Cymbeline vs Pericles: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Tragicomedy, Bibliography, English drama, 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.”
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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…
Pericles
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This book includes a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a seperate introduction to Pericles, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- Cymbeline has the widest readership — 12298 ratings behind its score.
- Cymbeline reaches further in scholarship and criticism — cited 4 times.
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Scores by source
| Cymbeline | Pericles | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.6 (12298) | 3.5 (9392) |
| Hardcover | 3.6 (19) | 3.3 (15) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (9) | 4.5 (10) |
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Reception
| Cymbeline | Pericles | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 12298 | 9392 |
| Editions | 844 | 490 |
| Citations | 4 | 3 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 9853 | 8010 |
| Reading it now | 4 | 198 |
| Written reviews | 1065 | 925 |
| Wikipedia attention | 6844 | 23171 |
| Pages | 178 | 87 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Cymbeline or Pericles?
Cymbeline has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Cymbeline 3.6/5, Pericles 3.5/5).
Which is shorter to read: Cymbeline or Pericles?
Pericles is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Pericles (87 pages, ≈ 1 h 37 m); Cymbeline (178 pages, ≈ 3 h 18 m).
Which is harder to read: Cymbeline or Pericles?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Cymbeline: Demanding; Pericles: Demanding.
Have both books been made into films?
Cymbeline: 1 film adaptation; Pericles: no film adaptation on record.