Cymbeline

Cymbeline features one of Shakespeare’s creepiest scenes – Iachimo bets Posthumous that he (Iachimo) can seduce Posthumus’ faithful wife, Imogen. Like someone voluntarily signing-up for social media, Posthumus foolishly agrees, enabling events that will bring emotional misery upon himself and Imogen. However, that’s not the creepy scene; according to the mutually agreed upon conditions of the bet, if Iachimo can bring Posthumus proof of Imogen’s infidelity, then Iachimo gets Imogen’s ring which she has given to Posthumus and which he wears upon his finger. So, when his best efforts to seduce Imogen naturally fail, Iachimo hides in her bed chamber. Here’s the creepy part – while Imogen sleeps, Iachimo sneaks out and gets a good gander at her, observing a mole on her left breast, and managing to steal from her wrist a bracelet given her by Posthumus. Iachimo goes back to Posthumus with the bracelet and intimate anatomical details that convince Posthumus of Imogen’s infidelity. The ring and the bracelet become instruments of voyeuristic violation, all through Posthumus’ willing participation in the bet. If any of Shakespeare’s plays suggest the insidious covenant that is social media, this is it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to check Facebook.