open beneath his feet. He writes to Pisanio enraged, ordering his servant to kill Imogen.

In Britain, the Queen convinces Cymbeline to rebel against the Empire. The Roman ambassador to Britain, Lucius, tries in vain to prevent the outbreak of war. He leaves to assemble an invasion force from France. Imogen receives word that Posthumus traveled to Britain with the invasion force, and wants her to escape from the palace and meet him in Wales. Overjoyed, Imogen dresses herself as a young boy and travels to meet her husband.

When Pisanio and Imogen reach Wales, Pisanio’s conscience rebels against Posthumus’ orders, and the servant confesses to Imogen that her husband has plotted her murder. Imogen, in despair, decides to travel alone.

Pisanio goes back to Cymbeline’s court. Once there, he writes a letter to Posthumus saying he killed Imogen. Cloten, the jealous suitor, forces Pisanio to tell him Imogen’s destination. Then Cloten (dressed in Posthumus’ clothes) follows after the princess in one last violent attempt to win her love or ravish her body.

In Wales, Imogen meets and becomes part of a strange family of three wild men, a father and two sons. She becomes a fourth in their cave, and until she becomes sick one day, seems content to hide in this wilderness. Left alone in her illness, Imogen drinks a potion prepared by the Queen. She falls into a deep deathlike sleep.

Meanwhile Cloten comes upon the two wild boys, picks a fight, and gets his head chopped off. After a loving burial for Imogen the wild men leave the two corpses together strewn with flowers. Afterwards they join the British army against the Roman legions.

Imogen wakes up and mistakes Cloten’s headless body for the corpse of Posthumus (since Cloten dressed in Posthumus’ clothes). Grief-stricken, she mourns her fate and his. Lucius marches by with the Roman army and takes up Imogen as his page. Thus all the major characters end up on the Welsh plain amid the battle between the Romans and the Britons.

In the play’s last act, Imogen’s long lost brothers find their natural father as if by magic. The battlefield also allows Posthumus to reunite with his wife, and the battle’s aftermath reveals many other secrets and deceptions. But the air of political intrigue and an uneasy peace with Rome mars the perfect harmony of this tale.

CYMBELINE: A Romance A Synopsis By Celise Kalke It is ancient Britain and the Roman Empire dominates the European continent. Cymbeline, King of the Britons, maintains an uneasy alliance with the Empire based on payments of tribute. Cymbeline’s daughter, Imogen, is the heir to the throne. Before the play’s events, a terrible tragedy strike’s Cymbeline’s court. His beloved wife dies, and a disgruntled courtier steals away his two sons. No one knows if they are dead or alive. Their fate a mystery, Cymbeline marries a second Queen. This new Queen conspires stealthily against Imogen and persuades the aging Cymbeline to marry his new stepson, Cloten, to Imogen. Imogen, against her father’s wishes, falls in love with Posthumus, the son of a noble and valiant family. Married in secret, the lovers hope Posthumus’ character and military valor will win over the King. Alas, Cymbeline banishes Posthumus on pain of death as soon as the marriage comes to light. Cymbeline begins with a rushed exchange of presents between Imogen and her beloved husband. Imogen gives Posthumus a ring, and Posthumus gives her a bracelet. Posthumus sorrowfully leaves for Rome, and as a last act of love, he sends back his loyal servant, Pisanio, to serve and protect Imogen. In Rome, news of Posthumus’ honor and valor precede his introduction into Imperial society. Posthumus strengthens this reputation by bragging about his beautiful princess and her virtue. A Roman aristocrat, Iachimo, decides to put Posthumus’ faith in Imogen to the test. After much banter, Iachimo makes a bet with Posthumus that he can seduce Imogen. He boasts that he will bring back the bracelet Posthumus gave Imogen as proof of her infidelity. Posthumus takes the wager. Iachimo then journeys to Britain, and introduces himself to Imogen as Posthumus’ friend. His attempt to seduce her fails. Pretending that the seduction was merely a test, Iachimo then asks Imogen to guard his large chest in her room. Imogen agrees. Later in her room, Imogen reads herself to sleep. In the dead of night, the trunk opens and Iachimo emerges. He surveys the room, and removes the covers from the sleeping Imogen. He examines her closely, notes the details of her bedchamber, steals the bracelet from her arm, and then hides back in the trunk. Outside Imogen’s door, the persistent Cloten serenades the princess. Imogen, innocent of what occurred while she slept, asks her women to find the missing bracelet. When Cloten declares his love for Imogen, she says that she doesn’t care for him and further that he isn’t worthy to wear Posthumus’ “meanest garment.” Back in Rome, Iachimo deceives Posthumus into thinking that Imogen betrayed him, using the details of her bedroom and the bracelet as proof. Posthumus feels as if the world has cracked open beneath his feet. He writes to Pisanio enraged, ordering his servant to kill Imogen. In Britain, the Queen convinces Cymbeline to rebel against the Empire. The Roman ambassador to Britain, Lucius, tries in vain to prevent the outbreak of war. He leaves to assemble an invasion force from France. Imogen receives word that Posthumus traveled to Britain with the invasion force, and wants her to escape from the palace and meet him in Wales. Overjoyed, Imogen dresses herself as a young boy and travels to meet her husband. When Pisanio and Imogen reach Wales, Pisanio’s conscience rebels against Posthumus’ orders, and the servant confesses to Imogen that her husband has plotted her murder. Imogen, in despair, decides to travel alone. Pisanio goes back to Cymbeline’s court. Once there, he writes a letter to Posthumus saying he killed Imogen. Cloten, the jealous suitor, forces Pisanio to tell him Imogen’s destination. Then Cloten (dressed in Posthumus’ clothes) follows after the princess in one last violent attempt to win her love or ravish her body. In Wales, Imogen meets and becomes part of a strange family of three wild men, a father and two sons. She becomes a fourth in their cave, and until she becomes sick one day, seems content to hide in this wilderness. Left alone in her illness, Imogen drinks a potion prepared by the Queen. She falls into a deep deathlike sleep. Meanwhile Cloten comes upon the two wild boys, picks a fight, and gets his head chopped off. After a loving burial for Imogen the wild men leave the two corpses together strewn with flowers. Afterwards they join the British army against the Roman legions. Imogen wakes up and mistakes Cloten’s headless body for the corpse of Posthumus (since Cloten dressed in Posthumus’ clothes). Grief-stricken, she mourns her fate and his. Lucius marches by with the Roman army and takes up Imogen as his page. Thus all the major characters end up on the Welsh plain amid the battle between the Romans and the Britons. In the play’s last act, Imogen’s long lost brothers find their natural father as if by magic. The battlefield also allows Posthumus to reunite with his wife, and the battle’s aftermath reveals many other secrets and deceptions. But the air of political intrigue and an uneasy peace with Rome mars the perfect harmony of this tale.
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