Cymbeline Act 4, May 15

[JamesD]

Candy wrote: "Maybe it was too random to include the song? And I wonder if there are early versions with and without the song?

That is a fascinating observation about the twins of S and daughter...mirroring Cym..."
'Quite forgot' is in my 100 year old printed version. My point was that I imagine Shakespeare wrote it this way as a little sound joke. (Quite forgot Clot or Cloten forgotten.)

That dirge song though is definitely not random in my mind. It's obviously composed to fit with the story and it fits very well.

This play is full of nearly everything that Shakespeare does - it's like a mosaic of his literary skills. So, a beautiful dirge, the poetry of which stands finely on it's own is but one mosaic tile. Cymbeline is a somewhat historical play that is a romance, an adventure, is dark, is funny and is full of social comment. I will go on about this more in the Act 5 discussion that went off the boil a week ago already. Will you continue catching up in Act 5 Candy?

[JamesD]

Candy wrote: "Maybe it was too random to include the song? And I wonder if there are early versions with and without the song?

That is a fascinating observation about the twins of S and daughter...mirroring Cym..."

No problem whatsoever about using online quotes.

[Candy]

Yes, I am about to tackle the thread in Act 5. It's just been one of those times where I am juggling...I think I say that a lot don't I though? Honestly....I'm moving into Act 5 today for discussion.


Also...I love your enthusiasm for this play James...it's refreshing!