And knowing this kingdom is without a head,-
Like goodly buildings left without a roof,
Soon fall to ruin,- your noble self,
That best know how to rule and how to reign,
We thus submit unto, our sovereign.
-Second Lord
Pericles Act II, scene iv, line 38
Once again we have a Totally Random line spoken by an anonymous henchman. He’s asking Helicanus to be the leader of the country. A few lines earlier we learned that King Antiochus and his daughter have been struck by lightning – A fire from heaven came, and shrivell’d up/Their bodies, even to loathing. Apparently the king and his daughter had been having an incestuous relationship, and the gods weren’t too happy about that. But you knew this because that’s the basis of this whole story.
One little tidbit related to that which I find interesting: It seems that Antiochus’s daughter has no name. She’s simply referred to as his daughter. I suppose because of the incest thing? I don’t know.
Anyway, Helicanus gets everyone to agree that they need to search for Pericles, and if they don’t find him in one year then he, Helicanus, will become the leader. So the goodly buildings are going to have to last a year without a roof; unless they can find Pericles sooner.
No comments:
Post a Comment