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Comedy of Errors Play
The Comedy of Errors begins with a merchant
of Syracuse named Aegeon being arrested in the town
of Ephesus. His crime? The towns of Ephesus and Syracuse
have an age long feud meaning a tradesman from Syracuse
is far from welcome in Ephesus. Before Solinus, the
Duke of Ephesus, Aegeon tells his sad story... Many,
many years ago (33 years), Aegeon and his wife Aemilia
and their two identical boys both named Antipholus were
shipwrecked in a violent storm. With them were their
two identical servants, both confusingly named Dromio.
Two ships rescue the family, Aegeon losing his wife,
one of the identical twins plus one of the two servants
who are rescued by a ship last seen heading for Corinth.
The other vessel rescues Aegeon, one of the sons and
one of the servants who return to Syracuse. When the
remaining Antipholus came of age at eighteen, Aegeon
allowed Antipholus and the surviving Dromio to search
for his long lost brother. The two dissappear... Five
years of searching later, Aegeon explains he has arrived
in Ephesus to look for his son and servant.
The Duke is saddened by this such that he will not
sentence Aegeon immediately for being in Ephesus. The
Duke offers Aegeon one day to pay a ransom, otherwise
he will die as per custom for citizens of Syracuse being
in Ephesus. Unknownest to Aegeon, his wife did survive,
a rude fisherman stealing Antipholus and Dromio from
her. These two eventually make their way to Ephesus
whilst Aemilia, in her grief, becomes a nun in Ephesus.
Havoc soon ensues when Aegeon's surviving son Antipholus
lands in Ephesus, bringing confusion to all since Antipholus
appears in one place then across another at impossible
speed, Antipholus saying he is from Epidamnum, thus
avoiding arrest. Antipholus is quickly mistaken for
the Antipholus who is native to Ephesus, eventually
dining with Antipholus of Ephesus' wife Adriana.
Likewise, Ephesus goldsmith Angelo gives Antiopholus
of Syracuse a gold chain his Ephesus twin paid for,
expecting his payment later. Antipholus of Syracuse
falls for Luciana, Adriana's sister rejecting him, thinking
her sister's husband is trying to seduce her!
Meanwhile, Angelo returns, asking for payment for the
chain which Antipholus of Syracuse naturally refuses;
he paid for no such chain (though he did receive it).
Antipholus of Syracuse is quickly arrested, everyone
thinking Antipholus of Syracuse is Antipholus of Ephesus.
During all this, Adriana believes her husband and servant
Dromio to be mad, such is their jumping from place to
place, even forcing them to see a Doctor Pinch. Hilariously,
he tries to exorcize the devil from Antipholus' body.
Adding to the confusion, Adriana meets Antipholus and
Dromio of Syracuse, thinking they have escaped from
the Pinch's care, not realising those two are still
in the doctor's care. Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse
simply don't know what to think! The Syracuse pair quickly
go into hiding in a nearby abbey. Antipholus and Dromio
of Ephesus escape the doctor's care, finding Duke Solinus
just as Aegeon is about to be executed. Both Antipholus
and Dromio of Ephesus try to explain their movements,
Aegeon recognising his son, Antipholus of Ephesus not
recognizing his father. Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse
now arrive with an abbess (Aegeon's wife Aemilia). Both
pairs now explain all in front of Solinus, Aegeon being
pardoned for entering Ephesus, the family reunited and
Antipholus of Syracuse arranging to marry Luciana.
Contents
Dramatis
Personæ
Act I
Scene I, Scene
II
Act II
Scene I, Scene
II
Act III
Scene I
Act IV
Scene I, Scene
II, Scene III, Scene
IV
Act V
Scene I
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