Insight About Imogen

Pick three adjectives that describe your character and explain why you chose them.

Imogen is a complicated character, which is part of what makes her such a joy to explore. She’s a young princess of Britain who has decided to marry against her father’s orders, who deals with many of the tempestuous emotions of youth and young love, and who also manages to present herself as intelligent and resourceful.

An important part of her character stems from that youth, which is why I would choose to describe her as impulsive in many respects. This impulsiveness is shown in both her actions and her emotional states. She leaps to marry her true love despite her father’s objections without really considering the consequences (his banishment). She rushes off to be with him without a second thought when she learns he is still in England. This high level of energy and action needs to be constant in the character but not detract from the fact that she is a noble, born and raised. Balancing that youthful exuberance with a regal demeanor is definitely a challenging aspect of the role. Even her mind tends to bounce from one thought to another, and she is quick to cycle through a number of reactions when she learns that her husband wants her dead in rapid succession. Exploring the twists and turns of her line of thinking, via an examination of the dialogue, has been very useful in understanding the character and her psychology.

I would also describe Imogen as resourceful in many regards. Despite being an emotional character, she is intelligent enough to see through the queen’s sickly sweet exterior to her darker intentions, and wise enough to seek an explanation about her husband’s accusations. At times, her optimism and goodhearted nature cause her to make less logical choices, but she is still granted the ability to take command of situations, make firm and intelligent decisions, advocate for herself, and make the best of the situations she finds herself in. This ability to take stock of the situation and adapt accordingly can even be seen in the meter of her lines – she might speak in broken iambic pentameter during an emotional moment and then steady herself (and her rhythm) as her speech shifts towards making a plan of action.

Finally, a signature trait of Imogen’s is that she is faithful. This is a point not merely remarked on by many others in the play, but also reflected in the way in which she is unwavering in her love for her husband. There are some moments where she falls victim to insecure doubts about his fidelity, however even that possibility does not cause her to wish him ill. Even the name that she chooses for herself when disguised as a boy – “Fidele” – is a direct reference to that deep loyalty which is a hallmark of her character.