Pericles

While the play features noble protagonists, such as Pericles, it also features working-class characters, such as the fishermen, Lychorida, and the brothel owners. How does the play explore class dynamics or the ways a character’s personal behavior can help them rise above—or fall below—the moral expectations of their station?

Pericles uses several tropes from folklore and fairy tales. What are some of these tropes? How do they illuminate some of the text’s key themes and ideas?

“Bad child; worse father” is how the play describes Antiochus and his daughter in the context of their incestuous relationship (I.Chor.27). How does the play depict incest? How does it speak to the play’s broader interest in different forms of corruption?

Examine the play’s exploration of gender dynamics. How does the play diverge from, or reinforce, conceptions of gender roles common at the time?

Discuss what makes Pericles a “romance.” In what ways is this an apt generic designation for the play? In what ways, if any, is it an imperfect or problematic categorization?

Analyze Shakespeare’s use of language and imagery throughout the play. How does imagery help to illuminate a character’s feelings, motivations, or moral dilemmas? How does language denote important aspects of characterization, such as social class?

The play is often preoccupied with questions of what makes a good or bad leader. What qualities does the play suggest a good leader should have? How is the state of the leader often reflected in the state of the polity at various points in the play?

Compare and contrast Pericles with another one of Shakespeare’s late plays, such as Cymbeline. What key themes and ideas do the two texts share? How are they different or similar in their handling of these themes?