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Luciana, both of whom resent the
time he spends away from home
visiting the tavern and a courtesan.
Furious that he’s late again for
dinner, Adriana spots Antipholus in
the street and becomes angry with
him. He responds surprisingly
politely and seems unusually happy
to eat with her. In fact, she has
met her husband’s twin, Antipholus
of Syracuse, and he promptly falls
in love with her sister. When her
husband returns with friends, he
finds the door to his home barred
by someone claiming to be Dromio.
He leaves, threatening revenge.
A series of mistaken encounters
ensues. Antipholus of Ephesus
sends Dromio of Ephesus for a rope
to punish Adriana. But before the
servant returns, a goldsmith arrests
Antipholus of Ephesus for non-
payment for a chain, which was
delivered in error to his Syracusan
brother. Dromio of Syracuse arrives
and is sent to Adriana for the bail
money. Dromio of Ephesus then
returns with the rope.
Confused and frightened,
Antipholus of Ephesus turns
violent. Seeming mad, he’s tied
up with the rope, but escapes.THE FREELANCE WRITER
3.2
4.1 4.3 5.1
4.2 4.4 5.1
Antipholus S
declares his love
to Luciana. She is
charmed, but asks
him if he’s mad.Angelo the goldsmith,
who gave a gold chain
to Antipholus S, has
Antipholus E arrested
for non-payment.The courtesan
sees Antipholus S
wearing a gold chain
that Antipholus E
had promised her.
Antipholus S
thinks she’s a
witch and flees.Antipholus S and
Dromio S draw swords
on their pursuers and flee
into the abbey.Dromio S asks
Adriana for the bail
money to free her
imprisoned husband.Fearful and confused,
Antipholus E
becomes violent.
Adriana employs an
exorcist to cure his
apparent madness.The abbess rebukes
Adriana for being an
unsympathetic wife.5.1
Adriana and
Antipholus E appeal to
the Duke. Both sets of
twins finally meet.
The abbess is revealed
as Egeon’s lost wife. She
invites all to a feast.Act 3 Act 4 Act 5
Meanwhile, the Syracusan twins
attempt to flee the town. But,
pursued by almost everybody in
Ephesus, they take refuge in the
abbey. As the fateful hour of
5 o’clock arrives, Adriana and
Antipholus of Ephesus petition the
Duke to mediate. While he hears
their conflicting accounts, the
abbess enters with the Syracusan
twins and all becomes clear. When
the twins recognize Egeon, the
Abbess, in a final twist, reveals
she is Emilia, Egeon’s long-lost
wife. So the family is reunited
and the tale complete. ❯❯