Marina singing before Pericles

Pericles

William Shakespearec. 1607
Influence11th pct
Popularity16th pct
Shakespeare

Read this if you…

  • are scraping the barrel of Shakespeare (guess it still is shakespeare)
  • are okay with way too ridiculous endings, even by shakespeare standards

Skip this if you…

  • haven't already read ALL the classic shakespeare plays
  • aren't willing to go slow, read notes, look up analyses of famous passages (only way to "get" shakespeare)
  • foolishly think shakespeare is overrated

Why It Matters

One of Shakespeare's most intricate late romances. A prince who has lost everything has to get through shipwrecks, pirates, and a string of near-miraculous reunions to find his family again. It's the least performed of the late plays, but it has some of his most moving writing about loss and recovery, and its sprawling, episodic shape points ahead to the novel.

The Groblé Take

This one was a little too absurd with everyone alive and meeting up at the end. Not that interesting except for marina being so honorable, she makes bad people good

Gallery

Depicted in Art

Marina sings to a despondent, grief-stricken Pericles aboard ship; the moment just before he recognizes his lost daughter.

Thomas Stothard, 1825

Czech Art Nouveau illustration depicting a scene from Pericles in Scheiner's characteristic decorative style.

Artus Scheiner

Color illustration for Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare retelling of Pericles; depicts a key episode in the prince's adventures.

Norman M. Price, 1915

Frontispiece engraving for Lamb's children's retelling of Pericles, framing a key moment from the prince's wanderings.

William Harvey, 1831

Editions

Recommended Editions

#1Top Pick

Folger Shakespeare Library

2005

Folger's the readable one. Text on one page, notes on the facing page, written in plain English instead of textbook-speak. Catches every word and reference you'd otherwise Google, without breaking the scene to do it.

Buy on Bookshop
#2

SparkNotes (No Fear Shakespeare)

2003

#3

Arden Shakespeare

2004

$17.94Buy

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Deep Dive

What It's About

Spoiler warning

This summary gives away plot details.

Notable Quotes

“Opinion's but a fool, that makes us scan The outward habit by the inward man.”

— Simonides, Act II, Scene ii

“Whereby I see that Time's the king of men, He's both their parent, and he is their grave, And gives them what he will, not what they crave.”

— Pericles, Act II, Scene iii

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