Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors
The Comedy of Errors was Shakespeare's first comedy. It is a light yet dramatic play
about a family of twins, their parents, and their twin servants, who have been separated
for over twenty years due to a tragic accident at sea. The story, following the usual
format of Shakespeare's work occurs and is concluded all in one day. The twins run into
each other the whole day through and are mistaken for each other more than once. This
confusion makes the tragedy all the more hilarious. The action is ended in a dramatic
and whirlwind ending. All matters are cleared up, although the sanity still remains on
the brink of collapse. However, the tone of the play is overall cheerful and upbeat and
the ending maintains the mood.
I particularly enjoyed the confusion that identical twins caused even to their close
family members. The fact that Shakespeare was able to make the dialogue fit in with the
scenarios made the action even more comic. The idea of the plot, although not completely
original is still unique and is still used in modern work, such as the TV sitcoms like
"Sister, Sister." Something that surprised me in the play was Adriana's character. She
was insecure and portrayed the typical damsel in distress. She was completely dependent
on her husband and this fact alone made the play somewhat out of date. Shakespeare is
said to be "not of an age, but for all times," but Adriana's character, in my opinion,
would not fit in to the modern world. I feel the most important part of the play is the
message it conveys and should be used as a moral today. The whole play is based on
family members who are trying to reunite. The play says that even though there are
troubling issues in our lives, we must remember our families, for without them, we are
lost.
The Comedy of Errors, like all of Shakespeare's plays is well worth watching. I would
recommend however, that you see the play performed, which is how Shakespeare intended for
his plays to be enjoyed. Seeing the action come alive on stage makes the comedy more
real and gives the viewer a true appreciation of Shakespeare, the play, and of course,
the actors.
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