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When does Pericles take place?
It isn’t entirely clear when Pericles is supposed to take place. There exists a famous historical figure named Pericles, who played a major role in the development of Athenian democracy in the fifth century BCE. However, this is not the same Pericles named in Shakespeare’s title. Indeed, though the hero of the play is called Pericles, he is based on a legendary figure known elsewhere as Apollonius of Tyre. This character comes from an ancient novel that was possibly first written in Greek in the third century BCE. We might therefore assume that the story takes place in roughly the same period as when that original novel was written. However, it’s important to keep in mind that Shakespeare’s adaptation is a romance, and so it belongs more to the “timeless” time of legend than to any particular historical period.
Who is John Gower and why is he a character in this play?
John Gower was a fourteenth-century poet who authored Confessio Amantis, the poem that provided the source material for this play. Shakespeare has apparently decided to honor Gower by “reviving” him and making him into the play’s chorus—which is to say, its narrator. Gower indicates as much in his first lines, which open the play: “To sing a song that old was sung, / From ashes ancient Gower is come” (1.Chorus.1–2). This opening reference to an old song sung by an ancient poet is echoed in the verse form Shakespeare has given to the speaker. The lines are “octosyllabic,” meaning they have eight syllables. This was a common medieval meter, and indeed the meter the real Gower used to write Confessio Amantis. Gower’s “ancient” status provides a fitting frame for this antique tale of Pericles.
Why does Antiochus send an assassin to kill Pericles?
Antiochus sends an assassin to kill Pericles because the prince of Tyre has solved his riddle. This may seem counterintuitive, since the deal Antiochus presents to Pericles is that he will be put to death if he can’t solve the riddle, whereas if he does solve it, then Pericles will be allowed to marry the princess of Antioch. As it turns out, however, the answer to Antiochus’s riddle reveals that he is engaged in an incestuous relation with his daughter. Thus, when Pericles successfully solves the riddle, he is suddenly in possession of incriminating evidence. Because Antiochus wants to keep his unlawful relationship with his daughter a secret, he sends an assassin to kill Pericles and thereby prevent him from revealing the truth.
How does Marina escape from prostitution?
Marina escapes from prostitution by refusing to relinquish her virginity. When she is initially sold to the brothel, Pander believes that her virginity will fetch a high price and thereby rejuvenate his business. However, Marina refuses to yield to any of the clients who wish to have sex with her. Not only that, but she channels her virtue in such a powerful way that she actively converts these men to chastity, thereby further damaging the brothel’s earning potential. In a final bid to bring Marina into line, Pander and Bawd encourage their servant, Bolt, to rape her. But Marina talks Bolt out of going through with it, and she convinces him that she can use her many other skills to bring in money. Bolt then helps her move to a more reputable house, where she earns money by giving lessons in arts and crafts.
What is the significance of Diana’s appearance in act 5?
Diana’s appearance at the end of act 5, scene 1, is significant for two reasons. The first relates to the plot, since Diana directs Pericles to travel to her temple at Ephesus. Pericles doesn’t initially know why she has given him these instructions, but he follows them anyway and ends up reuniting with his wife, Thaisa, whom he believed to be dead. The second reason Diana’s appearance is significant is more symbolic in nature. The play features many references to Diana, who is the ancient goddess of chastity as well as fertility—both of which are thematically important. For instance, Marina’s chastity is what guarantees her honor, just as Antiochus’s daughter’s lack of chastity guarantees her punishment by death. Fertility is also important, since it’s symbolically associated with renewal and good family relations. Pericles and Thaisa are paragons of fertility. By contrast, Cleon and Dionyza rule over a famine-stricken land, and though they do have a daughter, she is far less impressive than Marina.
