 Hello and welcome to our video summarizing all you need to know about William Shakespeare's play, Pericles. My name is Bobrin Jow and in this video we'll examine this play in detail. We'll begin with a little contextual information about Shakespeare himself before going into the detail of the play's plot, its characters and important themes you should be aware of. This video is useful if you're studying this play for your coursework or exams, so let's get started. Now, Pericles is a play in fight bags by William Shakespeare and it was written around 1606 to 1608 and it was published in a quattro edition in 1609, a detective defective in that time's nearly unintelligible text that shows signs of having been memorily reconstructed. The play was based on the classical tale of Apollonius of Tyre as told in book 8 of Confessio Amantes by John Gower and in The Pattern of Painful Adventures by Lawrence Twine. Now to begin with a little bit about Shakespeare himself. He was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon and who died in 1616. He was a child of John Shakespeare, a leather merchant and Murray Arden, a local landed heiress and he had two older sisters and three younger brothers. William Shakespeare, when he grew older, married Anne Hathaway. He married her when he was 18 and she 26 and it turns out pregnant and the first child was a daughter named Susanna and two years later on they had twins however one of them died later on of causes unknown and in 1599 William Shakespeare and his business partners built the Globe Theatre. So now to go into the plot itself of Pericles. A poet named Gower introduces a story, a tale that begins with King Antoekus. The King is protecting an incestuous relationship with his daughter by promising marriage to her for anyone who can solve a seemingly impossible riddle. If the riddle is guessed correctly the suitor will die. After many men fail the young Prince Pericles of Tyre guesses the truth. He reveals their inappropriate relationship and flees for his life. King Antoekus instructs his servant Thaleart to murder Pericles and Thaleart follows him back to Tyre. Pericles returns home and confides his revelations in his friend Lord Helenicus. His friend advises the Prince to travel abroad to escape before anyone comes to kill him and meanwhile the governor of Tarsus, Cleon and his wife Dionysia, be well the state of famine. After fleeing Tyre Pericles hears of the trouble and arrives with food to relieve them. Heliconus sends news to Pericles warning him of Thaleart. As the Prince sets sail again however his ship is wrecked during Storms at Sea and Pericles is cast ashore recovering to find a group of fishermen. From them he learns of a forthcoming festival to celebrate the birthday of Thesa, daughter of King Summonedides. During his conversation they also tell him of a jousting conquest. The champion will have the hand of Thesa giving away one's daughter during a contest may have been quite fashionable back then. The fishermen also bring up the fishing nets and find a rusty suit of armour which Pericles takes to contend for the princess's hand in marriage. During the contest Pericles defeats five knights becoming the champion. He is given a feast by Summonedides and wins the love of Thesa. Pericles remains at court for several months after his marriage and he hears of news from his friend Heliconus that Antiochus and his daughter are dead and he may safely return home. In Tyre the lords have waited in the hope of the princess return. Pericles sets sail with Thesa now pregnant with his child to reclaim his throne at Tyre. During Storms at Sea Thesa seemingly dies giving birth to a daughter. Pressured by the crew Pericles allows Thesa's sealed coffin to be cast overboard. Pericles changes course to land at Tarsus. He leaves a newborn baby named Marina along with her nurse Le Corrida in the care of his friends Cleon and Dionysus before returning to Tyre. Early the next morning people discover a sealed box near the seashore of Ephesus. They call a doctor who finds Thesa's sleeping body inside along with jewels and a letter from Pericles. After some work the princesses revive. She becomes certain that her husband and baby have drowned at sea and without hope of finding them Thesa goes to live in the nearby temple of the goddess Diana. The poet Gower explains how 15 years pass as Marina grows up with Cleon's friend daughter Philatine. Soon however Dionysus becomes jealous on behalf of Philatine of Marina's beauty and plans her murder. And just as Marina is about to be killed pirates capture the girl and carry her off to Metalin to be sold as a prostitute. Marina's reported beauty attracts many men and she persuades everyone not to violate her virginity. In fact many men have resolved to better the lives after meeting her. Eventually the owner of the brothel lets her leave to become a waiting maid developing and using skills and singing, sewing and dancing. Meanwhile Pericles and Helacanus have returned to Tarsus to see Marina. Instead they are shown Marina's false tune. Distraught by his daughter's supposed loss Pericles resolves never to enjoy life again and takes the sailing to the seas at random. When his ship arrives finally at Metalin the governor Lysi Mekus welcomes him. He hears of the prince withdrawn depression and he sends for Marina. He is heard of her virtuous and inspirational reputation. Pericles initially rejects Marina but when she tells him her name and the story of her birth at sea Pericles realizes that she is his lost daughter. He's overcome with happiness and that night while he sleeps he dreams of Dionysus's temple at Ephesus. He resolves to give thanks at the temple and sells at the Marina. She, meanwhile, has become betrothed to Lysi Mekus. At Ephesus Pericles tells his story to the priestess only to discover that she's his wife Thesa. Everyone is joyously reunited in the return to Tyre. Gower ends the tale with the news that Cleon and Dionysus have been killed by an uprising due to the treatment of Marina. Now to go into the details scene by scene of what happens in each part of the place. Let's start with Act 1. So in Act 1 scene 1 Gower comes on stage and addresses the audience directly saying that he has donned mortal flesh for the purpose of telling a diverting story. He tells of the setting in Antiochus, a city in Syria where King Antiochus rules. His sources he says relate that the king's wife has died leaving a daughter so attractive that the king took a liking to her and enticed her to incest. Eventually young princes began approaching the king to request marriage of his daughter. But in order to keep her for himself he made a law that whoever asked for her hand had to answer riddle correctly or face execution. And many have tried and died as a result and Gower then exits. King Antiochus and Pericles the prince of Tyre then come on stage and Antiochus asks Pericles if he understands the danger he places himself in. But trying the riddle and Pericles says he does. Antiochus's daughter enters and Pericles speaks of her parent virtues. The place says her face the book of praises when is read nothing but curious pleasures. And Antiochus reminds Pericles of the other princes who tried the riddle and died but Pericles says he is ready to die if he must. Antiochus frustrated at the willingness of Pericles to throw away his life holds a written riddle on the floor and Antiochus's daughter wishes him well. Pericles reads the riddle and realises that it refers to Antiochus's daughter finding a father and lover in the same body. Recognising that the secret of the court is this and the riddle is incest, Pericles rejects his feelings for Antiochus's daughter. And when Antiochus asks for Pericles's answer Pericles says he knows the truth but it's a truth that's better kept concealed. Antiochus understands that Pericles has unraveled the riddle but does not publicly admit it. Thus Pericles is doomed to die having not answered the riddle correctly but Antiochus allows him 40 days before his sentence will be completed. The court departs leaving Pericles alone. Pericles speaks of scorn with scorn rather of the sinful incest between Antiochus and his daughter and thinks that surely his life is in danger if he reigns in Antioch now that he knows the truth so he determines to flee the city and leaves. Antiochus enters and admits that he wants Pericles' head before Pericles tells a secret to the world. Thaliot enters and Antiochus offers him gold to kill the Prince of Tyre. They receive news that Pericles has fled and Antiochus tells Thaliot to hurry after him and Thaliot leaves. Antiochus concludes saying he will not be calm until Pericles is dead. Now in Act 1, Scenes 2 and 3 Pericles is back in Tyre over on Balmellancoli. In a monologue he reveals that his mind is occupied with worry about the dangers of Antiochus. He is convinced that Antiochus will not be content to see that he has remained silent and will probably take action against him. He imagines Antiochus will evade Tyre threatening a war that Pericles is sure his people will lose and several lords later enter with Heliconus, one of Pericles' councillors. Heliconus scolds Pericles for languishing in his gloom and offers advice. Pericles sends the lords away and listens to Heliconus suggesting that Pericles bear his grief of patience. Pericles tells him however about his trip to Antiochus and his discovery that Antiochus and his daughter are engaged in an interest. His flight and his worry that Antiochus' tyrannical nature and fears will lead him to invade Tyre. Pericles has been trying to think of ways to stop this tempest, Eric Cum. Heliconus says he understands Pericles' fear of either a public war or a private treason and urges Pericles to travel away from Tyre until Antiochus' anger is passed, passing through Antiochus temporarily to Heliconus himself. Pericles agrees and he leaves. Meanwhile Daliot enters Tyre, intending to kill Pericles though he will be hanged in Tyre for it. He reasons simply that if he doesn't commit the crime he'll be hanged at home. Heliconus and Aeskenes, Pericles' other advisor, enter with some lords and Daliot overhears them talking about how the king has departed. Daliot introduces himself to the court saying he's come with a message from Antiochus for Pericles but will have to take it back to Antioch since Pericles is gone. Daliot determines to tell Antiochus that Pericles perished in sea. Now in Act 1, Scene 4 and 5, Cleon, Governor of Tarsus, enters with his wife Dionysa. Cleon and Dionysa try to tell each other sad stories to distract themselves from their own sadness but fail. Instead they relate their misfortune that for several years famine has devastated Tarsus, decimating the country's former riches. While they complain about the bad luck, one of the lords of Tarsus enters and explains that the ship has been spotted off the coast. Cleon thinks it must mean a neighbouring nation has come to conquer this nation now that it's too weak to defend itself and the lords says the ship has upped a white flag of peace but Cleon has doubts. Pericles then enters and allays Cleon's fears saying his ships are not the Trojan horse but are stored with corn to feed the hungry of Tarsus. Residents of Tarsus are grateful. Pericles explains that he merely wants a safe harborage for his ships and men in return and Cleon welcomes them. Gaur re-enters and recounts the action we have already seen noting the contrast between the bad king Antiochus and the good prince Pericles and Gaur introduces a dumb show, a brief pantomime used to advance the plot. And as Gaur relates, Heliconus has sent word to Pericles about the arrival of Thaliart and Tyre and recommends Pericles' return and while sailing home Pericles is caught in a storm in shipwrecked and he clambers on shore and speaks of his misfortune then several fishermen in the master enter the scene. The fishermen talk about fishing the sea and how the bigger ones eat the little ones just like men do on land. Pericles listens and notes how the fishermen assess the well, the infirmities of man using the metaphor of the sea. He comes forward and talks to them and asks them for help saying he's not one that's used to begging. They ask him if he can fish and he says no in feints. The master helps Pericles up and tells him he's in the city of Pentoponus where Simonides is the king of a peaceful nation. The master tells him that on the following day Simonides' daughter celebrates her birthday and many knights will joust in a tournament for her love and Pericles says he wishes he could be there too. The fisherman pours Pericles' armor out of the sea which pleases him as his dead father bequeathed it to him and Pericles begs it from the fisherman so that he can go and joust for the king's daughter. They give it to him asking only that he remember they did him a good turn and the fisherman offered to take him to the court. Now in act two, scene one to three, King Simonides and Simonides' daughter Thesa sit in a reviewing stand at a tournament ground with several lords and in turn each of the knights passes the reviewing stand to show off the coat of arms each with a motto in Latin or Italian. The king reads each one aloud, translated and comments it on it. Five knights pass and the reviewing stand. Pericles is a six in rusty armor without the gaudy trappings of the others. His shield says I live in this hope which the king reads while the other lords mock his rusty outfit and the king scolds the lords for judging the interior of a man by his outer look. Later in the palace of Pentapolis a banquet is prepared and King Simonides and Thesa enter along with Pericles and other knights. Simonides and Thesa congratulate Pericles on winning the tournament and Thesa gives him the wreath of victory and while dining both Simonides and Thesa find they're so taken by Pericles that they lose their appetite. Pericles sees similarity between Simonides and his own father's glorious reign and notes that his condition is now much changed from his life entire. Unrecognized as a prince now he must make take things as they come. A melancholy Pericles then sits at the table so Simonides sends Thesa with a glass of wine to him telling her to ask him about his parentage. He says his Pericles of Tyre recently shipwrecked and Thesa relates that to her father who pities his misfortune and offers himself as a friend to Pericles. Dancing follows the banquet and then the knights go to bed to prepare to move Thesa the next day. In our two scenes four and five back in Tyre Heliconus and Aescanes discuss how Antiochus and Antiochus' daughter were magically burnt to a crisp in a fire from heaven and punished them for their sins. Heliconus says that justice has been done and several lords enter saying Pericles has gone for so long they wonder if they have a real king. They want to crown Heliconus but Heliconus resists suggesting they wait 12 months before making any decision about the ownership of the crown and the lords leave to seek out Pericles. In the palace at Pentapolis Pericles is led to his lodging by a gentleman and Pericles asks for a musical instrument which he plays and sings to himself. The next day King Salmonides tells his knights that his daughter has written him a letter saying she intends not to marry. The knights decide to leave. Salmonides alone reveals that Thesa's letter says she wants to marry the stranger Pericles and when Pericles enters Salmonides commends his singing the night before and asks him what he thinks of Thesa. Salmonides shows him Thesa's letter and Pericles immediately thinks he's caused offence and although Salmonides plays a long calling retreat and accusing him of having bewitched his child this feels offended saying he came to court in search of honor and intends to defend it with his sword. Thesa then enters and Pericles asks her to tell her father he never said a word of love to her. Thesa doesn't understand who would take a defense at something she wants him to do and Salmonides takes his daughter aside to ask if Pericles is the right man for her since they don't know her by his vineage and Thesa responds that Pericles is virtuous even if he may be of birth's base birth and she says she's in love with him which can't be controlled. Salmonides threatens to banish Pericles but Thesa defends him and Salmonides says he will tame her or he will punish her by making Thesa and Pericles' man or wife and he clasps their hands together they kiss and they're married and Salmonides is pleased with this. Now in Act 3 we begin with a chorus and then see him once. So Gawa enters again and he says that Thesa is now pregnant and he introduces a dumb show. Gawa relates the news of the death of Antiochus and Antiochus' daughter who last came to Pericles in Pentapolis. Pericles hears two of the plan of Salmon Tire to crown Hellicness and determines that he must go home to halt this mutiny. In Pentapolis people rejoice that the heir apparent is already a king and hurry him off to Tire. Pericles boards for a ship for Tire with Thesa and Likordia a nurse and out at sea the tempest besets the ship threatening to destroy it. On deck Pericles bemoans his fate in becoming caught by another tempest. Likordia comes in on deck with an infant and tells Pericles that Thesa is dead. Pericles cries to the god that they made him love their creations yet snatch them away cruelly soon. Likordia hands him his child saying that her future life will surely be calm in contrast to a birth in the middle of such violence and the shipmaster declares that the body of Thesa must be tossed overboard following Sailor's superstition that the sea Pericles goes to Thesa's room and speaks over a body regretting that he cannot give her a proper burial and the shipmaster offers a chest to put the body in with some of Pericles's jewels and spices in a note. This shipmaster says the boat is near Tarsas and Pericles orders the ship to land there. He intends to give the child to Cleon believing it won't survive until Tire. Now in Acts 3, seen 2 and 3 in Ephesus Seriman a kind of daughter and his aide Philemon provide fire and food to their suffering from the wicked storm and two gentlemen enter and discuss how well known Seriman is for his charity. Then Philemon enters with a chest that has been discovered floating on the sea. Inside they find what appears to be a corpse of the paper attached to written by Pericles asking anybody who finds the body of Thesa to give her a proper burial since she was the daughter of a king. Seriman looks at the body and determines she's not yet dead and brings in some medicine. Soon she stirs and wakes. He comes in Tarsas and tells Cleon and Dionysus about his misfortune. He lands at Tarsas and charges Cleon and Dionysus with the care of his child and asks him to raise her as a noble woman. Cleon promises that he will wanting to repay Pericles for the good he did to Tarsas during the famine and Pericles then leaves. In Ephesus, Seriman explains to Thesa that some jewels and Pericles' letter lay in the chest with her. She recognises the writing as Pericles' and believes she will never see him again. Thus she expresses a desire to take holy order and become one of the goddesses Diana's Vestual Virgins. Seriman offers to help her and she thanks him. Now in Act 4 scenes 1-2 Gower enters narrating the passage of time. Now Pericles is settled as a king on Tyre. Thesa is a priestess of Ephesus and Marina has become a young woman in Tarsas. Cleon has another daughter who spends all her time with Marina but Cleon's daughter, now of marriageable age has not holed up next to the nearly perfect young Marina. Marina receives all the praise and Dionysus is wildly envious and so she makes plans to murder Marina so that her daughter alone may receive praise. When Marina's nurse Lucordia dies Dionysus is ready and she hires Leonine a murderer. With Gower's monologue finished Dionysus makes Leonine swear never to tell who ordered the death of Marina and Marina enters to strew flowers under Cordia's grave, moaning I, me, poor mate, worn in a tempest when her mother died. Dionysus notes how pale she is and suggests she take a walk along the sea with Leonine and Marina greys begrudgingly. As they walk, Marina speaks of the tempest in which she was born and what the nurse had told her of her father. Leonine tells her to say her prayers and that he will kill her and Marina asks why Dionysus would have her killed if he was nothing to anyone and Leonine says he doesn't know the reason, it's just his duty to kill her. Marina asks him to come between Dionysus and herself and spare her rather than killing her. Then several pirates enter scaring Leonine and the pirates take Marina and Leonine decides to tell Dionysus that he killed Marina and threw her in the sea. In Mitalin, the island of Lesbos, panda who runs a brothel and board who supplies the prostitutes enter with a man bought. A woman for the brothel having already raised a number of girls into the profession. Bolt goes to look to the market and panda and board discuss retiring since prostitution is a bad vocation. Bolt enters with the pirates and Marina and panda decides to buy her and board and Marina talk. Marina wishes that Leonine had succeeded in killing her and board says that she will be content to live in pleasure with gifts from all the gentlemen. Since she's a virgin, board advertises Marina in the marketplace assuming many men will line up for the opportunity to take up a virginity. Board tells Marina that she must not weep as none will have good opinion of her. Then board promises board that he will be allowed to sleep with Marina too and sends off to advertise her more thoroughly. Marina then swears to Diana that she will stay a virgin. Now at 4th route scenes 3 and 4 in Tarsus, Cleon and Dionysus discuss the apparent death of Marina and Cleon wishes he could undo Marina's murder, which he did not have a hand in planning. Dionysus has poisoned Leonine in order to keep her plot secret and Cleon asks what they'll say to Pericles when it comes to Kingfrey's daughter. Dionysus says that she tell her Marina died by foul play and Dionysus says no one knows what happened and reiterates that Marina threatened her own child by drawing all their attention and as for Pericles, she insists that he will see they have done right by killing her and building a monument to her. Cleon calls Dionysus a harpy, smiling while she digs her talons in deeper and Dionysus scorns him for being so afraid of the gods. Gower enters and tells Pericles again on the sea come into her likeness to Tarsus to see his daughter. He narrates another dumb show wherein Pericles arrives in Tarsus and Cleon and Dionysus show him Marina's tomb and Pericles puts on a sackcloth and swears to never wash his face or cut his hair again. Gower reads Marina's epitaph which declares that she was a good, virtuous person and Pericles, believing his daughter to be dead determines to bear this new bereavement and whatever else fortune throws in his path. In that four scene five in Mitalin two gentlemen emerge from the brothel remarking on the divinity they have heard preached within. Determined to be virtuous they go looking for religious entertainment. Panda and board have come on stage saying they wish they had never bought Marina who's watching up the operation by making anyone who meets her suddenly want to be virtuous. Someone must ravish her or they'll be done for. Lycemicus the desires governor of Mitalin arrives in the brothel and board offers Marina to him. Marina's brought in and board assures Marina that Lycemicus is a non-war man. Marina retorts that he can't be if he wants to seduce her and left alone with Marina Lycemicus finds Marina a clever conversationalist and he asks how long she's been in the business of being honorable and declares she has always been at it. He explains that he's a governor and has the power to punish or overlook corruption as he sees fit however he's drawn to her beauty. Marina touched by seemingly honorable nature asks him to govern himself as he was born to govern and not take her honor from her. Comparing her honor to a house she asks him not to deface it or burn her to the ground and he's impressed by her impassioned pleas and admits that his impure intentions have been cleansed by her words. He gives her gold and then leaves. Panda and board return to discover Marina has talked to Lycemicus into being virtuous and have sent thus bought to rape her so that she can at least be useful to the brothel. Alone with her, Bolt too is swayed by her insistence that to take her honor is the worst thing anyone can do to her. She tells him that she can become a teacher and do other money making activities in the city and Bolt promises to do whatever he can to move her to a more honorable house. Now in act five scene one, Gower enters telling Marina that Marina escaped the brothel and was sold to an honest house. Marina thrives working with her needle and teaching others and gives her extra money to board. Meanwhile, Pericles has been at sea and comes to Mitalin. Lycemicus sets out to meet Pericles on his ship and on Pericles' ship to Mitalin, Heliconus and other sailors discuss the arrival of Lycemicus. Heliconus explains that to Lycemicus where they're from and that the king on board has not spoken for three months. Lycemicus sees Pericles and tries to speak to him but Pericles will not respond and he says that there's a woman in Mitalin who he believes can convince Pericles to talk and sends one of his men to get Marina. When Marina arrives Lycemicus comments on her beauty and sends her in with her maid to talk to Pericles and Marina tells Pericles that she too has endured great grief, have been born of kings and now been bound to servitude. Pericles speaks to her and notes on the side that she seems very much like his wife Thesa. He asks her to tell him about her parentage saying that if his story is a fraction as horrible as his own has been then he will deem himself to have been weak in suffering. She tells him that her name is Marina but Pericles is interrupting her saying he's being mocked. She goes on to tell about her father the king and how she was born at sea. Pericles can't believe it and asks about her mother and Marina says that her mother died in childbirth and she was cared for by a nurse named Blocordia. Pericles believes he must be dreaming and listens to Marina as she tells about Cleon and Dionysus plotting her death in Tarsas and of the fortuitous intervention of the pirates and finally Marina says she's the daughter of King Pericles. Pericles calls in Heliconus to tell him if he sees anything unique about Marina but he doesn't. Pericles tells Marina that he is Pericles and demands Marina to say the name of her mother and she names Thesa and Pericles is overjoyed. Left alone, Pericles sleeps and is visited by the goddess Diana who tells Pericles to go to her temple in Ephesus and before all who assembled there to tell the story of the loss of his wife in discovery of Marina and when he wakes Pericles declares his intention to go to Ephesus before leaving he promises Marina to Mysimachus. Gower enters and tells in act 5 scene 2 Gower enters and tells the reception Pericles arrived in Mitalin where Lysimachus has promised to wed Marina upon Marina and Pericles' return from Ephesus. Gower explains that Pericles and his company have arrived in Ephesus and stand aside. Pericles goes to Diana's temple and makes a speech saying that he married Thesa in Pentapolis but she died at sea giving birth to a child called Marina. He explains how Marina lived at Tarsas until Cleon ordered her killed of his arrival in Mitalin where Marina miraculously arrived on his ship and made herself known to him. Thesa herself is in attendance as a priestess and she faints. Seriman tells Pericles that this is his wife and tells how he found the chest and the woman was revived within it. When Thesa recovers she Pericles and Marina reunited Pericles says that he will offer daily oblations to Diana and adds that when Marina is married he can finally cut his hair because Pericles that she has heard about the death of her father Serimanides Pericles decides that he and Thesa should go to the wedding of his daughter and then spend the rest of the days in Pentapolis leaving Marina and her husband to Roll Tire. All exit but Gower who speaks of Antiochus Gower has told of the monstrous corruption of that nation and how the received the just reward and he adds we have seen Pericles, Thesa and Marina assailed with terrible misfortune but they preserved the virtue intact and thus are rewarded with joy at last. Heliconocy notes as a figure of truth, faith, loyalty and seriman of chastity and charity. As for Cleon and Dionysus once the story of the evil deed has spread the city revolted and burned them to death in the palace. Gower urds notes that the gods for murder were content to punish a deed that was not completed for planned. Now to go into a bit of analysis when it comes to the characters of this play so the first of course is Pericles he's the husband of Thesa and the father of Marina. Pericles begins a play in Antioch where he desires to marry Antiochus' daughter after it discovers a secret he flees to Tire and he's prone to melancholy he worries about Antiochus' deception and his plan to having killed and he sets off on more adventures and endures several shipwrecks and several misfortunes. In many ways Pericles is a kind of classical hero figure always ready to enter a conquest or a competition especially if the prize is a king's daughter. While he starts up the play by making active decisions to go to Antioch then flee it he becomes increasingly inactive throughout the play. Things happen to him and he endures it never cursing the gods or his fate. As he must endure greater and greater misfortune he becomes less active finally sees into speak altogether yet Pericles is above all a good man and despite his hardships he's remained virtuous hence he's rewarded in the end. The other character is John Gower and he is the narrator of the play coming on before or between scenes to retell the actions of the previous scenes. John Gower is also the name of a 14th century English poet whose story of Apollonius of Tire in the 8th book of Confessio and Mantis served as an important source for this play. Antiochus is the other character so the king of Antioch after his wife's death he enters an incestuous relationship with his daughter. When young princes come calling to ask to marry her he tests them to answer riddle correctly or lose their life. The action of the play starts when Pericles arrives to Antioch to undergo this test. In Turcus' daughter is another character although she's almost an unknown to most she of course is in this incestuous relationship with her father and she's sought after by many suitors. Thalia is the other important character and he's a villain hired by Antiochus to kill Pericles after Pericles flees Antioch having discovered the secret incest of the king and daughter. Thalia follows Pericles to Tire where he learns Pericles has already left so he returns to Antioch and turned in to say that Pericles must have died at sea. Heliconus is the other character and he's one of Pericles's advisors he takes care of Pericles in his melancholy moods and recommends he leave Tire for a while after the events in Antioch. He rules over as a provisionary ruler of Tire and when Pericles falls to return the citizens want to crime Heliconus' king but he's loyal to Pericles so he refuses and he's a genuinely good man not touched by ambition. Cleonus is the other character he's the governor of Tarsus a city beset by famine. Tarsus is Pericles's first stop where Cleon assumes that Pericles' ship contains soldiers intent on conquering Tarsus when no one can defend it. Pericles instead gives corn to the nation and the citizens are grateful and Cleon later pledges to take care of Pericles' infant child Marina but his wife Darnitza plots to kill the child and Cleon was apparently unaware of the scheme but when he hears of it he wishes it could be undone. Darnitza is the other important character and she's the wife of Cleon. She pledges to take care of Pericles' child but falls prey to jealousy and envy when her daughter is less praised than Pericles' own daughter Marina hence she makes a plot to have her killed and Cleon is stunned by her cruelty yet they're both punished in the end. Simonides is the other important character he's the king of Pentapolis and father of Thesa. Pericles is shipwrecked in Pentapolis and wins a joust in contests for the hand of Simonides' daughter Thesa. He's impressed with Pericles and tries to jolt him out of his melancholy but offering to be his friend and later when he finds out his daughter wants to marry Pericles he tests Pericles by insulting his honor and then marries the two. Thesa's are the character and she's the daughter of Simonides and mother of Marina. Thesa expects to marry whoever wins a joust in contests however she's really impressed with Pericles and wants her father that she wants to marry him specifically. Simonides then sends other knights and agrees to this marriage ultimately. Later she then travels at sea with Pericles and on the way back she gives birth to Marina but seems to die during the birth and she's tossed off the boat but ultimately she survives it and becomes a priestess in Dinah's temple in Ephesus. Marina is the other character and she's the daughter of Pericles and Thesa and she was born at sea during a Tempest. Pericles leaves her in Tarsus with Cleona and Dianaitza because he believes that children with the child won't survive the journey to Tyre. Where his luck royalty, Marina is astonished when faced with the murderer hired by Dianaitza to kill her. Before she can be killed though she's saved by pirates who turn around and sell her into prostitution however her virtue prevails and she convinces every man who wants to buy her that it would be a crime to take her honor and eventually she's assigned to a more honorable household and she's made teacher and ultimately she reunites with her father. Other minor characters are Leonin who's a murderer hired by Dianaitza to kill Marina, D'Cordia who's Thesa's nurse and Seriman who's a kindly physician in Ephesus. Also Philemon is Seriman's assistant the Simacus is the governor of Mitalin who ultimately marries Marina Panda is a generic name for someone who runs a brothel. There's also of course in the brothel the board a generic name for one who takes care of prostitutes though the fisherman that Pericles meets and they help him. There's the master of the fisherman the knights who try to joust for Thesa's hand in marriage we also have Bolt who's a servant and panda to board in the brothel we have Diana who's the goddess of chastity the shipmaster who's the captain of the ship where Thesa dies and the lords so there are a variety of lords who come on stage to announce things or to further the plot in some way. Now when it comes to the theme of this play the first is of fathers and daughters which is interesting. So Pericles is among Shakespeare's later works in which plots frequently revolve around relationships between fathers and daughters and these include the Tempest with Prospera and his daughter Miranda Henry the Eighth with Henry and his unborn daughter Elizabeth and Pericles thus bears striking similarity in these plots. Examples of pairs of fathers and daughters in Pericles range from the incestuous Antiochus and his daughter to the gently tolerant Salmonides and Thesa and of course we also have Pericles and his relationship with Marina. Appearance is being deceptive is another important theme to be aware of and the play starts right off of the glaring example of the appearance of Antiochus's daughter who's been clothed like a bride and whose arrival on the scene is heralded with music. Pericles is taken with his vision of beauty not realising what is hidden behind it it's significant that although he has a conversation with Antiochus he doesn't even speak with the daughter the rash young man is willing to risk his life for something he has only the image of to go on as it turns out however the daughter is in reality dispoiled by her incest with her father Pericles has a different experience also with Thesa with whom he both talks and dances and in a similar fashion it's only by conversing with Marina that Lysimachus is able to discern she's a maid of quality and intellect her appearances go against what the reality is the other important theme is mortality and Pericles is all about rebirth both literal and figurative kind over the course of the play we see characters who seem to come back from the dead as well as characters that undergo metaphorical rebirths and spiritual changes the other important theme is power so Pericles forces us to think about what it is that makes a good ruler as Pericles travels from city to city we get a look at several other kings and their various approaches to power and authority and many of the rulers we see are also family patriarchs who also tightly control their families it's critical to pay attention to how Shakespeare uses these characters to contrast the different leaderships, styles and models of parenting of course the obvious example is King Antiochus and his incestuous affair with his daughter but then this isn't contrast to King Simonides and his relationship with his daughter too so that's all if you enjoyed this video then please do consider subscribing to our channel and giving this video a thumbs up also if you want access to useful essay questions model answers you can use for your revision as well as additional support in English as well as other subjects please visit our website which is thanks so much for listening