The pangs of separation – and the joys of reunion – these form the staple of much drama; and Shakespeare is no exception
to this rule. Helena is
separated from her husband (
All’s Well That Ends Well), Leonatus is separated from his wife (
Cymbeline), and Leontes is separated from his daughter (
The Winter’s Tale)… In
Pericles, there is a double tragedy – as King Pericles loses both his wife (Thaisa) and his daughter (Marina). The one to the ravages of the sea, and the other to treason.
In many ways, the wanderings of Pericles parallel those of Ulysses – both in their futility, difficulty and in length of time. Pericles, rightful prince of Tyre, is forced to flee for his life when he uncovers the horrible secret of great King Antioch. At first, he seeks (and is given) refuge at the province of Tarsus. But, he cannot stay there for long, and makes his way to the sea; where he is shipwrecked. He woos – and wins - the hand of Thaisa (daughter to the King of Pentapolis). Meanwhile, news comes that King Antioch is dead, and Pericles prepares to return to Tyre with wife and child.
However, the fates do not will it so, and he is shipwrecked – once again – and separated from his queen. They both believe that the other is dead; she becomes high priestess in the temple of Diana while he resumes his duties as head of state. His daughter (Marina) is brought up by the Governor of Tarsus and his wife; but she grows jealous and decides to murder her. Marina is kidnapped by pirates and taken to Mytilene – where they intend to sell her to a brothel. However, due to the kindness of Lysimachus (the governor of Mytilene – and her future husband), she is able to escape…
As the accent of the play is on action, there is not much scope for character development. The main characters – Pericles, Helicanus, Thaisa and Marina – are all marked by grace under pressure and nobility of purpose. They are the victims of circumstance; fate separates them and fortune brings them together. The only base character is that of Dionyza – a Lady Macbeth like character – who, driven by ambition for her daughter, seeks to murder the innocent Marina. Cleon (the governor of Tarsus) appears to be in her power, and unable to stop her machinations – again, just like Macbeth.
Pericles reads more like an epic than
Troilus and Cressida, which was (perhaps) intended to be one. The reasons are not far to seek, as Shakespeare does not have to contend either with the weight of history or the authority of a past master such as Homer. In the bard’s own words, which are contained in the prologue of the latter play – and which contain the essence of his philosophy towards his own work:
To tell you, that our play,
Leaps over the vaunt and firstling of these broils (brawls),
Beginning in the middle, starting thence away,
To what may be digested in a play.
Like, or find fault, do as your pleasures are,
Now good or bad, it is but the chance of war.