Cymbeline vs King Lear: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Britons, Fathers and daughters, Kings and rulers, Drama, Fiction
Cymbeline
“In the scene which dramatizes the central crisis of her fortunes, the heroine of Cymbeline apparently dies, and her brothers speak over her body perhaps the most exquisite lyric in the language, 'Fear no more the heat o'th' sun', whose serene beauty has brought consolation to many a real-life funeral.”
Cymbeline, King of Britain is one of the best-known works of William Shakespeare. It is a romantic play interwoven with war and tragedy. It revolves around Cymbeline and his daughter, Imogen. Imogen does not abide by…
1 film adaptation
vs
King Lear
“King Lear is widely regarded as Shakespeare's most intense, profound and powerful tragedy.”
King Lear divides his kingdom among the two daughters who flatter him and banishes the third one who loves him. His eldest daughters both then reject him at their homes, so Lear goes mad and wanders through a storm. His…
1 film adaptation
The verdict
- Readers rate King Lear highest: King Lear 3.9 · Cymbeline 3.6.
- King Lear has the widest readership — 243115 ratings behind its score.
- King Lear reaches further in scholarship and criticism — cited 10 times.
How to choose
Scores by source
| Cymbeline | King Lear | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.6 (12298) | 3.9 (243115) |
| Hardcover | 3.6 (19) | 3.9 (340) |
| Google Books | — | 1.0 (1) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (9) | 4.5 (47) |
Reception
| Cymbeline | King Lear | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 12298 | 243115 |
| Editions | 844 | 1614 |
| Citations | 4 | 10 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 9853 | 119559 |
| Reading it now | 4 | — |
| Written reviews | 1065 | 9312 |
| Wikipedia attention | 6844 | 42705 |
| Pages | 178 | 183 |