The authoritative edition of Cymbeline from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers. Cymbeline tells the story of a British king, Cymbeline, and his three children, presented as though they are in a fairy tale. The secret marriage of Cymbeline’s daughter, Imogen, triggers much of the action, which includes villainous slander, homicidal jealousy, cross-gender disguise, a deathlike trance, and the appearance of Jupiter in a vision. Kidnapped in infancy, Cymbeline’s two sons are raised in a Welsh cave. As young men, they rescue a starving stranger (Imogen in disguise); kill Cymbeline’s stepson; and fight with almost superhuman valor against the Roman army. The king, meanwhile, takes on a Roman invasion rather than pay a tribute. He too is a familiar figure—a father who loses his children and miraculously finds them years later; a king who defeats an army and grants pardon to all. Cymbeline displays unusually powerful emotions with a tremendous charge. Like some of Shakespeare’s other late work—especially The Winter’s Tale and The Tempest—it is an improbable story lifted into a nearly mythic realm. This edition includes: -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play -Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play -Scene-by-scene plot summaries -A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases -An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language -An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play -Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books -An annotated guide to further reading Essay by Cynthia Marshall The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit Folger.edu.

シェイクスピア晩年の「ロマンス劇」の真髄が、このシンベリンには凝縮されています。悲劇的な誤解や邪悪な策略、男装しての冒険といった劇的要素が、おとぎ話のような超現実的な美学の中で見事に融和しています。現実の理屈を超えた「ありそうもない物語」だからこそ到達できる、神話的で崇高な魂の救済こそが、本作の持つ最大の本質的魅力と言えるでしょう。 特にヒロイン・イモージェンの気高さは、シェイクスピア全作品の中でも白眉です。愛と信頼が試される過酷な試練を経て、離散した家族が奇跡的な再会を果たす終盤の展開は、読者の心を震わせる圧倒的な熱量を帯びています。過ちを許し、再生を信じる巨匠が辿り着いた、静謐かつ力強い人間讃歌をぜひその手で体感してください。