An Artistic Image of Rustaveli in Shakespeare’s Cymbeline

Abstract

Shakespeare’s Cymbeline one of the main plot sources of which is based upon the love story of Nestan and Tariel, represents transformation of artistic images from Rustaveli’s MPS. In particular, a famous metaphor from Rustaveli’s epic “a pen steeped in gall” was adopted as an artistic image by Shakespeare: the fellow in love, banished abroad, implores the only heir to the throne to send him a letter “though ink be made of gall”.