Cymbeline (35 page)

Preparation of “
Cymbeline
in Performance” was assisted by a generous grant from the CAPITAL Centre (Creativity and Performance in Teaching and Learning) of the University of Warwick for research in the RSC archive at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

Thanks as always to our indefatigable and eagle-eyed copy editor Tracey Day and to Ray Addicott for overseeing the production process with rigor and calmness.

Picture research by Michelle Morton. Grateful acknowledgment is made to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust for assistance with picture research (special thanks to Helen Hargest) and reproduction fees.

Images of RSC productions are supplied by the Shakespeare Centre Library and Archive, Stratford-upon-Avon. This library, maintained by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, holds the most important collection of Shakespeare material in the UK, including the Royal Shakespeare Company’s official archive. It is open to the public free of charge.

For more information see
www.shakespeare.org.uk
.

Act 1 Scene 1

1.1
Location: the British royal court (the play moves between ancient Britain and Rome)

1
but frowns
who does not frown

1
bloods
dispositions, temperaments

3
Still … king
mimic the king’s emotions;
seem
suggests a lack of sincerity

6
purposed to
intended for, i.e. to marry

7
late
recently

7
referred … Unto
given herself to/chosen

9
all … heart
i.e. Cymbeline is deeply wounded whereas the courtiers’

9
outward sorrow
is false

13
He … her
i.e. Cloten

15
bent
inclination

19
missed
failed to win; also suggests Innogen’s lucky escape

19
thing
contemptuous being, beneath humanity

22
creature
living being, suggesting he is beyond common humanity

24
his like
like him

24
something … compare
anyone chosen for comparison would have some fault to distinguish them

26
outward
physical appearance

26
stuff
substance, quality

27
Endows … he
so enriches/is to be found in any other

28
speak him far
speak highly of him

29
extend … himself
i.e. praise him no further than he deserves

31
measure
true capacity

32
birth
parentage/social status

33
delve … root
properly trace his family history

34
honour
fame, renown; also himself and his forces

35
Cassibelan
Cymbeline’s uncle

36
by
from, under

36
Tenantius
Cymbeline’s father

38
sur-addition
added title

38
Leonatus
means “born of a lion” (Latin)

42
fond of issue
doting on his children

44
Big of
pregnant with

47
of his bedchamber
a personal servant

48
learnings
education

48
time
age/experience

50
fast
as fast

51
in’s … harvest
reached maturity even in his youth

52
rare
unusual

53
sample
example, model

54
glass
mirror

54
feated them
displayed them to themselves

54
graver
more important, influential persons

55
dotards
old fools

56
her own price
the price she paid/her personal merit

57
Proclaims
shows, proves

57
how
to what extent/in what manner

57
his … read
the very fact that she chose Posthumus demonstrates his worth

60
even out of
based only on

65
I’th’swathing clothes
in the swaddling (i.e. baby) clothes

70
conveyed
taken away, stolen

71
slackly
negligently, loosely

73
Howsoe’er ’tis strange
strange as it may seem

77
forbear
cease/give way

77
Posthumus
meaning “after death” (Latin); so named from the deaths of his parents before and at his birth, with the name “Leonatus” living on in him

77
Innogen
Folio’s “Imogen” is probably a misprint or scribal error; she is called Innogen in Shakespeare’s source material, which suggests “innocence”

80
After the slander
as in the conventional unjust image

83
restraint
loss of liberty, perhaps an actual prison cell

84
win
win over, persuade

85
marry
by the Virgin Mary, i.e. indeed

87
leaned unto
went along with, obeyed

87
with … you
with what resignation, compliance you must decide

89
Please
if it please

90
from hence
leave here

91
peril
danger (in staying since Posthumus is banished)

92
fetch a turn
take a walk

92
pitying
because I pity

93
pangs … affections
pains caused by forbidden love

94
charged
ordered

95
dissembling
false, feigned, deceitful

98
reserved … duty
having always dutifully obeyed him as a daughter

100
hourly shot
continual glare; the eye was thought to emit beams at objects in order to see them

106
more … man
i.e. join you in crying; not considered appropriate for a man

108
plight troth
take marriage vows; the phrase was more often associated with engagement

111
thither
there, to that place

113
gall
an excrescence produced by insects on oak trees used to make ink/bile (a bitter secretion of the liver) hence bitterness of spirit, rancor

118
buy
interpret, believe (wrongly)

121
term
period of time

122
loathness
reluctance, unwillingness

125
petty
inadequate

131
cere
wrap in a burial cloth

133
sense
the ability to feel/control one’s actions

134
As … you
just as you gave up more than me for our marriage, you do so again in our exchange of gifts

135
trifles
small, insignificant tokens

138
fairest prisoner
i.e. Innogen’s arm

140
see
meet, see each other

141
Alack
expression of sorrow, regret

142
basest
most worthless (morally and socially)

142
avoid hence
get away

143
fraught
burden/trouble

147
good remainders
remaining courtiers/virtuous courtiers

149
pinch
pain, torment

152
repair
restore, renew, prolong

156
senseless of
insensible to

156
touch more rare
greater pain (caused by Posthumus’ departure)

159
past grace
Cymbeline means beyond filial duty, but Innogen shifts the sense to “beyond heavenly grace/salvation”

162
puttock
kite, seen as an inferior bird to the eagle/greedy scavenger

170
overbuys … pays
i.e. the price he has paid is almost twice my worth

174
neatherd
cowherd

178
after
in accordance with

180
Beseech
I beg

183
best advice
calm meditation on the matter

184
languish … folly
grow weak by loss of a

184
drop of blood a day
for the rest of her life until she is old and dies

187
Fie … way
unclear as to whether this is said to Innogen or the departing Cymbeline

189
drew
i.e. his sword

194
no … anger
wasn’t angry enough to fight seriously

197
takes his part
does his duty/takes the king’s side

199
Afric
i.e. a desert or remote place where they could fight without intervention

201
goer-back
one who retreats, backs off

202
suffer
allow

203
haven
harbor

207
lay
wager

Act 1 Scene 2

1
shift a shirt
change your shirt

1
violence … sacrifice
i.e. your fight (with Posthumus) has made you smell (through sweat or fear) like a sacrificial animal

2
where … vent
the air you give out (
vent
) is more wholesome than the air that comes in to replace it (ironic flattery)

3
abroad
outside (you)

5
then to
then I would

7
not … as
nothing more than

8
passable carcass
would pass for a dead body/a body that can be stabbed (
passed
) through

10
His … town
Cloten’s sword (
steel
) rather went around the backstreets like a debtor trying to avoid a creditor

12
stand me
stand his ground/stand up to me

17
As … oceans
i.e. none at all

17
Puppies!
Conceited young fools!

19
till … ground
i.e until you were fallen prostrate on the ground

22
election
choice, with a pun on salvation; in Calvinist doctrine, the predestined elect were to be saved

25
She’s … sign
she has a good physical appearance

26
reflection
evidence, indication; the Second Lord shifts the sense to “the literal reflection of light” (i.e. her radiance which fools are unable to absorb and would dazzle her)

26
wit
intelligence, judgment (perhaps with sexual connotation of “genitals”)

29
would there had
I wish there had

32
ass
i.e. Cloten

36
Well
very well

Act 1 Scene 3

1
grew’st unto
took root like a plant (by remaining there so long)

2
And … sail
scrutinized every approaching ship

4
offered mercy
perhaps God’s mercy, but a letter (
paper
) seems to favor the image of a king’s pardon arriving too late

5
spake
spoke

9
Senseless
inanimate