Pericles (Folger Shakespeare Library)
by William Shakespeare, Paul Werstine
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Book Summary Information
Author: Paul Werstine, William ShakespeareEditor: Dr. Barbara A. Mowat
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2005-10-11
ISBN: 074327329X
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Book Reviews of Pericles (Folger Shakespeare Library)
Book Review: A Flawed Romance.
Summary: 3 Stars
This play was extremely popular. But like other romances, it is overrated. (Romance has a way of making written material more popular than the material merits.) This is a good play, but there are some notable flaws. Pericles is somewhat of a reincarnation of Romeo. He is a young romantic. (Not a rationalist.) This is prevalent when he is willing to seek the hand of a daughter of a wicked king. (Even though he is gambling with his life. If he can't guess a riddle, he dies.) Well, here is the first flaw. Pericles is naturally horrified when he realizes that the king had a daughter, and that this woman is a product of incest (the issue of the king and his daughter). It does not make sense that the king would reveal this secret (even in a riddle) that he doesn't want people to know. Well, Pericles flees because he knows the wicked king will want to kill Pericles so as to silence the secret. We then meet Helicanus (the eccentric, but loyal servant of Pericles). Pericles feels that he won't even be safe in his own kingdom against the wicked king. (Apparently King Pericles doesn't even feel safe with the defenses and guards he must have as a king.) Romantic Pericles leaves Helicanus in charge. On an errand of mercy, Pericles offers relief to Tharsus. (A land plagued with famine.) Cleon, the governor is of course grateful. After hiding with his friend Cleon, Pericles makes his way to Pentapolis. To make a long story short, he takes part in a contest, falls in love with the good king's daughter Thaisa, and they marry. Also, the wicked king from Act 1 is dead, and Pericles can stop running. All seems well, for a short while. In Act 3, Pericles is on the way home, and Thaisa has a little girl. (Mariana) But apparently Thaisa is so ill that the sea servants think she is dead. (Another flaw!) As ill as someone may be, it doesn't take a lot to tell if someone is at least breathing! The superstitious seamen feel that the 'dead' Thaisa must be thrown overboard. (FLAW!) Even providing Thaisa is dead, no one would just throw a person overboard (let alone a queen)! She would have a funeral and a burial! Well, fortunately, Thaisa's sea coffin floats safely to Ephesus where Thaisa is rescued and takes up the Greek equivalent life of a nun. (Priestess to Diana.) Moving on, we have yet another flaw. The wicked king is dead, but Pericles leaves his daughter with Cleon at Tharsus. This does not make sense. Certainly a king would have ample resources at home to care for an infant daughter of royal blood. But Shakespeare needs some excuse for the rest of the events. Cleon is a loyal friend and educates Mariana as Pericles wishes. Dionyza is jealous of Marian and wants her dead. (Talk about short lived gratitude after Pericles saved the land from famine!) This just doesn't work for me. Well, the assasin fails, but Mariana is kidnapped by pirates. (Though Pericles and Dionyza believe she is dead.) Cleon is furious when he learns what Dionyza has done, but this bit of truth does not seem to survive the play. The assasin feels he can twist the truth and say Mariana is dead, but Dionyza kills him anyway. Mariana is taken to a house of prostitution that is short staffed, but she refuses to become a valuable employee so to speak. She actually meets her future husband there. One of the staff becomes sympathetic to Mariana, and he helps her escape. (She intends to become an instructor of arts. Cleon's education probably helped her here.) Well Lysimachus (who Mariana met at the house of prostitutes) has heard of Pericles's tragic state and goes to visit him with Mariana. Apparently, Pericles and Mariana never met on speaking terms. (FLAW!) Even granted Pericles left Mariana with Cleon for some time, he would have still visited her. Dinoyza began her evil plans when Mariana was 14. Pericles never saw his own daughter in 14 years? Well, moving on, Mariana and Pericles speak not knowing their relationship, but they eventually realize that they are father and daughter. But another flaw comes in. Mariana accuses Cleon of plotting against her. (FLAW!) Even the man who tried to kill Mariana named Dionyza as the villain. Either Mariana is forgetful, or she doesn't care about accusing an innocent man. Pericles vows vengeance on poor Cleon. (FLAW!) Cleon and Pericles were friends. He may have at least tried talking to Cleon and establishing the facts. But Pericles is a Romeo who lived a little longer. Wonderful at love and romance, but not to good at reason. Well, Pericles has a dream and Thaisa commands him to come to the temple of Diana at Ephesus. Well he does and the family is together again. But this romance offers one final flaw. Rather than allowing the play to end on a happy note, Shakespeare has Pericles burn Cleon's palace killing him. (Even though Cleon was TOTALLY INNOCENT of the attempted murder of Mariana!) As I said, romances tend to be overrated. But I suppose we shouldn't be surprised. Britney Spears is the most popular thing around while King Diamond's records (that display great work and effort) are often only found in 'you name it, we got it' places. "Pericles" is a good play, but better Shakespeare certainly exists.
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