Pericles Quarto of 1609| Pericles |
|
Period written: 1607-1608 First known performance: 1607 Written partly by William Shakespeare and partly by George Wilkins. The play begins at the court of Antiochus, king of Antioch. Pericles, the young Prince (ruler) of Tyre, is there to win the hand of Antiochus's beautiful daughter by answering a riddle. However, if he fails, he will be killed, like many suitors before him. Upon hearing the riddle, Pericles realizes its meaning - Antiochus is engaged in an incestuous relationship with his daughter. Pericles realizes that he is trapped - he will be killed if he reveals the truth, but he will be killed if he answers wrongly. Thus, instead of answering outright, Pericles hints to Antiochus that he knows the answer to the riddle, and asks for more time to think. Antiochus grants him forty days, and Pericles uses the time to flee from Antioch. But Antiochus, worried that Pericles will reveal his secret, sends an assassin, Thaliard, after him. Pericles returns to Tyre and confers with his trusted friend and councilor Helicanus, who advises him to leave the city, for Antiochus surely will hunt him down. Pericles agrees, leaving Helicanus as regent in his place, and indeed an assassin arrives in Tyre shortly after Pericles departs. The young prince sails from Tyre to Tarsus, a city beset by famine. The generous Pericles gives the governor of the city, Cleon, and his wife Dionyza, grain from his ship to save their people. The famine ends, and after being thanked profusely by Cleon and Dionyza, Pericles continues on. However, Pericles' voyage is diverted by a storm that shipwrecks his vessel and washes him up on the shores of Pentapolis. He is rescued by a group of poor fishermen who inform him that the King of Pentapolis, Simonedes, is holding a tournament the next day and that the winner will receive the hand of his daughter Thaisa in marriage. Fortunately, one of the fishermen drags Pericles' suit of armor on shore that very moment and the prince decides to enter the tournament. Although his equipment is rusty, Pericles wins the tournament and the hand of Thaisa (who is deeply attracted to him) in marriage. Simonedes initially expresses doubt about the union, but soon comes to like Pericles and allows them to wed. Meanwhile, in Tyre, the noblemen learn that Antiochus and his daughter are dead, shrivelled up by a "fire from heaven" while riding in a chariot. Anxious at the long departure of their king, the nobles offer the crown to Helicanus, but Helicanus is a loyal friend to Pericles and refuses. However, he eventually agrees that if the noblemen search for Pericles in vain, Helicanus will consent to become king. A letter sent by the noblemen reaches Pericles in Pentapolis, who decides to return to Tyre with Thaisa, who is pregnant. However, a storm arises while at sea, and Thaisa dies giving birth to her child, Marina. The sailors on board insist that Thaisa's body is set out to sea in order to calm the storm. Pericles grudgingly agrees, and decides to stop at Tarsus because he fears that Marina may not survive the storm. Luckily, Thaisa's casket washes up to shore near the residence of Lord Cerimon, a magician who brings her back to life. Thaisa becomes a priestess in the temple of Diana. Marina grows up under the care of Cleon and Dionyza. However, Marina is despised for her beauty which surpasses that of their own daughter. Their plan for Marina's assassination is thwarted when pirates kidnap Marina and then sell her to a brothel. There, Marina manages to keep her virginity by convincing the men that they should seek virtue. When Pericles returns to Tarsus for his daughter, the governor and his wife claim she has died. In grief, he sets to the seas. He eventually comes, by chance, to the land where Marina can be found, and they reunite. In a dream, Pericles is instructed to go to the temple of Diana. He there finds Thaisa. The people of Tarsus discover the evils that Cleon and Dionyza have done, and kill them in a revolt. Dicuss this play in our forums.
|
||||
