The Non-ness of Pericles

Pericles, Prince of Tyre is one strange play. 

Although I think that Shakespeare was capable to writing bad plays, in this case, he likely only wrote half. I surmise that he wrote the second half since that is the half that actually has a plot. However, even the part with a plot reads exactly like a "fixer" came in to make the play actually producible. 

In fairness, lots of exciting stuff happens. But it rambles--it reads as if someone tried to create an epic but the end result is similar to the Anne of Green Gables: Continuing Story movie, in which Anne almost but doesn't quite do anything. Pericles might marry a young woman sleeping with her father...but doesn't. He might settled down in a country he saved from famine...but he doesn't. He might stay in the kingdom where he is shipwrecked...but he doesn't. 

With such a lack of focus, it's hard to pin down any relationship that actually goes anywhere at all. 

I suppose the primary relationship (in the second half) is between Pericles's daughter, Marina, and Lysimachus, who meet precisely once before the denouement. The relationship strains credibility, mostly because Marina--who is sold to a brothel at the age of 14--retains her virginity by...delivering speeches to men. 

Yeah, right. 

The play is sentimental, moralistic, unbelievable (even by Shakespeare's "hey, let's have fun!" wacky standards). 

Again, as pure spectacle, it wouldn't be boring, but for the purposes of this blog, the relationships are mere passing references. Pericles's wife, with whom he is reunited at the end, is mostly famous for being dumped overboard when the sailors think she is dead. That's it. 

These couples are a world away from Katherina & Petruchio or Beatrice & Benedict.