Cymbeline 1.I.c

Enter CYMBELINE and LORDS

POSTHUMUS. Alack, the King! [Surrender? Flee? -- short line. Is there some sort of physical action?]
CYMBELINE. Thou basest thing, [] avoid [depart] (1); hence from my sight
If after this command thou [] fraught [burden] the court
With thy unworthiness, thou diest (2). Away!
Thou'rt poison to my blood (3).

[1. Banish. 2. Threaten. 3. Belittle, mock, scorn, diss]

POSTHUMUS. The gods protect you, [A shared line. A cut off. "I'm out-a here!"]
And bless [] the good remainders of the court! [those who remain at court.]
I am gone. [He cuts off the verse line. Pregnant pause after he leaves.]

Exit

[Who is he saying "the gods protect you" to? The obvious choice would be Imogen. But it could also be said to the King. If he says it to C, is he mocking (is it ironic) or being generous?]


IMOGEN. There cannot be a [] pinch [pang. torment] in death
More sharp than this is. [Guilt dad.]
CYMBELINE. O disloyal thing, [Shared line. Dad cuts her off.]
That shouldst [] repair [restore] my youth, [yet] thou heap'st
A year's age on me! [Guilt back. You're killing your father, do you know that?]
IMOGEN. I beseech you, sir,
Harm not yourself with your vexation.
I am senseless of your wrath; [] a touch more rare [parting from P]
Subdues all [other] pangs, all fears. [I'm sticking my fingers in my ears. I can't hear you. I can't hear you I can't hear you. She's giving him the cold shoulder.]

CYMBELINE. Past [] grace [sense of duty/propriety]? obedience? [Chastising.]
IMOGEN. Past hope, and in despair; [] that [that thing which is] way past [] grace [mercy/forgiveness].

[He's saying "You're a bad daughter." She's saying, "You don't know the half of it."]

CYMBELINE. That mightst have had the sole son of my queen! [Reasoning? Putting the dunce cap on her? Guilting?]

IMOGEN. O blessed that I might not! I chose an eagle,
And did avoid a [] puttock. [Bird of prey, kite, buzzard. term of contempt. ]

[Giving thanks to the gods. Then saying "my dog is better than your dog."]

CYMBELINE. Thou took'st a beggar, wouldst have made my throne
A seat for baseness. ["Would you have me thrown out of the country club?"]

IMOGEN. No; I rather added
A lustre to it. ["You stupid man. The country club will give you a ten-year free membership because of me."]

CYMBELINE. O thou vile one!

[He's so undone by her comebacks, he can only sputter insults. He doesn't even make it to the end of a verse line. ALTERNATE: he CURSES her, trumping all her comebacks. He cuts the verse line off, needing only the words he uses.]

IMOGEN. Sir, [REALLY short line. Does she pause until he looks at her?]
It is your fault that I have lov'd Posthumus.
You bred him as my playfellow, and he is
A man worth any woman; [] overbuys me
Almost the sum he pays. [he pays more than I'm worth -- most of what he pays is too much]

[She suddenly stops playing schoolyard insult games. She reasons with him. She turns everything around, making the whole thing his fault. She pulls out her ace of spades.]

CYMBELINE. What, art thou mad? [A shared line. He can't listen any more. He cuts her off.]
IMOGEN. Almost, sir. Heaven restore me! Would I were
A [] neat-herd's [cowheard's] daughter, and my Leonatus
Our neighbour shepherd's son! [I'm leaving this family. This is a BIG rejection for a King's daughter.]

Re-enter QUEEN

CYMBELINE. Thou foolish thing! [Shared line. He cuts her off and attacks the queen instead.]
[To the QUEEN] They were again together. You have done
Not after our command. Away with her,
And pen her up.

[First, he "whips" the queen. Then, he orders obedience. He turns the queen into a servant. (Unless he's talking to someone else when he says "Away with her" If he is, his "And pen her up" might mean refer to Q. Send I away and pen up the Queen. But that plays against the rhythm. It's "and PEN her Up" not "and pen HER up."]

QUEEN. Beseech your patience.- Peace, [She cuts him off, before he makes any more threats]
Dear lady daughter, peace!- Sweet sovereign,
Leave us to ourselves, and make yourself some comfort
Out of your best [] advice. [council]

[She stops him in his tracks? she begs him? she seduces him? She winks at him? Whatever she does seems to work. He's happy someone else is dealing with the problem. He spits out one more curse and then leaves.]

CYMBELINE. Nay, let her languish [Cut off. Maybe so as not to see weak. But he does leave.]
[] A drop of blood a day [sighs were said to consume the heart's blood] and, being aged,
Die of this folly. Exit, with LORDS

Enter PISANIO

QUEEN. Fie! you must give way. [Chastise.]
Here is your servant. How now, sir! What news?
PISANIO. My lord your son drew on my master.
QUEEN. Ha! [Short line. Pause.]
No harm, I trust, is done? [maybe as "Spill the beans, dammit!"]
PISANIO. There might have been, [Shared line. Maybe because Q's last line was a bark.]
But that my master rather play'd than fought,
And had no help of anger; they were parted
By gentlemen at hand. [Mock Q via her son the wimp.]
QUEEN. I am very glad on't. [Shared. Cut him off before he further insults Cloten.]
IMOGEN. Your son's my father's friend; he takes his part [Chastise.]
To draw upon an exile! O brave sir! [Praise.]
I would they were in Afric both together; [Really wish it into being!]
[] Myself by with a needle, that I might prick
The [] goer-back. [the coward] Why came you from your master?
PISANIO. On his command. He would not [] suffer [allow] me
To bring him to the haven; left these notes
Of what commands I should be subject to,
When't pleas'd you to employ me.

[It might be interesting if, at this point, Pisanio is very upset that P rejected him. He wants to be with his master, not with his master's wife. This will allow some growth in the Pisanio/Imogen relationship.]

QUEEN. [to the absent P] This hath been
Your faithful servant. I dare [] lay [wager] mine honour
He will remain so.

[Why is Q so interested in praising Pisanio in front of I? Is she just trying to calm I down? Does she think she'll be able to make use of Pisanio later, if she's able to get Pisanio into I's good graces?]

PISANIO. I humbly thank your Highness.
QUEEN. Pray walk awhile.
IMOGEN. About some half-hour hence,
Pray you speak with me. You shall at least
Go see my lord aboard. For this time leave me. Exeunt

[I wants to make clear that she will be helped on her own terms or none at all.

This scene paints an interesting picture of Cymbeline's court. C sort of has power. He's able to banish P. But he's a weak king. He too easily gives into his wife and daughter. This has created an atmosphere of scattered power. Does C have the power? Does Q have it? Does I have it? Everything is so de-centered that no one seems to really listen to anyone else. The person who yells the loudest has the power. The one risk is that Cymbeline will get so pissed off, he'll order someone beheaded. But barring that, you can overpower him if with histrionics.

This seems very much like real family life. Dad CAN ground the kids. But how often he forgets that he has this power! And then everything devolves into a shouting match.]