So I wrote a paper about it. I think it fits nicely with what we have been talking about all along in our class. Shakespeare, after all, wrote many romances. Cymbeline is what we referred to in class as a tragi-comedy. Death and humor seem to co-exist in this story, but ultimately it ends happily. In any case, the following is my analysis of the individuation of the two main characters in that play, Posthumus and Innogen.
Cymbeline follows a long tradition of Romantic elements. It also follows what Carl Jung described as a process of individuation. Cymbeline is a coming-of-age tale in which the hero and heroine, Posthumus and Innogen, share a forbidden love, are separated, and must each face their own separate journey as they learn how to navigate the world around them. They both undergo a transformation that tests their love, and this ultimately leads to a revelation that allows their love to mature beyond the forbidden and into filial and societal approval.
Individuation is the process of personal transformation in which the unconscious becomes part of the conscious self. Jung described the process in terms of a holistic healing, with the end result being the maturation of the individual. Individuation is comprised of three components: the shadow, the senex and the anima or animas. For individuation to take place, one must experience all three. As we see in Cymbeline, the main characters go through these trials on their way toward a better understanding, not only of themselves, but of each other and their psychological and physical environment.
“Individuation, the finding and asserting of identity, is in these plays closely related to sexual maturity and cyclical change” (Garber, 31). The idea of individuation, of becoming a whole being, is important to the story because, as the play shows us, both Posthumus and Innogen share a level of naivete that suggests they have not quite achieved adulthood. Warren reminds us that Posthumus’ “cynicism and misogyny came across as the reaction of a limited man” (31). And Innogen’s idealization of the pastoral world, a world where “differences of rank would not threaten her marriage to Posthumus,” (42) comes up against the harsh realities of nature as she begins her long journey toward Milford Haven. “Here people are forced to come to terms with themselves and others – and this is precisely what happens to Innogen when she arrives here” (43).
Both must set off on their own psychological journey in order to learn about the harsh realities of their world. Shakespeare does not sugar-coat the brutality of love, sex and violence. Warren notes, “Shakespeare is emphasizing human realities rather than distancing them” (58). There is something very real about this fictional tale. It forces even the audience to consider the very grey space the play occupies between right and wrong and to take a closer look at who they think they are.
A Dark Shadow
Jung describes the “shadow” as turning one’s inferiority into a perceived deficiency in someone else. This important step in the process of individuation allows the person to see their darker side as a part of their persona. It is easy to see how Posthumus projects his inferiority upon Innogen, allowing his shadow to creep across the play like a specter. Evidence of his inferiority begins to show early in the play as he boasts about his wife’s beauty and chastity. As if his ego cannot stand on its own without having to lean on his wife’s virtue, he brags to his Italian acquaintances, Philario and Giacomo, of her feminine perfection. Increasingly provoked by Giacomo, he manifests his inferiority in what is typically referred to as “The Wager.” Posthumus bets that Giacomo cannot compromise his wife’s chastity. But the actual wager is not so much about Innogen as Posthumus’ hubris. “I make my wager rather against your confidence / than her reputation” (1.4.106-7) Giacomo assures Posthumus and the audience. It is obvious that Giacomo is less interested in bedding Posthumus’ wife than he is in proving him to be a fool.
Innogen also must come face to face with her shadow. Warren points out that “both in the process try to cope with the apparent faithlessness of the other by generalizing about the frailty of the opposite sex” (37). Posthumus certainly has his misogynistic rants, but Innogen also voices the insecurity and utter dispair she feels when Pisanio reveals to her Posthumus' murder plot. She generalizes the male psyche thus: “Men’s vows are women’s traitors. All good seeming, / By thy revolt, O husband, shall be thought / Put on for villainy; not born where’t grows, / But worn a bait for ladies” (3.4.54-7). Innogen obviously feels her repressed weaknesses coming to the surface in this scene. Her shadow projects her perceived deficiencies outwardly, turning her back on all men and, therefore, love. Her only escape, then, is to ask Pisanio to “Do thou master's bidding” (3.4.65) and kill her. This is perhaps the darkest moment in the play, where Innogen has given up all hope. It is essential, however, for her to hit rock bottom in order to begin her ascent with a conscious knowledge of her dark side.
Cymbeline as the Senex
In literature, the Senex is represented in a character that shows wisdom and sound judgment or, as we see in the character of Cymbeline, an irrational father who opposes the marriage of his daughter to an “unworthy” suitor. Cymbeline can be seen as the catalyst to setting both characters on their path toward individuation. Garber describes this archetypal situation in the following way: the couple is “incapable of coming to terms with the complex worlds they inhabit, and incapable, too, of successfully replacing the fraternal or filial bond with the more fruitful bond of marriage” (31). Their inability to cope with the world at large, coupled with their inability to come out from under their parent’s shell, suggests that there is still quite a bit of immaturity or naivete to deal with before they are psychologically ready to live together, on their own, as husband and wife.
Cymbeline, though not necessarily a likeable character, does provide the needed conflict that causes the lovers to spend the necessary time apart, make mistakes and grow. It is a process that Garber describes as “losing-oneself-to-find-oneself” (32). In this case, they must also lose each other first. Both Posthumus and Innogen also find themselves separated from the society to which they have become accustomed. Innogen ends up wandering the heath, while Posthumus finds himself in a foreign land and then on the battlefield, far from the pleasantries of the royal court.
Anima and Animus
The last of the components of individuation, anima, describes the feminine qualities of a male, while animus describes masculine qualities in the female unconscious. According to Jung, oftentimes the anima manifests itself in the dreams of a male. Posthumus seems to be nearing the end of his transformation when he dreams that Jupiter descends on an eagle and assures his family that everything will turn out favorably for him. “He shall be lord of Lady Innogen, / And happier much by his affliction made” (5.3.201-2). Jupiter reinforces the idea that Posthumus must suffer first in order to complete his psychological journey and become a man worthy of Innogen’s love, finally realizing the personal fulfillment that marriage provides.
But perhaps even more important than Jupiter’s blessing is the reuniting of Posthumus with his family in the dream sequence. By providing him with the support of his family, Shakespeare is giving Posthumus yet another reason to look beyond his own ego and toward a view of “himself” as greater than himself. Reconnecting Posthumus with his family allows him to progress in his attitude toward women in general and Innogen in particular, letting go of his misogynistic unconscious and moving toward one that is more empathetic to the nuances of female sexuality. There is an immediate realization upon waking from the dream that he has a chance to reunite with Innogen. “Many a dream not to find, neither deserve, / And yet are steeped in favours; so am I, / That have this golden chance and know not why” (5.3.224-6). Reuniting with his family provides Posthumus with the needed context, a familial context, with which to view his relationship with Innogen and restores his hope of reuniting with his wife.
Innogen engages her animus when she transforms into Fidele, the male page to Lucius. Warren notes, “Innogen’s decision to turn away from despair and to opt for life marks the turning-point of the play. By choosing life rather than death, she initiates the upward movement of the play” (50). Pisanio, perhaps a senex in his own right, encourages Innogen to disguise herself as a man, “and forget / Your laborsome and dainty trims” (3.4.164-5). Her decision to embrace her male qualities, rather than follow “the example of an earlier heroine, Juliet, who finds herself in a similar situation and kills herself,” preserves her life and also ensures the play does not become a true tragedy. “That Innogen does not do so makes important points both about her personality and about the nature of the play.”
Final Thoughts
Shakespeare psychologically tortures the characters of Posthumus and Innogen in order to give them a path toward individuation, reconciliation and happiness. Though the horrors the two have experienced might have scarred some, Posthumus and Innogen appear to come out the better for their suffering. Warren states “Cymbeline, like the late plays in general, engages with tragedy but in the end looks beyond it: the vision is a broader one.” It is ultimately Innogen’s brothers who provide the necessary concession needed for Cymbeline to bless the marriage, but it is Posthumus’ ability to come to terms with Innogen’s sexuality that provides a key piece to the conclusion of the play.
While Warren suggests that Posthumus is not yet a perfect man, illustrated by his continued use of (unconscious) violence toward Innogen in 5.4, it is important to recognize that Shakespeare set Posthumus on a purposeful path toward individuation and maturity. Indeed, the plot of the play revolves around the well-known theme of descent and ascent in Romance literature. The hero and heroine must fall before they can be reunited. But what sets this play apart is Shakespeare’s refusal to sugar coat the ending. Yes, there seems to be a somewhat contrived, fairy tale ending, but the lingering residue of sex and violence still permeates the air. Humanity is not always just. And even happy endings can be flawed. But without obstacles to overcome, humanity does not grow. Within our struggle lies our redemption – our maturation and individuality. For it is not only the circumstances in which we are born, but our triumphs and hardships that change who we are and determine who we will be. Shakespeare seems to have understood this and wrote a play about it – several plays, actually. This one was called Cymbeline, though it could have just as easily been called “The Individuation and Reconciliation of Posthumus and Innogen.” I suppose Cymbeline has a better ring to it.
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