The Shakespeare Club
Pericles, Prince of Tyre
Autumn 2011
(The numbers shown in the third column are the Scene numbers for those with copies that do not split the play into Acts and Scenes)
| Act | Scene | Scenes | Synopsis of plot |
| I II III IV V | 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 4 5 6 1 2 3 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8a 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 | This is a story told by Gower (English poet (1330 – 1408) wrote “Confessio Amantis”; source for Pericles). Gower relates an old story; how Antiochus has had an incestuous affair with his daughter and how he tries to keep her for himself by setting her many suitors an impossible riddle. When each one fails to solve it he sentences them to death. Pericles, wooing the princess, works out the correct answer and Antiochus secretly orders his murder. Before Thaliart can poison him, Pericles arranges with Helicanus to escape to Tarsus. When Thaliart arrives in Tyre he misses Pericles who has gone to bring corn to Cleon and Dionyza who have been worried about the famine in their country. As news arrives about Thaliart's plot Pericles leaves, but is shipwrecked in a storm. Washed up on the shore near Pentapolis he is looked after by kindly fishermen who drag his armour from the sea. Hearing of a tournament at the court of the king (Simonides) Pericles decides to travel there and take part (incognito) with the other suitors for the princess' hand. He wins the jousting and the heart of the princess, but reuses to divulge his identity. Meanwhile (back in Tyre) Helicanus tells Aeschines that the gods have punished Antiochus and his daughter by killing them with heavenly fire. Then Pericles' knights complain about his absence and try to persuade Helicanus to take the crown which he refuses to do, but says he will take it if the prince does not return within a year. In Pentapolis Simonides tests Pericles' feelings for his daughter by showing him a forged love letter to Thaisa and after hearing Pericles' protestations of virtue he grants the couple permission to marry. The wedding of Pericles and Thaisa is described by Gower with the aid of dumb show and they sail for Tyre, but during a terrible storm she seemingly dies in childbirth and the superstitious sailors insist that her body be thrown overboard. Pericles, upset, agrees, but resolves to transport their newborn daughter, Marina, to Tarsus where her upbringing will be entrusted to the governor Cleon and his wife Dionyza. Thaisa's coffin has been washed ashore at Ephesus, where a physician, Ceremon, is given it by gentlemen. Assisted by his servant, Philemon, on opening the coffin Ceremon thinks she is dead, but he manages to revive her from a deathlike sleep. Pericles leaves Marina with her nurse, Lychorida, with Cleon and Dionyza and goes to Tyre. Back in Ephesus, Thaisa, not knowing of the birth of Marina and thinking that she will never see Pericles again, enters the Temple of Diana. Gower relates Marina's development into a beautiful young woman and how Dionyza has grown jealous of her, arranging for Leonine to murder her, but before Leonine can succeed Marina is captured by pirates and sold as a prostitute in a brothel in Mytilene. There she stoutly refuses to co-operate with the clients, much to the bawd's despair. Leonine has told Dionyza that he has killed Marina, much to Cleon's distress, so she poisons him to keep him quiet. She then tells Cleon that they will inform Pericles that Marina died naturally. Gower appears at Marina's gravestone in Tarsus with the information that Pericles has come to get his daughter. A dumb show presents his grief when he is shown the tomb by Cleon. Gower contrasts the flattery on the tomb with the unhappiness in Mytilene. Two gentlemen in Mytilene vow to reform their lives because of the virtue of a harlot. Back at the brothel they despair at the damage Marina is doing to their business. Lysimachus (governor) arrives and is offered Marina who begs him not to bed her, but he declares he has only come to test her virtue and leaves without paying Boult who angrily threatens to deflower Marina himself. However she shames him into agreeing to help establish herself as a teacher of music, dance and handicraft to young women. Gower tells of Marina's success in Mytilene society and that Pericles has arrived there. Lysimachus sends Marina to sing to the grief stricken prince. Pericles does not recognise his daughter immediately, but when he does they are reunited. The goddess Diana appears to Pericles in a vision and persuades him to go to Ephesus where he finds Thaisa. All are joyfully brought back together and Lysimachus is betrothed to Marina. When he hears of Simonides' death, Pericles declares he and Thaisa will reign in Pentapolis and Lysimachus and Marina will rule in Tyre. Goer closes the play with news that the people of Tarsus were so enraged when they heard of the murder of Marina that they massacred Cleon and Dionyza. |
