The Tragedy of Cymbeline, King of Britain is a play by William Shakespeare. Critics often classify it-along with Pericles, Prince of Tyre, The Tempest, and The Winter's Tale-as a Late Romance; the style however is probably better described as "tragi-comedy". In the First Folio, Cymbeline is grouped with the tragedies.The plot of Cymbeline is loosely based on a tale told by Geoffrey of Monmouth about the actual British ruler Cunobelinus. To this Shakespeare added his own ideas and sub-plots. There are some interesting parallels (noted in Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare) between the stepmother / daughter / stepson aspect of the plot and the real or supposed circumstances of the Roman Emperor Augustus. Iachimo's wager and his hiding in a chest to gather details of Imogen's room derive from story II.9 of Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron. Most of the plot however is invented by Shakespeare. (Quote from wikipedia.org)About the AuthorWilliam Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)William Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564 - 23 April 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "The Bard"). His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18 he married Anne Hathaway, who bore him three Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Between 1585 and 1592 he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of the playing co