Pericles, Prince of Tyre
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Dating Shakespeare’s Plays: Pericles Pericles, Prince of Tyre he play can be dated any time between the . The play was published again in the same year publication of Laurence Twine’s Painefull with some small differences. All subsequent Adventures (possibly as early as 1576 but publications seem to derive from Q2. Tno later than 1594) and the publication of the Quarto in 1609. [Q2. 1609. Title Page as in Q1] Publication A third version appeared two years later: [Q3. 1611.] The Late And much admired Play, Sir Sidney Lee gave a detailed examination of the Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. With the true publishing history of the play, which Chambers Relation of the whole History, aduentures, and has reviewed. The play was entered into the fortunes of the sayd Prince: As also, The no lesse Stationers’ Register in May 1608, on the same day strange and worthy accidents, in the Birth and as Antony & Cleopatra (which was not published Life, of his Daughter Mariana. As it hath beene until 1623): diuers and sundry times acted by his Maiestyes Seruants, at the Globe on the Banck-side. By [S.R. 1608.] 20 Maij. Edward Blount. Entred William Shakespeare. Printed at London by for his copie vnder thandes of Sir George Buck S(imon) S(tafford). 1611. knight and Master Warden Seton A booke called, the booke of Pericles prynce of Tyre. A fourth version appeared some years later as part of the collection published by Thomas Pavier: Most commentators see this as a ‘blocking entry’, i.e. intended to prevent any other publisher from [Q4. 1619.] The Late, And much admired publishing the play but Chambers discounts Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. With the true Relation of the whole History, the possibility. The play was published in the aduentures, and fortunes of the saide Prince. following year, but oddly not by Edward Blunt Written by W. Shakespeare. but by Henry Gosson: The play did not appear in the First Folio in 1623 [Q1. 1609.] The Late, And much admired Play, or in the Second Folio of 1632. The rights to the Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. With the true play were transferred in 1626 to Edward Brewster Relation of the whole Historie, aduentures, and fortunes of the said Prince: As also, The no lesse and Robert Birde and to Richard Cotes in 1630. strange, and worthy accidents, in the Birth and Q5 appeared in 1630 and Q6 in 1635. The play Life, of his Daughter Mariana. As it hath been was eventually included in the Third Folio of diuers and sundry times acted by his Maiesties 1664: Seruants, at the Globe on the Banck-side. By William Shakespeare. Imprinted at London (by [F3. 1664.] . And unto this Impression is William White) for Henry Gosson, and are to added seven Playes, never before Printed in be sold at the signe of the Sunne in Pater-noster Folio, viz, Pericles, Prince of Tyre . [six row, &c. 1609. other titles1] © De Vere Society 1 Dating Shakespeare’s Plays: Pericles Title page to the first quarto of Pericles, 1609. By permission of Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, shelfmark Arch. G d.41 (5), title page. The much admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince (b) The editors knew the text was badly of Tyre. With the true Relation of the whole corrupted; History, Adventures, and Fortunes of the saide Prince. Written by W. Shakespeare, and (c) The editors knew that the play was co- published in his life-time. authored (which she accepts as most Suzanne Gossett has outlined three suggestions as likely). to why such a popular play, published in quarto Editors agree that the text is very poor, believing under the name of William Shakespeare, did not that the copy was not authoritative. Chambers has appear in the First Folio (1623): outlined many of the problems including irregular (a) The editors of the First Folio, Heminges setting of verse and prose. Edwards states that at and Condell, were unable to obtain either least two different printing shops were used and at a copy of the play or the rights to it or least three different compositors. Bullough points both; out that much of the text is unintelligible, with muddled scenes, confusions of speech and action, and omissions of necessary material. © De Vere Society 2 Dating Shakespeare’s Plays: Pericles Most editors believe that the text arises from another author. Sams ascribes the difference in a poor memorial reconstruction. Edwards argued style to Shakespeare’s revision of his own earlier that the difference in style was due to the difference play. Hoeniger dismisses this as ‘pure speculation’ in the reporting ability of two different people. without elaboration; Wells & Taylor (1987: 130) Against this, some editors have argued that the call it an ‘intrinsic improbability’, again without text was set from a rough draft of the play.2 Wells explanation. & Taylor create a composite text derived from Q1 Most editors, however, agree that the play was and from Wilkins’s novel. co-authored by George Wilkins.6 In 1608, Wilkins (c. 1576–1618) published a novel, The Painful Early Performance Dates Adventures of Pericles, Prince of Tyre (STC 25638). This work borrowed extensively from Laurence Twine’s 1576 story, in many instances verbatim The title page to Q1 states that the play had been (unlike the play, which merely has similarities). acted by the King’s Men at the Globe ‘diuers The title page of Wilkins’s novel presents itself as and sundry times’, without indication of when; ‘The true History of the Play of Pericles, as it was Hoeniger assumes that the play’s performances lately presented by the worthy and ancient Poet occurred in the first half of 1608, before the John Gower’ which shows it to derive from the theatres were closed on 28 July due to plague. play. Wilkins makes a further mention of the play The play was witnessed by the Venetian in the Argument, asking the reader: Ambassador in 1607 or 1608: . to receiue this Historie in the same manner All the ambassadors, who have come to England as it was vnder the habite of ancient Gower the have gone to the play more or less. Giustinian famous English Poet by the Kings Majesties went with the French ambassador and his wife Players excellently presented. to a play called Pericles, which cost Giustinian more than 20 crowns. He also took the Secretary From this, it is inferred that Wilkins’s prose novel of Florence.3 derives from the play. Thus the use of the names Another performance is recorded at Gowthwaite ‘Pericles’ and ‘Marina’ which differ from the Hall, Nidderdale, Yorks, by a troupe of travelling sources would been used first in the play and then actors on 2 Feb 1610. A further performance is in the novel. Chambers accepted co-authorship recorded at court in 1619.4 The play’s continuing of the play but was undecided as to whether popularity is recorded with distaste by Ben Jonson Wilkins was the co-author. Chambers notes that in 1629 in Ode to Myself: ‘verbally the novel is much less close to the play than one would expect’ especially as Wilkins is No doubt some mouldy tale, Like Pericles ; and usually taken to be paraphrasing some of his own stale As the Shrieve’s crusts, and nasty as his writing. Wells & Taylor (1987: 557) suggest that fish— Scraps out of every dish Throwne forth, Wilkins may have contributed his scenes but was and rak’t into the common tub. left without a copy of his own writing. They refer to the Shakespearean sections as Scenes 10–22 Jonson’s criticism seems to be concerned with the because Q1 has no act or scene divisions. disjointed nature of the material rather than that The arguments for co-authorship have been the play was out of date. reviewed by Vickers and examined in detail by Jackson, who concur with Wells & Taylor in Attribution assigning authorship as follows: Only a few editors accept ‘William Shakespeare’ by George Wilkins by Shakespeare as sole author.5 Eric Sams has noted that in six Acts 1, 2 (scenes 1–9) Acts 3, 4, 5 quartos and in F3, the attribution of the play (Scenes 10–22) was to Shakespeare alone; three of the quartos had been published in Wilkins’s lifetime. He There are two main ways in which co-authorship further notes that none of the references to the may have worked: play (eg by Jonson or Dryden) ever mention © De Vere Society 3 Dating Shakespeare’s Plays: Pericles (a) Collaboration. The two authors planned Gesner argues that Shakespeare was well versed in the work together and then wrote their works such as those by Heliodorus, Longus and parts independently. Achilles Tatius, giving him an exceptional insight into the tradition as shown in all the romances (b) Revision. A shortened form of the play including Pericles. by one of the authors was revised and There are also some similarities with Sidney’s expanded by the other author. Since Arcadia (1590). Bullough also mentions close Wilkins was younger and his novel was parallels between Marina’s plight and Declamation published at the same time as the play, it is 53 in Alexandre Silvain’s Cent Histoires (published usually assumed that he was the reviser of in 1581 and translated into English by Lazarus Piot a short or unfinished play by Shakespeare. in 1596). Hoeniger mentions some dependence According to this view, it is possible for on a Latin treatise by J. Falckenburgk: Britannia, there to be a lapse of time between the Sive de Apollonice Humilitatis, Virtutis et Honoris composition of the original play and its Porta (STC 10674) which was dedicated to subsequent revision.