Pericles, Prince of Tyre
Pericles, prince of Tyre, flees his own city as a voluntary exile to escape the wrath of Antiochus, the wicked emperor of Greece, after discovering a shocking secret crime of the emperor's. He leaves the government of Tyre in the hands of his loyal minister, Helicanus, and sails first to Tarsus, where he relieves the famine-stricken city with stores of provisions, earning the gratitude of its governor, Cleon. Warned by letters from Helicanus that Antiochus's assassins seek him even at Tarsus, Pericles puts to sea again, only to be shipwrecked by a storm that drowns his entire crew, leaving him cast naked ashore near Pentapolis. Poor fishermen shelter him and tell him of King Simonides and a tournament to be held for the hand of the king's daughter, Thaisa. When Pericles's own armour is miraculously recovered from the sea by a fisherman's net, he enters the tournament in disguise as a private gentleman of Tyre, defeats all other knights, and wins Thaisa's favor and, eventually, Simonides's consent to marry her. News arrives that Antiochus is dead and that the people of Tyre threaten to make Helicanus their king unless Pericles returns; Helicanus himself refuses the throne and urges Pericles home. Pericles and the pregnant Thaisa set sail for Tyre, but another storm strikes, during which Thaisa apparently dies giving birth to a daughter. The sailors' superstition forces Pericles to commit Thaisa's body to the sea in a sealed, spice-filled chest with a letter identifying her. He names the infant Marina, for her sea-birth, and decides to leave her at Tarsus with Cleon and his wife Dionysia rather than risk her on the voyage to Tyre, entrusting her also to her nurse, Lychorida. The chest bearing Thaisa washes ashore at Ephesus, where the physician Cerimon revives her; she had only swooned, not died. Believing she will never see Pericles again, Thaisa becomes a votary of Diana's temple at Ephesus, aided by Cerimon's niece. Marina grows up at Tarsus under Cleon's care, becoming extraordinarily accomplished in learning, music, dancing, and needlework, which provokes the jealousy of Dionysia, whose own daughter is outshone by her. After Lychorida's death, Dionysia orders her servant Leonine to murder Marina. Leonine is about to kill Marina on the shore when pirates suddenly land, seize Marina, and carry her off, selling her as a slave at Mitylene. There her virtue, wit, and accomplishments make her famous; she teaches music and needlework, giving her earnings to her owners. Leonine falsely reports to Dionysia that he killed Marina, and Dionysia stages a fake funeral and monument for her at Tarsus. Lysimachus, the young governor of Mitylene, visits Marina, is deeply impressed by her virtue, and hopes to learn she is nobly born, though she always weeps rather than reveal her parentage. Meanwhile Pericles, sailing with Helicanus to Tarsus to reclaim his daughter, is shown Marina's monument and believes her dead. Overcome with grief, he falls into a silent, unspeaking melancholy and stops eating, remaining thus for months as the ship passes Mitylene. Lysimachus, curious about the royal vessel, comes aboard and, learning of the king's affliction, sends for Marina to try to rouse him with her conversation. Marina, without revealing her identity, speaks of her own sorrows and misfortunes, and her voice and resemblance to Thaisa awaken Pericles from his stupor. Through careful questioning he recognizes her as his own daughter by her invented name, Marina, and by her account of her birth at sea, her nursing at Tarsus, and Dionysia's murder attempt. Father and daughter are joyously reunited before Helicanus and Lysimachus. That night Pericles dreams that the goddess Diana commands him to go to her temple at Ephesus and publicly declare the story of his life. Before departing, Pericles consents to a match between Marina and Lysimachus, who had honored her even in her humble state, on condition they first visit Diana's shrine. At Ephesus, before the temple altar, Pericles recounts his history aloud, and Thaisa, now a priestess there, recognizes her husband's voice and features. Cerimon confirms the truth of the tale, and Thaisa faints with joy; upon reviving, she and Pericles recognize each other fully, aided by his father's ring, which Simonides had given him. Pericles presents Marina to her mother, and the family is reunited at the altar of Diana, to whom Pericles vows nightly oblations of thanks. Pericles then formally affiances Marina to Lysimachus. The narrative closes by drawing morals from the tale: Pericles, Thaisa, and Marina exemplify virtue tried by calamity and finally triumphant through patience and constancy under heaven's guidance; Helicanus exemplifies loyalty, having refused a throne rather than wrong his rightful prince; and Cerimon exemplifies knowledge used for benevolent ends, approaching the nature of the gods. Finally, it is told that Dionysia's wickedness is punished: when the people of Tarsus learn of her attempt on Marina's life, they rise up, set fire to Cleon's palace, and burn Dionysia, Cleon, and their whole household, the gods thus punishing an intended murder even though it was never actually carried out.
By Charles Lamb · First published 1819 · Genre: Drama, Classical Literature, Literary Adaptation · 7,438 words
First lines
Pericles, prince of Tyre, became a voluntary exile from his dominions, to avert the dreadful calamities which Antiochus, the wicked emperor of Greece, threatened to bring upon his subjects and city of Tyre, in revenge for a discovery which the prince had made of a shocking deed which the emperor had done in secret; as commonly it proves dangerous to pry into the hidden crimes of great ones. Leaving the government of his people in the hands of his able and honest minister, Helicanus, Pericles set sail from Tyre, thinking to absent himself till the wrath of Antiochus, who was mighty, should be appeased.
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Pericles, Prince of Tyre is listed on Textopian as a novel by Charles Lamb, dated 1819 CE.
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- Work type: Novel
- Author: Charles Lamb
- Date: 1819 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Drama, Classical Literature, Literary Adaptation, Historical Fiction, Tragedy
- Length: 7,438 words
- Structure: 1 section, 49 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for Pericles, Prince of Tyre by Charles Lamb
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Pericles, Prince of Tyre?
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Genres
- Drama — The text is a dramatization of William Shakespeare's original play 'Pericles, Prince of Tyre', maintaining the same dramatic elements such as dialogue, subplots, and dramatic tension
- Classical Literature — The book is a retelling of one of Shakespeare's plays and follows conventions of classical literature and narrative structures of the Elizabethan era
- Literary Adaptation — The text is an adaptation of Shakespeare's original play 'Pericles, Prince of Tyre' by Charles Lamb
- Historical Fiction — The story, although fictional, is set in a detailed historical context in the ancient city of Tyre
Tags
tragedy · romance · adventure · shipwreck · identity · family · betrayal · redemption · fate · destiny · love · loss