A Novel Approach
to
Shakespeare’s
Comedy of Errors
~
William Shakespeare
and
Catherine McGrew Jaime
Copyright 2011 by Catherine McGrew Jaime
~~~
Shakespeare didn’t write his plays as literature to be read, but as performances to be watched. But today, unfortunately, many do not have the opportunity to really watch, enjoy, and appreciate Shakespeare’s plays. As a result, many students and adults are missing out on the fascinating words that Shakespeare wrote over four hundred years ago.
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In an attempt to make his wonderful works more accessible, I have taken much of Shakespeare’s dialogue from Comedy of Errors and tried to add just enough scene and character identification to help make the play make sense to a reader. To help keep the dialogue clear, you will find Shakespeare’s words in italics. I kept most of his “misspellings” and “improper punctuation,” for a better feel of how Shakespeare reads. (The minor deletions I made from his original dialogue are of two types: (1) Where the lengthy dialogue didn’t seem to move the story along; (2) In a couple of places I took the liberty of removing a bawdier line or two that tend to go against what some readers might consider acceptable. (Though, for the sake of keeping Shakespeare, there may still be too much bawdy for some readers!)
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I hope you enjoy this novel look at Shakespeare’s shortest comedy!
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SCENE ONE
We join Duke Solinus in his palace in Ephesus. He has several in attendance with him, including the gaoler (jailer), officers, and a Syracusean merchant, Aegeon, who has been taken prisoner.
Aegeon addresses the Duke, “Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall and by the doom of death end woes and all.”
Duke Solinus responds gruffly, “Merchant of Syracuse, plead no more; I am not partial to infringe our laws: The enmity and discord which of late Sprung from the rancorous outrage of your duke To merchants, our well-dealing countrymen, Who wanting guilders to redeem their lives Have seal'd his rigorous statutes with their bloods, Excludes all pity from our threatening looks. It hath in solemn synods been decreed Both by the Syracusians and ourselves, To admit no traffic to our adverse towns Nay, more, If any born at Ephesus be seen At any Syracusian marts and fairs; Again: if any Syracusian born Come to the bay of Ephesus, he dies, His goods confiscate to the duke's dispose, Unless a thousand marks be levied, To quit the penalty and to ransom him. Thy substance, valued at the highest rate, Cannot amount unto a hundred marks; Therefore by law thou art condemned to die.”
“Yet this my comfort: when your words are done, My woes end likewise with the evening sun.”
“Well, Syracusian, say in brief the cause Why thou departed'st from thy native home And for what cause thou camest to Ephesus.”
Aegeon begins to share his sad tale with the Duke and the others present. “A heavier task could not have been imposed Than I to speak my griefs unspeakable: Yet, that the world may witness that my end was wrought by nature, not by vile offence, I'll utter what my sorrows give me leave. In Syracusa was I born, and wed unto a woman, happy but for me…With her I lived in joy; our wealth increased By prosperous voyages I often made 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 Before herself, almost at fainting under The pleasing punishment that women bear, Had made provision for her following me And soon and safe arrived where I was. There had she not been long, but she became a joyful mother of two goodly sons; And, which was strange, the one so like the other, As could not be distinguish'd but by names. That very hour, and in the self-same inn, A meaner woman was delivered Of such a burden, male twins, both alike: Those,--for their parents were exceeding poor,-- I bought and brought up to attend my sons. My wife…made daily motions for our home return.”
Aegeon pauses as he remembers the painful event that tore apart his family. “A league from Epidamnum had we sail'd, Before the always wind-obeying deep Gave any tragic instance of our harm: But longer did we not retain much hope; For what obscured light the heavens did grant Did but convey unto our fearful minds A doubtful warrant of immediate death; Which though myself would gladly have embraced, Yet the incessant weepings of my wife, Weeping before for what she saw must come, And piteous plainings of the pretty babes, That mourn'd for fashion, ignorant what to fear, Forced me to seek delays for them and me. And this it was, for other means was none: The sailors sought for safety by our boat, And left the ship, then sinking-ripe, to us: My wife, more careful for the latter-born, Had fasten'd him unto a small spare mast, Such as seafaring men provide for storms; To him one of the other twins was bound, Whilst I had been like heedful of the other: The children thus disposed, my wife and I, Fixing our eyes on whom our care was fix'd, Fasten'd ourselves at either end the mast; And floating straight, obedient to the stream, Was carried towards Corinth, as we thought. At length the sun, gazing upon the earth, Dispersed those vapours that offended us; And by the benefit of his wished light, The seas wax'd calm, and we discovered Two ships from far making amain to us, Of Corinth that, of Epidaurus this: But ere they came.” With that Aegeon slows down. “O, let me say no more! Gather the sequel by that went before.”
But Duke Solinus prods him on. “Nay, forward, old man; do not break off so; For we may pity, though not pardon thee.”
“O, had the gods done so, I had not now Worthily term'd them merciless to us! For, ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues, We were encounterd by a mighty rock; Which being violently borne upon, Our helpful ship was splitted in the midst; So that, in this unjust divorce of us, Fortune had left to both of us alike What to delight in, what to sorrow for. Her part, poor soul! seeming as burdened With lesser weight but not with lesser woe, Was carried with more speed before the wind; And in our sight they three were taken up by fishermen of Corinth, as we thought. At length, another ship had seized on us; And, knowing whom it was their hap to save, Gave healthful welcome to their shipwreck'd guests; And would have reft the fishers of their prey, Had not their bark been very slow of sail; And therefore homeward did they bend their course. Thus have you heard me sever'd from my bliss; That by misfortunes was my life prolong'd, To tell sad stories of my own mishaps.”
“And for the sake of them thou sorrowest for, Do me the favour to dilate at full What hath befall'n of them and thee till now.”
“My youngest boy, and yet my eldest care, At eighteen years became inquisitive after his brother: and importuned me That his attendant, also reft of his brother, Might bear him company in the quest of him: Whom whilst I labour'd of a love to see, I hazarded the loss of whom I loved. Five summers have I spent in furthest Greece, Roaming clean through the bounds of Asia, And, coasting homeward, came to Ephesus; Hopeless to find, yet loath to leave unsought Or that or any place that harbours men. But here must end the story of my life; And happy were I in my timely death, Could all my travels warrant me they live.”
“Hapless Aegeon, whom the fates have mark'd To bear the extremity of dire mishap! Now, trust me, were it not against our laws, Against my crown, my oath, my dignity, Which princes, would they, may not disannul, My soul would sue as advocate for thee. But, though thou art adjudged to the death And passed sentence may not be recall'd But to our honour's great disparagement, Yet I will favour thee in what I can. Therefore, merchant, I'll limit thee this day 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 d
ie.Gaoler, take him to thy custody.”
The Gaoler steps forward sadly. “I will, my lord.”
Aegeon sighs as he is taken away. “Hopeless and helpless doth Aegeon wend, But to procrastinate his lifeless end.”
SCENE TWO
Meanwhile, in the Ephesus marketplace, the two twins from Syracuse that Aegeon had just mentioned are getting advice from a local merchant. “Therefore give out you are of Epidamnum, Lest that your goods too soon be confiscate. This very day a Syracusian merchant Is apprehended for arrival here; And not being able to buy out his life According to the statute of the town, Dies ere the weary sun set in the west. There is your money that I had to keep.”
Antipholus (of Syracuse) listens carefully to the merchant’s advice, turning to his servant Dromio. “Go bear it to the Centaur, where we