THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. (WRITTEN ABOUT 1591. INTRODUCTION. This is Shakespeare's one farcical play. Its sources of laughter lie almost wholly in the situa tionsand incidents, hardly at all in the characters. The spectator of the play is called upon to accopt much that is improbable and all but impossible; not, as in A Midsummer Night's Dream, for the sake of freer play of imagination, and because the world pictured by the poet is a fairy-world of romantic beauty and grotesqueness, but for the sake of mere fun and laughter-stirring surprises. So cleverly, however, are the incidents and persons entangled and disentangled, so rapidly does surprise follow surprise, that we are given no time to raise difficulties or offer objections. The subject of the comedy is the same as that of the Menacchmi of Plautus-mistakes of identity arising from the likeness of twin-born children. How Shakespeare made acquaintance with Plautus has not been ascertained; possibly through William Warner's translation of the Menacchmi, seen in manuscript before its publication in 1545; more probably through an earlier play, not now extant. To the twins of the Menacchmi, Shakespeare has added a second pair of brothers, the twins Dromio. This does not make the improbability of the whole seem greater, but rather the reverse; for the fun is doubled, and where so much is incredible we are carried away and have no wish but to yield ourselves up to belief in the incredible for the time being, so as to enter thoroughly into the jest. Shakespeare added other characters-the Duke Solinus (when he can he always introduces a duke), Egeon, Balthazar, Angelo, the Abbess, and Lauciana; and he alters the character of the married brother, Antipholus, from the repulsive Menacchmus of Plautus, with whom we can have little sympathy, into a person who at least is not base and vicious. The scene he transfers from Epidamnum to Ephesus, that city which had an evil repute for its roguery, licentiousness, and magical practices, a city in which such errors might be supposed to be the result of sorcery and witchcraft. (See Act I., Sc. II., L. 97-102.) To Shakespeare belongs wholly the serious background, from which the farcical incidents stand out in relief-the story of the Syracusan merchant who almost forfeits his life in the search for his lost children, and finally recovers both the lost ones and his own liberty. The date of the play cannot be exactly determined, but it is certainly one of the very earliest. what part of her body stands about the ki.chen-wench, who is so large and round that she has been compared to a globe; and Dromio answers: "In her forehead, armed and reverted, making war against her heir." (Act III., Sc. 11., L. 125-127). France was in a state of civil war, fighting for and against her heir, Henri IV., from August, 1589, until shortly before his coronation in February, 1594. In 1591, Henri received the assistance of troops from England, commanded by the Earl of Essex. "In France?" asks Antipholus of Syracuse, questioning Dromio The enmity and discord which of late We came aboard. To merchants, our well-dealing countrymen, 11 A league from Epidamnum had we saild, Excludes all pity from our threatening looks. If any born at Ephesus be seen braced, 70 Yet the incessant weepings of my wife, fear, Forced me to seek delays for them and me. 20 The sailors sought for safety by our boat, Mv woes end likewise with the evening sun. cause 29 Why thou departed'st from thy native home imposed Than I to speak my griefs unspeakable: In Syracusa was I born, and wed Unto a woman, happy but for me, And by me, had not our hap been bad. By prosperous voyages I often made 41 To Epidamnum; till my factor's death And the great care of goods at random left Worthily term'd them merciless to us ! 100 We were encounter'd by a mighty rock; 131 At eighteen years became inquisitive have mark'd Dro. S. Many a man would take you at your word, And go indeed, having so good a mean. [Exit. Ant. S. A trusty villain, sir, that very oft, When I am dull with care and melancholy, 20 Lightens my humor with his merry jests. What, will you walk with me about the town, And then go to my inn and dine with me? First Mer. I am invited, sir, to certain merchants, Of whom I hope to make much benefit; myself 30 And wander up and down to view the city. First Mer. Sir, I commend you to your own content. [Exit. Ant. S. He that commends me to mine own content Commends me to the thing I cannot get, Enter DROMIо of Ephesus. 40 Here comes the almanac of my true date. What now? how chance thou art return'd so soon? To seek thy life by beneficial help : Try all the friends thou hast in Ephesus; Beg thou, or borrow, to make up the sum, And live; if no, then thou art doom'd to die. Gaoler, take him to thy custody. Dro. E. Return'd so soon! rather approach'd too late : Gaol. I will, my lord. Age. Hopeless and helpless doth Ægeon wend, The capon burns, the pig falls from the spit, But to procrastinate his lifeless end. [Exeunt. There's nothing situate under heaven's eve Luc. Not this, but troubles of the marriagebed. Adr. But, were you wedded, you would bear some sway. Luc. Ere I learn love, I'll practise to obey. Adr. How if your husband start some other where? 30 Luc. Till he come home again, I would forbear. Adr. Patience unmoved! no marvel though she pause; They can be meek that have no other cause. I greatly fear my money is not safe. [Exit. АСТ П. SCENE L. The house of ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus. Enter ADRIANA and LUCIANA. Adr. Neither my husband nor the slave return'd, Adr. Say, is your tardy master now at hand? Dro. E. Nay, he's at two hands with me, and that my two ears can witness. Adr. Say, didst thou speak with him? know'st thou his mind? Dro. E. Ay, ay, he told his mind upon mine That in such haste I sent to seek his master ! Sure, Luciana, it is two o'clock, ear: Lue. Perhaps some merchant hath invited him. Beshrew his hand, I scarce could understand it. Luc. Spake he so doubtfully, thou couldst not feel his meaning? 51 Dro. E. Nay, he struck so plainly, I could too well feel his blows; and withal so doubtfully that I could scarce understand them. Adr. But say, I prithee, is he coming home? It seems he hath great care to please his wife. Dro. E. Why, mistress, sure my master is horn-mad. Adr. Horn-mad, thou villain! I mean not cuckold-mad; But, sure, he is stark mad. When I desired him to come home to dinner, 60 He ask'd me for a thousand marks in gold : ''Tis dinner-time,' quoth I; 'My gold!'quoth he: 'Your meat doth burn,' quoth I; 'My gold!' quoth he: 'Will you come home?' quoth I; 'My gold!" quoth he. 'Where is the thousand marks I gave thee, villain?' 'The pig,' quoth I, 'is burn'd; "My gold!' quoth he: 'I know,' quoth he, 'no house, no wife, no A sunny look of his would soon repair : Adr. Unfeeling fools can with such wrongs dispense. I know his eye doth homage otherwhere; Will lose his beauty; yet the gold bides still, SCENE II. A public place. Ant. S. The gold I gave to Dromio is laid up 'My mistress, sir,' quoth I; 'Hang up thy mistress! I know not thy mistress; out on thy mistress!' Luc. Quoth who? Dro. E. Quoth my master : 70 mistress.' So that my errand, due unto my tongue, Enter DROMIO of Syracuse, Adr. Go back again, thou slave, and fetch him home. across. Dro. E. And he will bless that cross with That thus so madly thou didst answer me? Dro. S. What answer, sir? when spake I other beating: such a word? Ant. S. Villain, thou didst deny the gold's receipt, And told'st me of a mistress and a dinner; If I last in this service, you must case me in leather. [Exit. Luc. Fie, how impatience loureth in your face! Adr. His company must do his minions grace, Whilst I at home starve for a merry look. 20 What means this jest? I pray you, master, tell me. Ant. S. Yea, dost thou jeer and flout me in the teeth? Think'st thou I jest? Hold, take thou that, and that. [Beating him. Dro. S. Hold, sir, for God's sake! now your jest is earnest : Upon what bargain do you give it me? |