The Comedy of Errors
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Author Description
A Comedy of Errors is Shakespeare's shortest play yet one of his most popular comedies. Here is a new modern-spelling edition, based on the 1623 Folio text with on-page commentary and notes that explain meaning, staging, language and allusions. A detailed and informative introduction describes the play's first performance at Gray's Inn in December 1594, its multiple sources and its uneven critical and theatrical history. Appendices include the complete text of the play's main source, Plautus' Menaechmi, and extracts from Gesta Grayorum and the Geneva Bible. Illustrated with production photographs and related art, this edition vividly brings to life Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors. "Not simply a better text but a new conception of Shakespeare. This is a major achievement of twentieth-century scholarship."--Times Literary SupplementAbout the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
Two sets of long-lost identical twins arrive in the same city, triggering a chaotic series of mistaken identities and social blunders. The protagonist, Antipholus of Syracuse, arrives in Ephesus with his servant Dromio, unaware that his twin brother and his twin's servant reside there. As the locals confuse the visitors for their local counterparts, the narrative spirals into a frantic farce of misplaced affection, accusations of madness, and legal entanglements. The play operates within the rigid constraints of classical unities, unfolding over a single day in a bustling urban environment.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- Use of mistaken identity as the primary engine for comedic conflict
- Rapid-fire dialogue and wordplay characteristic of early Shakespearean comedy
- Structural reliance on the classical tradition of Roman farce
- Exploration of the confusion between appearance and reality
- Integration of physical slapstick and verbal wit
- Focus on the themes of family reunion and social order
- Utilization of the city of Ephesus as a backdrop for disorientation
- Resolution through the restoration of familial bonds and identity
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
Readers and critics frequently highlight the play's status as Shakespeare's most concise and structurally disciplined comedy. Discussion often centers on the mechanical precision of the plot, which relies heavily on the symmetry of the twin pairs to generate humor. While some observers note the lack of deep psychological development compared to later works, others praise the play for its relentless pacing and effective use of farce. The work remains a staple in theatrical studies for its clear demonstration of how Shakespeare adapted classical sources into his own distinct voice.
Page Count:
240
Publication Date:
2008-07-15
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0199536147
ISBN-13:
9780199536146
Drama
Theater
Comedy
Plays
classic
Dramatic works
Community Tags
Other Editions(3)
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