The Comedy of Errors: ‘Hand in Hand, Not One Before the Other.’

Episode 139:Last time ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ gave us a look at second comedy from Shakespeare’s early phase as a playwright.  As you heard certain elements in the plotting of the play and execution of its denouement make it problematic, but nevertheless it showed early promise.  The lyrical nature of much of the language used in that play is quite typical of the earliest comedies and it is probably not coincidental that this was around the time that Shakespeare was writing his long lyrical poem ‘Venus and Adonis’, so we might assume that his mindset at the time was that of a lyrical poet, and maybe we see that influence still in his probable next work, the much more accomplished play ‘The Comedy of Errors’, which has remained one of the more popular Shakespeare comedies since its first performance.  The Source for the play and changes Shakespeare made to itThe original text of the playThe dating and earliest performances of the playFoul PapersThe setting as a Roman street with three housesA Synopsis of the playThe serious and long opening exposition.The importance of a dramatic opening sceneSocial commentary in the playAdriana as a well-developed character for a light-hearted farceAntipholus of Ephesus as an unpleasant character, but toned down from the source materialAntipholus of Syracuse as a more sympathetic characterThe punishment of the Dromio twinsThe view of authority in the playThe problems with the plot (if we take it too seriously)The soliloquies of Antipholus of SyracuseLuciana and the expression of the value of traditionWhat should we read into the very ending of the play?Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.