Conflictual Metaphors and Metaphorical Swarms in Shakespeare’s "Cymbeline"

The article discusses the use and function of metaphors in Cymbeline, a late play of Shakespeare’s which has been regularly stigmatized as an egregious failure. Despite its almost universal critical condemnation, Cymbeline offers interesting materials to study the scope and function of metaphors: the play’s very dullness as to themes, character psychology or plot sets off its sophisticated handling of figurative language, making it an interesting case study to discuss the use and function of various kinds of metaphors. In particular, the article focuses on the use of living, conflictual metaphors in the wake of Prandi’s comprehensive study on metaphors and figurative language, which revives Black’s and Ricoeur’s emphasis on the projective dimension of metaphors and their importance in creating a new cognitive framework. The article analyses selected excerpts from the play to discuss how different metaphors are deployed by the characters, devoting special attention to the creative use of metaphors and their valorisation in producing a complex network of projections. The article also tries to highlight the phenomenology of conflictual metaphors in the form of metaphorical swarms, and their capacity to arouse expectations of truthfulness that are only apparently satisfied, or which mask false truths as relevant, trustworthy communication.