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threatened in this way, it becomes
apparent how swiftly family and
social relationships can fall apart.
Dramatic structure
Egeon’s tragic story frames the
comic action, and the day’s grace
given to the old man to redeem
himself fixes the length of the play.
The completion of the tale with the
revelation that the Abbess is his
long-lost wife, Emilia, brings a
sense of wonder, because no hint
of this is given. Emilia’s return
also completes a change of mood
from threatened death to festive
re-birth. The family is whole again.
And so is their story.
Within this framing narrative,
time goes adrift. As events move
out of sequence, only the audience
holds the narrative threads together.
The farce builds up through scenes
that almost mirror one another. And
within these, Shakespeare’s use of
rapid one-line repartee maintains
the momentum, creating a comic
double act between master and
servant. Even when they’re arguing,
there’s an obvious bond between
them. The dialogue is so fast-paced
and funny that there’s little time to
stop and think. For if anyone were
to do that, the reason for the errors
might come clear.
The love story between Luciana
and Antipholus of Syracuse offers
a brief respite from the chaos and a
variation on the identity theme. In
contrast to the anger all around,
the gentle Antipholus woos the
surprised Luciana with a lyricism
that she clearly hasn’t heard before.Marriage bonds
Marriage, too, can be regarded as
a type of twinship. Shakespeare
draws attention to its responsibilities
and strains by building up the role
of Adriana, the Ephesian wife. His
audience would know Saint Paul’s
“Letter to the Ephesians,” which
discusses the respective duties of
husbands and wives, masters and
servants; details that Luciana,
Adriana’s sister, is obviously versed
in. Adriana, however, longs to lose
herself in a fairer relationship, and
says so at length, but to the wrong
twin. Possibly her real husband
wouldn’t have listened to her so
patiently. As the Abbess observes,
if she criticizes too much she runs
the risk of ruining everything about
Antipholus that she loves.
The key props in the play—a
gold chain and a rope—neatly
symbolize its emphasis on bonds:
of love and trust, and of punishment
and control. The gold chain
represents a husband’s love, but
is promised to the courtesan in an
act of spite. When it’s given to the
wrong twin, his brother is arrested
for debt. Finally, it finds the right
Antipholus and, we hope, Adriana.
The last bond in the play is that
of the Dromios who, reunited as
brothers, leave as equals, hand-in-
hand—to the audience’s applause. ■THE FREELANCE WRITER
I to the world am like
a drop of water
That in the ocean seeks
another drop,
Who, falling there to find
his fellow forth,
Unseen, inquisitive,
confounds himself.
Antipholus of Syracuse
Act 1, Scene 2The Kyogen of Errors
In 2001, the Mansaku
Company of Japan performed
The Kyogen of Errors,
a Japanese-language
production of the play, to
English-speaking audiences.
Kyogen, meaning “mad
words,” is a form of traditional
Japanese theater known
for its earthy, comic style,
for which Shakespearean
slapstick is particularly
suited, with language
proving no barrier to farce.
At key moments, the
audience was encouraged
to join the comedy by
chanting “Ya-ya-koshi-ya!”
(“How complicated!”).
In keeping with the traditions
of Japanese Noh theater,
with which Kyogen is
closely associated, each
set of Antipholuses and
Dromios wore identical
masks—props that aided the
play’s visual complexities.
The success of the
production showed how
the themes in the play—
marital relationships,
loss, and identity—are
so powerful and universal
that they transcend
even the most challenging
of linguistic and cultural
differences.