| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details
|
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Controversy has surrounded Pericles for centuries, due to the fact that critics and editors have argued that much of the play was written between 1607 and 1608 by one of Shakespeare's inferior collaborators, and that it shows in both its style and content. However, Shakespeare was clearly the driving force behind the play, and it is important to remember that it was one of the most popular plays of its time.
Famous for its resurrection of John Gower, the 14th-century English writer, who acts as the play's chorus, Pericles is a play that is obsessed with incest. The dramatic action begins in Antioch, where Pericles travels to solve the riddle of King Antiochus, who "to incest did provoke" his daughter. When Pericles realises Antiochus' terrible secret, he flees, wandering the seas, where he meets his wife Thaisa, who apparently dies while giving birth to her daughter Marina during a terrible storm. Pericles' grief is compounded by the apparent death of his daughter while staying at Tarsus some months later. She has in fact been sold into sexual slavery, and as Pericles resumes his wanderings, Marina battles to retain her "peevish chastity". As with many of Shakespeare's later plays, or romances, recognition and reunion occurs in the most unlikely of circumstances. Despite questions of authorship and textual corruption, Pericles continues to fascinate audiences and critics with its dark and ambivalent account of the relations between fathers and daughters. --Jerry Brotton
Product Description
This play marks a turning away from realism and the exploration of human tragedy towards mysticism and calmer, symbolic realms. Miracle, myth and symbol pervade the action where Pericles experiences evil and innocence, guilt and atonement, birth, death and regeneration in his search for happiness.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.co.uk.
5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
A good recording of a not very good play
24 Jun 1999
Format:Audio Cassette
This is the only recording of <Pericles> at the moment, although Harper has plans for a new one. This creaking plot might work in a good stage production; but although we know the first two acts, except for a line or two, to be by a hand other than Shakespeare's, the last three acts are bargain basement stuff. Still this is as good a reading as we are likely to get. (The old, out of print version on London/Argo label was quite eloquent.) The best thing about this version is the God-like voice of John Gielgud reading the narrator role of Gower. He sounds as ancient as the character is supposed to be. An unfortunate directorial decision leaves us without the "dumb shows" (which are simply read on the older recording without apology). Nigel Terry ("Excalibur") suffers well as the Odysseus-like hero and the rest of the excellent cast try hard to make things sound plausible. The electronic music does not help create any atmosphere but merely jars.
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
