Cymbeline vs The Merchant of Venice: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Bibliography, History and criticism, Drama, History, 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.”
More
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…
The Merchant of Venice
More
In this lively comedy of love and money in sixteenth-century Venice, Bassanio wants to impress the wealthy heiress Portia but lacks the necessary funds. He turns to his merchant friend, Antonio, who is forced to borrow…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- The Merchant of Venice has the widest readership — 206966 ratings behind its score.
Affiliate links: we may earn a commission on purchases.
How to choose
Scores by source
| Cymbeline | The Merchant of Venice | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.6 (12298) | 3.8 (206966) |
| Hardcover | 3.6 (19) | 3.7 (252) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (9) | 4.0 (106) |
| Check price → | Check price → |
Reception
| Cymbeline | The Merchant of Venice | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 12298 | 206966 |
| Editions | 844 | 818 |
| Citations | 4 | — |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 9853 | 8 |
| Reading it now | 4 | — |
| Written reviews | 1065 | 5 |
| Wikipedia attention | 6844 | 28995 |
| Pages | 178 | 105 |
| Check price → | Check price → |
Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Cymbeline or The Merchant of Venice?
The Merchant of Venice has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The Merchant of Venice 3.8/5, Cymbeline 3.6/5).
Which is shorter to read: Cymbeline or The Merchant of Venice?
The Merchant of Venice is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The Merchant of Venice (105 pages, ≈ 1 h 57 m); Cymbeline (178 pages, ≈ 3 h 18 m).
Which is harder to read: Cymbeline or The Merchant of Venice?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Cymbeline: Demanding; The Merchant of Venice: Demanding.
Have both books been made into films?
Cymbeline: 1 film adaptation; The Merchant of Venice: 5 film adaptations.