THERE has been very general agreement in regarding The Comedy of Errors as one of the earliest of Shakespeare's productions. A play called A Comedy of Errors ("like to Plautus his Menaechmus ") was acted by players at Gray's Inn on December 28, 1594, and there seems no reason to doubt that this was the present play. Of internal evidences, the most pointed is the reference in I. ii. 125–127 to France as "making war against her heir," which is taken as an allusion to the contest between Henry of Navarre and the League (1589-94). But Henry of Navarre was heir to the French throne before the death of Henry III in 1589, and had been at war with France as early as 1585. Thus there is nothing in the passage to prevent this comedy from having come at the very beginning of Shakespeare's career. The large amount of verbal quibbling in the style of the play; the versification, which is marked by much rime both in couplets and alternates, by a considerable amount of doggerel, and by the absence of weak and light endings; and the comparative rarity of prose, all point to an early date. The year 1591 has been most frequently conjectured, and the play may well enough have been written still earlier. It was first published in the First Folio of 1623, and on this the present text is based. The main plot is derived from the Menechmi of Plautus, which Shakespeare may have read either in the original or in the translation by W. W. (? William Warner). Though this translation was not published till 1595, it is stated in the printer's note to the readers that the work had been done by the translator "for the use and delight of his private friends," so that Shakespeare may have had opportunity of access to it some time previously. The characters common to Plautus and Shakespeare are the two Antipholuses (Menechmi), Dromio of Syracuse (Messenio), Adriana (Mulier), the Courtezan (Erotium), and Pinch (Medicus). Shakespeare preserves in the Dromio of Syracuse, whom he borrows, and bestows upon the Dromio of Ephesus, whom he invents, the stock characteristics of the witty slave of Plautus. In Pinch's attempt to diagnose the madness of Antipholus, there is a strong reminiscence of the Medicus of Plautus. Mulier in the Menechmi is more of the conventional shrew than Adriana. The Parasite who plays a large part in the Latin comedy, the cook and maid-servant of the Courtezan, and Senex, the father of Mulier, are all discarded by Shakespeare. On the other hand, the enveloping plot of the parents of the twins, with the characters of Ægeon, Æmilia, Solinus, Luciana, the Merchants, and Luce, are all due to Shakespeare's invention. Little of the detail is drawn from Plautus, the most notable borrowings being the humorous treatment of the conjurer, the frequent thrashings of Dromio, and the reproof administered by the Abbess to Adriana, which resembles the remarks addressed to Mulier by Senex. From the Amphitruo of Plautus are derived the scene (III. i.) in which Antipholus of Ephesus and his Dromio are shut out of their own home, and the notion of "doubling" the slaves as well as the masters. This play had formed the basis of an early farce, Jack Juggler (1562–63), but no trace is discernible of Shakespeare's having used this intermediary. The riming fourteensyllabled lines in which the Dromios often speak belong to the tradition of the early drama, and have also suggested an English intermediary; a supposition which receives a slight support from the unexplained presence of the names Sereptus and Errotis added to Antipholus of Ephesus and Antipholus of Syracuse respectively in the stage directions of the Folio. Some have thought that Shakespeare may have founded his play on a Historie of Error showen at Hampton Court on Newyeres daie at night enacted by the Children of Powles" (157); but, though possible, this is far from certain. The word "Error" was at that time the common term for mistaken identity, and this was so common a device in the drama that no argument can be based on its mere occurrence in a title not otherwise identical. Though The Comedy of Errors is notable among Shakespeare's plays for the slightness of the characterization, yet a comparison with Plautus shows, especially in the case of Adriana, a substantial superiority in elaboration and vitality on the part of Shakespeare's creations. 25 To quit the penalty and to ransom him. My woes end likewise with the evening sun. Duke. Well, Syracusian, say in brief the cause Why thou departed'st from thy native home, 30 And for what cause thou cam'st to Ephesus. Ege. A heavier task could not have been impos'd Than I to speak my griefs unspeakable; Yet, that the world may witness that my end Unto a woman, happy but for me, With her I liv'd in joy; our wealth increas'd 40 To Epidamnum, till my factor's death And the great care of goods at random left Drew me from kind embracements of my spouse; From whom my absence was not six months old 45 Before herself, almost at fainting under As could not be distinguish'd but by names. 51 55 Of such a burden, male twins, both alike. boys, Made daily motions for our home return. Unwilling I agreed. Alas! too soon We came aboard. A league from Epidamnum had we sail'd brac'd, Yet the incessant weepings of my wife, 70 75 80 Weeping before for what she saw must come, 90 96 Five summers have I spent in farthest Greece, 140 To bear the extremity of dire mishap! Gaol. I will, my lord. 150 156 Ege. Hopeless and helpless doth Ægeon wend, But to procrastinate his lifeless end. [Exeunt. [SCENE II. The mart.] Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse, DROMIO of Syracuse, and FIRST MERCHANT. 1. Mer. Therefore give out you are of Epidamnum, Б Lest that your goods too soon be confiscate. Dro. S. Many a man would take you at your word, 20 And go, indeed, having so good a mean. [Exit. Of whom I hope to make much benefit; 25 bell; 45 My mistress made it one upon my cheek, You have no stomach having broke your fast; Ant. S. Stop in your wind, sir; tell me this, I pray : Where have you left the money that I gave you? Dro. E. 0,-sixpence, that I had o' Wednesday last To pay the saddler for my mistress' crupper? The saddler had it, sir; I kept it not. 55 Ant. S. I am not in a sportive humour Ant. S. Now, as I am a Christian, answer me In what safe place you have bestow'd my money, Or I shall break that merry sconce of yours That stands on tricks when I am undispos'd. Where is the thousand marks thou hadst of me? 81 Dro. E. I have some marks of yours upon my pate, Some of my mistress' marks upon my shoulders, 86 But not a thousand marks between you both. If I should pay your worship those again, Perchance you will not bear them patiently. Ant. S. Thy mistress' marks? What mistress, slave, hast thou? Dro. E. Your worship's wife, my mistress at the Phoenix ; She that doth fast till you come home to dinner, And prays that you will hie you home to din Ant. S. What, wilt thou flout me thus unto my face, Being forbid? There, take you that, sir knave. Dro. E. What mean you, sir? For God's sake, hold your hands! Nay, an you will not, sir, I'll take my heels. [Exit. Ant. S. Upon my life, by some device or other The villain is o'erraught of all my money. 95 100 If it prove so, I will be gone the sooner. ACT II [SCENE I. The house of Antipholus of Ephesus.] Enter ADRIANA and LUCIANA. Adr. Neither my husband nor the slave return'd, That in such haste I sent to seek his master! Sure, Luciana, it is two o'clock. Luc. Perhaps some merchant hath invited him And from the mart he's somewhere gone to dinner. Good sister, let us dine and never fret. A man is master of his liberty. Beshrew his hand, I scarce could understand it. Luc. Spake he so doubtfully, thou couldst not feel his meaning? 50 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? [55 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 desir'd him to come home to dinner, co 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. That like a football you do spurn me thus? You spurn me hence, and he will spurn me hither. If I last in this service, you must case me in leather. [Exit.] 85 Luc. Fie, how impatience loureth in your face! 96 Are my discourses dull? Barren my wit? 100 |