Character Summary

Gower: a poet who acts as the play's chorus, setting up the scene prior to every Act

Antiochus: the King of Antioch who having committed incest with his daughter keeps the abomination perpetual (and secret) by detering men from wiving his daughter by killing them

Pericles: the Prince of Tyre who courts Antiochus' daughter only to flee when he discovers the horrible truth

Daughter of Antiochus: Antiochus' beautiful daughter who has willingly committed incest with her father

Thaliard: a lord of Antioch who is ignorant of the reason but agrees to find Pericles and kill him as Antioch would have him do

Cleon: governor of Tharsus who gratefully accepts Pericles' aid that saves his nation from starvation only to later betray Pericles

Dionyza: Cleon's wife who out of envy of Marina's charm and grace resolves to have her murdered so that her own daughter's status is enhanced in the eyes of the world

Fishermen: three fishermen of Pentapolis whose cheer and goodwill lift up Pericles' spirit which had never been lower what with the storm, the shipwreck, and the loss of all his men and riches

Simonides: the beloved ruler of Pentapolis and father of Thaisa, Pericles' wife-to-be

Thaisa: Simonides' daughter whose birthday is cause for a jousting tournament where knights and princes will vie for her love

Lords: lords of Pentapolis who disparage Pericles' rustic appearance and predict his early defeat in the jousting tournament

Knights: the knights who have participated in Simonides' jousting tournament and who will vie for Thaisa's love

Escanes: along with Helicanus, one of Tyre's most prominent lords

Lords: lords of Tyre who are anxious to find out if their Prince is alive or dead

Lychorida: nurse and midwife who joins Pericles and Thaisa on their voyage to Tyre and who delivers their baby, Marina, while at sea

Sailors: they persuade Pericles to give Thaisa, who has died giving birth to Marina on board, an impromptu burial at sea for the sake of saving the ship which will be in peril as long as it conveys a dead body

Lord Cerimon: a nobleman of Ephesus whose skill and knowledge in the art of medicine revives Thaisa

Philemon: a servant to Cerimon

Gentlemen: gentlemen of Ephesus who marvel at Cerimon's skill and knowledge in medicine and who witness Cerimon reviving Thaisa

Servants: servants who discover Thaisa's casket that has washed up on Ephesus' shore

Leonine: a murderer and Dionyzia's servant who is ordered to kill Marina

Pirates: mercenaries who take Marina hostage and sells her to a house of bawds

Pander, Bawd, and Boult: merchants and their servant who deal in the buying and selling of prostitues

Gentlemen: two gentlemen who are in the wont of frequenting bawdy houses but who resolve to lead lives of virtue upon encountering Marina

Lysimachus: Governor of Mytilene who solicits Marina only to be persuaded otherwise and who eventually marries Marina