Pericles by Edith Nesbit (1907)
Pericles, Prince of Tyre, provokes the enmity of Antiochus, King of Antioch, and on the advice of Lord Helicanus sails away from danger, leaving Helicanus as Regent. Lord Thaliard arrives from Antioch to kill Pericles, but Helicanus discovers the plot and warns him. Finding Tarsus too poor to shelter him safely, Pericles puts to sea again and is shipwrecked on the coast of Pentapolis, ruled by good King Simonides. Fishermen rescue him and recover his own armor from the sea. Wearing it, he wins a tournament held for the love of Simonides's daughter, Princess Thaisa, telling her only that he is a knight of Tyre named Pericles. Thaisa loves him, and Simonides permits their marriage. Antiochus dies, and the people of Tyre press Helicanus to take the throne, though he insists on waiting a year and sends messengers seeking Pericles. Found in Pentapolis, Pericles reveals his true identity and sails home with Thaisa. A storm strikes; Thaisa apparently dies giving birth to a daughter, Marina. The sailors insist her body be cast overboard in a chest with jewels and a scroll. The chest washes ashore at Ephesus, where Lord Cerimon revives Thaisa, who, believing she will never see Pericles again, becomes a priestess of Diana. Pericles leaves baby Marina at Tarsus with the Governor and his wife Dionyza, then sails on. When Marina is fourteen, the jealous Dionyza orders her killed, but pirates intervene, carrying Marina off and selling her as a slave at Mitylene, where Governor Lysimachus falls in love with her. Dionyza tells Pericles, on his return visit, that Marina is dead, showing him a monument; grief-stricken, Pericles vows silence and withdraws into mourning aboard his ship. His ship comes to Mitylene, and Lysimachus sends for Marina to rouse the silent King. Her story and her resemblance to Thaisa move Pericles to recognize her as his daughter. Guided by a vision of Diana, he goes to her temple at Ephesus, tells his tale, and is reunited with Thaisa, the temple's chief priestess. Marina marries Lysimachus, becoming a princess in the land where she had been sold as a slave.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1907 · Genre: Adventure, Romance, Fairy tale · 2,063 words
First lines
Pericles, the Prince of Tyre, was unfortunate enough to make an enemy of Antiochus, the powerful and wicked King of Antioch; and so great was the danger in which he stood that, on the advice of his trusty counselor, Lord Helicanus, he determined to travel about the world for a time. He came to this decision despite the fact that, by the death of his father, he was now King of Tyre. So he set sail for Tarsus, appointing Helicanus Regent during his absence. That he did wisely in thus leaving his kingdom was soon made clear.
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Genres
- Adventure — The narrative is fundamentally driven by Pericles' journey across the world, including shipwrecks, storms, escapes from danger, tournaments, and encounters with pirates that propel the entire plot forward.
- Romance — Romantic relationships are central to the story: Pericles' love for and marriage to Thaisa, and Marina's romance with Lysimachus, with love serving as the primary emotional and motivational force.
- Fairy tale — The work exhibits classic fairy tale structure: a hero facing trials, magical intervention by divine forces, impossible challenges overcome, and a redemptive happy ending with restoration and marriage.
- Fantasy — The narrative includes supernatural and magical elements such as Diana's divine vision, Thaisa's miraculous resurrection from apparent death, and heavenly music, which operate beyond natural law.
Tags
shipwreck · lost child · separation and reunion · hidden identity · tournament · divine intervention · priestess · slavery · virtue · loyalty · betrayal · romance
What this Textopian page supports
Pericles is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edith Nesbit, dated 1907 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1907 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Romance, Fairy tale, Fantasy, Drama
- Length: 2,063 words
- Structure: 1 section, 27 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for Pericles by Edith Nesbit
- 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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