Pericles Act Two – “As jewels lose their glory if neglected, so princes their renowns if not respected.”

Pericles Act Two – “As jewels lose their glory if neglected, so princes their renowns if not respected.” 

Act Two of ‘Pericles’ starts with Gower entering again and acting as a Chorus recounting the action already seen and providing moral commentary on Antichus’ evil which he contrasts to Pericles’ virtues. reenters, and recounts the action we have already seen, noting the contrast between the bad king (Antiochus) and the good prince (Pericles). Then a dumb show/pantomime is used to move the story along Gower introduces a dumb show, a brief pantomime used to advance the plot and it is related that Helicanus has sent a message about Thaliart arriving in Tyre, and pleads with Pericles to return to Tyre. Pericles answers the call but his ships encounter a huge storm and Pericles is shipwrecked and flung ashore and that is where the dumbshow and Gower leave the story.

On the shores of Pentapolis, Pericles enters wet from his ordeal in the sea. Three fishermen enter and philosophize about the mankind using the metaphor of the sea. They tell Pericles that he is in {entapolis and that Simonides is the king and that his daughter has her birthday the next day and there is a tournament to decide who will win her love. Pericles expresses his desire to compete at the tournament and then suddenly one of the fishermen retrieves some armour from the sea. Pericles asks for the armour which was his father’s armour.

“An armour, friends! I pray you, let me see it.

Thanks, fortune, yet, that, after all my crosses,

Thou givest me somewhat to repair myself;

And though it was mine own, part of my heritage,

Which my dead father did bequeath to me.

With this strict charge, even as he left his life,

'Keep it, my Pericles; it hath been a shield

Twixt me and death;'--and pointed to this brace;--

'For that it saved me, keep it; in like necessity--

The which the gods protect thee from!--may

defend thee.'

It kept where I kept, I so dearly loved it;

Till the rough seas, that spare not any man,

Took it in rage, though calm'd have given't again:

I thank thee for't: my shipwreck now's no ill,

Since I have here my father's gift in's will…

To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of worth,

For it was sometime target to a king;

I know it by this mark. He loved me dearly,

And for his sake I wish the having of it;

And that you'ld guide me to your sovereign's court,

Where with it I may appear a gentleman;

And if that ever my low fortune's better,

I'll pay your bounties; till then rest your debtor.”                                    The fishermen lead Pericles off to the court to try his luck in the tournament.

King Simonides and Thaisa his daughter, look at the shields and coat of arms of all the six ‘knights’ who will fight in the tournament. They read the mottos on each shield and eventually come to the sixth ‘knight’ who is Pericles who is dressed in rusty armour and has a shield that bears the motto "I live in this hope". The lords put forward their derogatory opinions of Pericles’ state and his motto but King Simonodes tells them not to judge what a man is like on the inside from his outer appearance.

“Opinion's but a fool, that makes us scan

The outward habit by the inward man.”

Later that night at Simonides’ Halls of State, a banquet is prepared for all the knights. King Simonides and Thaisa enter to great the knights. Pericles is congratulated for having won the tournament. Simonides and Thaisa congratulate Pericles on winning the tournament. Pericles seems melancholic even when he is given a victory wreath. Simonides and Thaisa both seem to like Pericles. Pericles sees similarity between Simonides and his own father's own royal self:

“Yon king's to me like to my father's picture,

Which tells me in that glory once he was;

Had princes sit, like stars, about his throne,

And he the sun, for them to reverence;

None that beheld him, but, like lesser lights,

Did vail their crowns to his supremacy:

Where now his son's like a glow-worm in the night,

The which hath fire in darkness, none in light:

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.

Simonides sends Thaisa to talk to Pericles and she asks him about his family. He reveals that he is Pericles of Tyre, recently shipwrecked. Thaisa tells her father this and he tries to befriend Pericles. The feasting is followed by dancing and singing and then the knights all go to bed.

The action crosses back to Tyre, where Helicanus tells Escanes that Antiochus and his daughter were magically burnt to a crisp in a fire from heaven that seemed to be sent from the Gods to punish them.

“No, Escanes, know this of me,

Antiochus from incest lived not free:

For which, the most high gods not minding longer

To withhold the vengeance that they had in store,

Due to this heinous capital offence,

Even in the height and pride of all his glory,

When he was seated in a chariot

Of an inestimable value, and his daughter with him,

A fire from heaven came and shrivell'd up

Their bodies, even to loathing; for they so stunk,

That all those eyes adored them ere their fall

Scorn now their hand should give them burial…

And yet but justice; for though

This king were great, his greatness was no guard

To bar heaven's shaft, but sin had his reward.”

A number of lords enter and they comment on Pericles’ long absence and want to make Helicanus king but he suggests that they wait a year more before making such decisions.

We cross back to the palace at Pentapolis, where King Simonides reveals that his daughter has written a letter that says that she does not intend to marry for another year. The knights all take their leave and in a monologue, Simonides, reveals reveals that Thaisa's letter in fact says that she wants to marry Pericles. Then, as if on cue, Pericles enters. Simonides comments on how good Pericles’ singing was the night before and tries to find out what Pericles think of his daughter. commends his singing the night before, and asks him what he thinks of Thaisa. Simonides shows him Thaisa's letter, and Pericles thinks that he has offended Simonides and Simonides pretends to be offended and pretends to accuse Pericles of bewitching his daughter. Pericles is shocked and says that he must defend his honour:

“My actions are as noble as my thoughts,

That never relish'd of a base descent.

I came unto your court for honour's cause,

And not to be a rebel to her state;

And he that otherwise accounts of me,

This sword shall prove he's honour's enemy.”

Then Thaisa enters, and Pericles requests that she tell her father that he did not woo or enchant her. Then Simonides talks privately to his daughter and questions whether Pericles is the right man for her to marry but then says that he must ‘tame’ his daughter and then joins her hand to Pericles and declares them married and Thaisa and Pericles agree to the union and kiss:

“I am glad on't with all my heart.--

I'll tame you; I'll bring you in subjection.

Will you, not having my consent,

Bestow your love and your affections

Upon a stranger?

(Aside) Who, for aught I know,

May be, nor can I think the contrary,

As great in blood as I myself.--

Therefore hear you, mistress; either frame

Your will to mine,--and you, sir, hear you,

Either be ruled by me, or I will make you--

Man and wife:

Nay, come, your hands and lips must seal it too:

And being join'd, I'll thus your hopes destroy;

And for a further grief,--God give you joy!--

It pleaseth me so well… that I will see you wed;

And then with what haste you can get you to bed.”