Pericles, Prince of Tyre by William Shakespeare (Full Play Analysis)

 

Pericles, Prince of Tyre

by William Shakespeare

(Full Play Analysis) 

Pericles, Prince of Tyre is one of Shakespeare's lesser-known plays, and its authorship has been a topic of debate among scholars. It is generally believed that the first two acts were written by George Wilkins, while Shakespeare wrote the last three acts. The play is a romance, a genre that combines elements of tragedy and comedy with an emphasis on miraculous events, forgiveness, and reunification.

 

 Summary

The play follows the life of Pericles, a prince of Tyre, as he encounters a series of adventures and misfortunes. These include shipwrecks, tournaments, love, loss, and eventually, the miraculous reunion with his lost wife and daughter.

 

Act 1:

The play opens with Pericles in Antioch, where he discovers a dark secret about King Antiochus: the king is involved in an incestuous relationship with his daughter. Pericles correctly interprets the riddle posed by Antiochus, which reveals the king's sin. Fearing for his life, Pericles flees, leaving Tyre under the temporary rule of his loyal counselor, Helicanus.

 

Act 2:

Pericles sails to Tarsus, where he offers food and aid to the starving city ruled by Cleon and his wife, Dionyza. He then continues his journey but is shipwrecked and washes ashore in Pentapolis. Here, he wins a tournament and the hand of the fair princess Thaisa, daughter of King Simonides.

 

Act 3:

Thaisa gives birth to a daughter, Marina, during a storm at sea, but appears to die in childbirth. Her body is cast overboard in a chest, which washes ashore at Ephesus. There, the physician Cerimon revives her. Pericles, believing Thaisa to be dead, leaves Marina in the care of Cleon and Dionyza in Tarsus and returns to Tyre in mourning.

 

Act 4:

Marina grows up in Tarsus, but Dionyza becomes jealous of her beauty and plots to have her killed. However, pirates kidnap Marina and sell her into a brothel in Mytilene. Despite her circumstances, Marina remains virtuous and converts the patrons of the brothel to a life of virtue. She eventually meets the governor of Mytilene, Lysimachus, who is moved by her story and helps her escape the brothel.

 

Act 5:

Pericles, now grief-stricken and aimlessly wandering the seas, arrives in Mytilene, where he is reunited with Marina. They return to Ephesus, where they discover that Thaisa is alive and serving as a priestess of Diana. The family is joyfully reunited, and the play ends with a series of reconciliations and celebrations.

 

 Themes

 

1. Fate and Providence: The play underscores the role of fate in human lives. Pericles' journey is shaped by forces beyond his control, yet there is a sense of divine providence guiding events toward a positive resolution. The intervention of the goddess Diana at the end reinforces the idea of a higher power orchestrating the characters' fates.

 

2. Loss and Restoration: Central to the play is the theme of loss and the miraculous restoration that follows. Pericles loses his wife and daughter but is eventually reunited with both, symbolizing the cyclical nature of human existence and the possibility of renewal.

 

3. Virtue in Adversity: The characters of Pericles, Thaisa, and Marina exemplify virtue in the face of adversity. Marina's purity and moral strength, even when faced with the horrors of a brothel, highlight the triumph of virtue over corruption.

 

4. Incest and Moral Corruption: The play begins with the sinister revelation of Antiochus's incest, setting the stage for a moral examination of power, corruption, and the consequences of immoral behavior. Antiochus's sin serves as a counterpoint to the virtuous behavior of the play's protagonists.

 

5. Identity and Disguise: The play explores the theme of identity, often through disguise or mistaken identity. Pericles's journeys, the loss of his family, and the concealment of Thaisa’s true identity all contribute to the play’s exploration of how identity can be shaped by circumstances.

 

 Structure and Style

The play's structure is episodic, with a series of loosely connected adventures that lead to the eventual resolution. This episodic nature, combined with the use of Gower as a chorus to narrate the action, gives the play a storybook quality. Gower’s role is particularly important as he not only sets the scene but also provides moral commentary, guiding the audience's interpretation of the events.

The language of the play varies, with the early acts displaying more of Wilkins’s prose style, which is less polished than Shakespeare's poetic language in the later acts. The shifts in tone and style between the two authors’ contributions have been a subject of scholarly interest.

 

 Critical Reception

Historically, "Pericles" was not as highly regarded as Shakespeare’s other works, partly due to its complex authorship and the episodic nature of the plot. However, modern critics have recognized the play’s unique qualities, particularly its exploration of themes like loss, redemption, and the miraculous, which resonate with the human experience.

 

 Conclusion

"Pericles, Prince of Tyre" is a rich and complex play that offers a blend of adventure, romance, and moral lessons. While it may not have the same level of critical acclaim as some of Shakespeare's other works, it remains a fascinating exploration of the themes of fate, virtue, and the resilience of the human spirit. The play's ultimate message is one of hope and restoration, emphasizing the possibility of renewal even after the darkest of times.