Despite its complex and sometimes ambiguous tone, Cymbeline ultimately concludes with an optimistic mood, fostered by the play’s emphasis on themes of reconciliation and reunion. The conclusion of the play sees the resolution of most major conflicts and the reunification of families, symbolizing a return to harmony in the society of Ancient Britain. Notable reconciliations include that of Imogen and Posthumus, as well as the reunion of Cymbeline with his lost sons. These resolutions contribute to a sense of closure despite the dramatic and perilous events of the play.
Another factor contributing to the optimistic mood of the play is its emphasis on redemption and forgiveness. Characters who have faced betrayals or hardships are granted opportunities for redemption, including some of the play’s most notable antagonists such as Iachimo. After pardoning his Roman prisoners, including the Roman ambassador Caius Lucius, and repealing the exile and death sentence he had imposed upon Belarius, Cymbeline’s parting words exemplify the optimistic mood with which the play concludes:
Laud we the gods,
And let our crooked smokes climb to their nostrils
From our blest altars. Publish we this peace
To all our subjects. Set we forward. Let
A Roman and a British ensign wave
Friendly together. So through Lud’s Town march,
And in the temple of great Jupiter
Our peace we’ll ratify, seal it with feasts.
Set on there. Never was a war did cease,
Ere bloody hands were washed, with such a peace.
The King of Britain puts a swift end to the war with Rome, agreeing to return to the previous tributary system and anticipating a lasting peace between the two nations. Never before, he argues, has a war ended with “such a peace” before “bloody hands” have been “washed” from the battle. While Cymbeline may contain moments of darkness and tragedy, the optimism that emerges in its resolution emphasizes the importance of forgiveness and peace despite the challenges faced by the characters throughout the narrative.
