Comedy of Errors_Plot

 (E-content developed by Dr N. A. Jarandikar)

B. A. Part II

Semester III, Paper No. III

Literature and Cinema

‘Comedy of Errors’

Characters:

Egeon and Emillia: Parents of Antipholus(es)

Ephesus	Syracuse
Antipholus of Ephesus	Antipholus of Syracuse
Dromio of Ephesus  - Servant	Dromio of Syracuse - Servant
Adriana - Wife of Ephesus	Egeon-Emilia (Parents of Antipholus twin)
Luciana - Sister of Adriana
Nell/Luce   - Adriana’s kitchen-maid and wife of Dromio
Solinus - Duke of Ephesus
Angelo – Goldsmith
Balthasar – Merchant

 

Plot of the play:

Story of Egeon: Ephesus and Syracuse are the two rival cities. People of these cities are not allowed to cross the boundaries. If someone breaks the law, he is charged with a death sentence. Egeon is a merchant of Syracuse. He comes to Ephesus in search of his lost wife and lost twin. As Egeon breaks this law, he is charged with a fine of one thousand marks. But he tells Duke Solinus the real reason for his entry to the city of Ephesus. He says that his wife and the other twin were separated from him 25 years ago in a shipwreck. The other twin, who grew up with Egeon, is also travelling the world in search of the missing brothers. The Duke is moved by this story. He grants Egeon a day to raise the thousand-mark amount to save his life.

Twin brothers: Antipholus of Syracuse is a twin brother of Antipholus of Ephesus. Dromio of Syracuse is a twin brother of Dromio of Ephesus. Both the Dromios are the servants to the respective Antipholuses.

Coincidently, Antipholus of Syracuse along with his servant comes to the city of Ephesus. However, Egeon is unaware of the arrival of Antipholus of Syracuse. As the play begins all the twin brothers meet each other separately. As their names and faces are the same, they fail to recognise the real ones.

Adriana and Antipholus of Syracuse: Adriana is the wife of Antipholus of Ephesus. Luciana is a sister of Adriana. As Antipholus of Syracuse comes to the city of Ephesus, Adriana mistakenly assumes him as her husband. She drags him home for dinner. She asks his servant to stand guard at the door. The servant too is Dromio of Syracuse. Shortly thereafter, her real husband with his servant returns home. He is refused entry to his own house by Dromio of Syracuse.

Gold chain and confusion: The confusion increases when a gold chain ordered by Antipholus of Ephesus is given to Antipholus of Syracuse. Antipholus of Ephesus refuses to pay for the gold chain because he never received it. His wife, seeing his strange behaviour, thinks that he has gone mad. So, she invites one exorcist. He orders them to tie with a rope. Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant run away from that place and take shelter in a nearby abbey. But Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus have been tied with rope.  Adriana and Luciana are unaware of this. They come to the abbey. But Lady Abbess refuses to hand over both of them.

Antipholus of Ephesus demands justice: Duke and soldiers are taking Egeon to give him punishment. At that time, Adriana complains against Lady Abbess and begs the Duke to release her "husband" from the Abbey. At this point comes one messenger and informs Adriana that her husband (Antipholus of Ephesus) who has been tied with a rope is escaped. Adriana does not believe this because according to her, her husband is hiding in the abbey. And then there comes Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus. Antipholus of Ephesus demands justice from the Duke. He complains about his wife for misbehaviour with him.

Egeon is observing all this. He is surprised that his son and servant (Antipholus/Dromio) do not recognise him. Antipholus of Ephesus says, “I never saw my father in my life”.

Role of Lady Abbess: Amidst all this confusion enters Lady Abbess along with Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse. Here, Lady Abbess recognises Egeon and tells him that she is his Emilia. Emilia says that in Epidamium, the fishermen took Antipholus and Dromio from her forcefully, and what happened with them later on, she didn’t know. But Antipholus of Ephesus tells the Duke that he and Dromio were brought to Ephesus by the Duke’s uncle.

In this way, finally, all complications are resolved. Egeon gets his long-lost wife, and all the brothers are united. Adriana gets her chain. Angelo gets his money. All ends happily.

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