The Comedy of Errors (Folger Shakespeare Library)

Book Description

Each edition includes:

· Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play

· Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play

· Scene-by-scene plot summaries

· A key to famous lines and phrases

· An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language

· An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play

· Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books

Essay by Arthur F. Kinney

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe.

In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit www.folger.edu.

Customer Reviews:

Shakespeare's 1st Smash! .......2006-07-14

Along with "Midsummer Night's Dream," "The Comedy of Errors" remains my favorite comedy to this day. While this is a hilarious play, the story actually starts quite sad. A merchant from Syracuse named Egeon is illegally in Ephesus, and will be executed unless he can come up with 1,000 marks. He appeals to the duke and explains that he has been separated from his wife, his 2 (identical twins-Antipholus of Ephesus and Antipholus of Syracuse) sons, and their 2 (identical twins Dromio of Ephesus and Dromio of Syracuse) servants. Yes, it does pass plausibility that the twins would have identical names, but the confusion to come can only occur if their names are identical. So, we have to be willing to forgive this for the sake of the play's comedy to come. The duke is moved into sympathy and gives him the day to come up with 1,000 marks. Some people feel this sad scene does not belong, but I can not agree. One, it sets the mood, and two, a little bit of sadness prevents a comedy from becoming an utter farce. Also, despite the comedy of the future acts, we don't really forget this serious situation at hand, and as we enjoy the comedy, we still are in suspense as to what will happen to Egeon. Well, in comes Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant Dromio of Syracuse. And we learn that Egeon was speaking of them. (Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse grew up with Egeon, and thus know him, but Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus never knew their father or brothers for that matter.) What makes this comedy so wonderful is that not only does Shakespeare maintain the comical aspects of it, but he gradually increases the tension. At first, the 'errors' only lead to private and comical misunderstandings. But later, more outside parties get involved as both Antipholuses and Dromios are mistaken for their twins. Later, Antipholus of Ephesus suspects that his wife is having an affair. (And in my opinion, he had stronger grounds for suspecting this than the so called noble Othello. After all, poor Antipholus of Ephesus was locked out of his own house! And through a closed door, his wife told him to go away!) Soon, the errors lead to Antipholus of Ephesus and his friend Angelo getting arrested. And by the end of the 4th act, the confusion and errors have gotten so intense and out of hand that several characters in the play are angry at each other, and not one or two, but SEVERAL of the characters are in danger of being physically hurt. But leave it to Shakespeare to resolve everything just in time and give us a happy ending with all the characters enjoying a merry feast! Perhaps the greatest thing about this story is that there are no villains and there is no intentional deception. (Just a lot of misunderstandings.) And perhaps Shakespeare is telling us that many of our conflicts in life are due to misunderstandings.

The Comedy of Errors (The Pelican Shakespeare)

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A great place to start reading Shakespeare - just read more!
"Dromio, oh Dromio. Wherefore art thou, Dromio?"
Gem Among The Early Comedies!
accessible
Shakespeare's Finest Comedy

The Comedy of Errors (The Pelican Shakespeare)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 014071474X

Book Description

We came into the world like brother and brother; And now let's go hand in hand, not one before another. - Dromio of Ephesus

The Comedy of Errors is likely the very first play Shakespeare ever wrote, and for that reason alone it deserves a special place in literary history. Yet, despite the author's lack of maturity, the play is unmistakably the work of a burgeoning master. A farce of a type that was wildly popular in Shakespeare's day, The Comedy of Errors transcends its genre, and is as accessible and as entertaining as any of the Bard's later comedies. Revolving around the naturally comedic themes of identical twins and mistaken identity, The Comedy of Errors is a delightful milestone in the remarkable career of the greatest dramatist of all time.

Customer Reviews:

A great place to start reading Shakespeare - just read more!.......2004-12-24

One of the problems that great artists present to us is where to begin in getting to know their works. Their masterworks are often so full of what they have spent a lifetime developing that most of it is lost on those who have not yet put in a significant amount of effort becoming familiar with that artist's style and means of expression. Yet, if one begins with their apprentice works one may become discouraged because they lack the miracles of the masterworks. So, where does one begin?

Shakespeare offers the reader an additional challenge of an English that is removed in style and idiom from us by 400 years. It is not an insurmountable challenge. In fact, it is quite easy to overcome with a bit of time reading it and getting into the flow. It just seems strange in the beginning, but it really does become easy to read once you spend some time with it. However, getting over that small hill has kept many from enjoying the glories of Shakespeare.

This play, "The Comedy of Errors", is clearly an early work. It has many virtues, but despite them it does not offer much of what we really value in Shakespeare. It is a very fine play and is constructed very well. It is a wonderful first work to read of Shakespeare because it is short and has a very simple plot. The new reader does not have to spend much effort contemplating characters or the immense subtlety of language of the great works. Its charms are direct and what it has to offer is pretty much on the surface of the words.

The plot is, like all farces, ridiculous. It involves twin brothers who are served by twin slaves. They are separated early in life and when the play opens one set does not know the other exists. One set (the Antipholus and Dromio from Syracuse) visits Ephesus where the other set (the Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus) lives. The play involves people confusing the two sets to the bewilderment of those suffering from the confusion. It really is quite funny. Of course, eventually, all is resolved to everyone's delight.

This edition, like all of the individual editions Arden offers of these plays, has a wonderful opening essay that offers a great deal of background on the play including a discussion of its performance history, sources, and discussion of the play itself. The appendices in the back offer excerpts from the sources and some brief information on the Gray's Inn performance of 1594.

If you desire to study Shakespeare and are willing to spend time reading many of his plays, "The Comedy of Errors" is a good work to start with just to ease into the language and get a feel for some of the conventions of Elizabethan theater. Just don't stop here. Shakespeare has so much more to offer that you owe it to yourself to continue your exploration of this supreme artist.

"Dromio, oh Dromio. Wherefore art thou, Dromio?" .......2004-07-28

I recently re-read THE COMEDY OF ERRORS prior to attending The Colorado Shakespeare Festival's performance of this farce-like play under the summer stars here in Boulder. Based on Menaechmi by Plautus, William Shakespeare (1552-1616) produced this romantic comedy between the years 1592-93 and published it in the First Folio in 1623. While on its surface this early play may seem superficial and frivolous when measured against KING LEAR or HAMLET, it is not without its own unique depths. It also shows that the Bard had a sense of humor. It tells the hilarious story of two, identical twin brothers (Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus) and their identical twin servants (both named Dromio), all of whom were separated at sea during their infancy until redisdovering each other through a series of madcap mix-ups, mayhem, and mistaken identities in the apparently insane town of Epheseus. Meanwhile, Egeon (the father of the Antipholus twins), has been granted a day to raise local ransom for illegally entering Ephesus. In that day, the separated twins are reunited, Antipholus of Ephesus pays his father's ransom, and Egeon discovers his long-lost wife (Aemilia) living in the local priory. In the end, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS is as much about the power of family as the search for completing oneself. It is a play that reminds me that it is perhaps better to re-read and understand Shakespeare than to devour one bestseller after the next.

G. Merritt

Gem Among The Early Comedies!.......2004-02-18

Shakespeare's vision grew tremendously over the course of his writing career. However, this play demonstrates that his uncanny power as an artist grew quickly and was present in some form from the very begining. It is exceedingly hard to buy the common notion that this was his first comedy when it is so much better than "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" in nearly every way. The dialogue is fast paced and screamingly funny. The characters interesting if broad and there are some surprising touches that, aside from being interesting in and of themselves, point down the road to later, darker comedies. Chief among these is the amazing opening, perhaps still unequaled in all comedy for the level of grimness. These are the first words uttered in a play long seen as a kind of sitcom of Shakespeare's plays: "Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall, and by the doom of death end woes and all." The speaker is Egeon, a merchant about to be put to death for simply coming from the wrong country. The whole first scene feels like a cloud is hanging over it and there is a sense of fear-infused urgency that catches the mind off guard and makes the joyous, lunatic story all the more welcome while at the same time coloring it with real drama, making it all the more exciting. To be sure, there is little real depth and much of the play is like a sitcom but only the best of sitcoms and perhaps "Monty Python" at their most absurd is a better comparison. The plot is well chosen (from the Roman comic dramatist Plautus) and well handled. For some reason the play is not well known even among the early comedies which is a shame. It is probably the best of them, even surpassing the wonderful "The Taming of the Shrew". Aside from being an easy read, keep in mind the play is good to perform as it holds up well and doesn't suffer from being tinkered with. I've seen one production that was mostly straightforward but did a few weird things that worked like magic. They would've sunk almost any other Shakespeare comedy. I must also mention the last moment between the two clowns. It is as heart-warming and humane as it is funny. The master is already present AND growing. Do yourself a favor and pick up this play, you'll laugh your head off!

accessible.......2003-06-21

this is shakespeare's most accessible comedy. it's a farce about mistaken identities among identical twins. nothing complicated here. the play has it's funny moments. it's not the bard's best comedy; that's 'much ado about nothing', imho. but this is not a bad place to start.

Shakespeare's Finest Comedy.......2002-11-01

"Methinks you are my glass, and not my brother."
So says Dromio of Ephesus, one of the members of two sets of estranged twins whose lives become comically intertwined in this delightful, ingenious, & aptly named Comedy of Errors. Being an avid Shakespeare fan and reader, I unequivocally consider The Comdey of Errors to be Shakespeare's finest and funniest comedy. Antipholus of Syracuse and his long lost twin Antipholus of Ephesus along with the two twin servants Dromio of Ephesus and Syracuse become unceasingly mistaken for each other making for a hilarious and entertaining farce of a play.

Book Description

Mix-ups and mayhem abound in this comedic romp featuring two sets of twins, both separated at birth, all of whom wind up in the same city. This wild and woolly early farce captures the great playwright at the height of his youthful exuberance. Performed by David Tennant, Brendan Coyle, Alan Cox, and the Arkangel cast.

Customer Reviews:

A Shakespearean Situation Comedy (Arkangel Shakespeare).......2007-06-15

Two pairs of identical twins separated at birth come together in the same city, neither pair aware that the other is there. This sets the stage for a maddening series of mistaken-identity mishaps. The mistakes at first are small but annoying, but as the play progresses, they become larger and more serious until both pairs of twins are bound and imprisoned, and then a series of low-probability coincidences puts everything aright.

As I listened to the play, I couldn't help but think "The Three Stooges meet Lucy and Ricky." Unlike most modern situation comedies, "A Comedy of Errors" relies rather heavily on slapstick humor. At first the plot was a little off-putting, but as the situation became more and more tangled, it became more and more interesting, until at the end Shakespeare's deus-ex-machina resolution was quite pleasant. One of Shakespeare's better comedies, done superbly by Arkangel Shakespeare.

Outstanding!.......2006-08-07

An outstanding performance of one of my favorite plays:
The sound effects added a slapstick comedy feel to the play, making the scenery almost come alive as you listen. If you are not familiar with the play, I highly recommend reading it first, as I feel you will enjoy it far more.

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The Comedy of Errors (Signet Classics)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451528395
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Book Description

The shortest and probably earliest of Shakespeare's comedies, The Comedy of Errors is the story of identical twin brothers who are raised apart-and then mistaken for each other.

The Comedy of Errors (No Fear Shakespeare) (No Fear Shakespeare)

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The Comedy of Errors (No Fear Shakespeare) (No Fear Shakespeare)
SparkNotes Editors
Manufacturer: SparkNotes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1411404378

Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors, Love's Labour's Lost and the Two Gentlemen of Verona (Cliffs Notes)

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Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors, Love's Labour's Lost and the Two Gentlemen of Verona (Cliffs Notes)
Denis Calandra
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0822000105

Book Description

In this fast-paced farce, the plot and characters become tangled up in confusion until the grand unraveling in the last scene. Mistaken identities and misfortunes end on a note of joy, as wrongly condemned prisoners are freed and lovers are paired off.

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The Comedy Of Errors (Large Print)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Echo Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

This large print title is set in Tiresias 16pt font as recommended by the RNIB.

The Merry Wives of Windsor & The Comedy of Errors & Measure for Measure

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The Merry Wives of Windsor & The Comedy of Errors & Measure for Measure
Coleman Thomas Randall
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0738822841

Book Description

The Merry Wives of Windsor The Novel Falstaff in love says it all. Queen Bess was pleased! And why not! There was never a merrier story, full of more life and more real characters. Falstaff's merry boast that "I am not only witty in myself but the cause that wit is in other men," could just as well been said in Windsor as at the Boar's Head Tavern in London. This is one story everybody loves!

The Comedy of Errors The Novel. Imagine the young playwright's elation when this early farce brought down the house with rafter-shaking laughter. I refer those who look askance at plays involving doubles and mistaken identity to the very delightful 1988 farce, Big Business, with Bette Midler and Lilly Tomlin doubling up. We find a pure delight in seeing the players' happiness when the errors they have so farcically compounded are "corrected" in act five.

Book Description

Two sets of identical twins provide the basis for ongoing incidents of mistaken identity, within a lively plot of quarrels, arrests, and a grand courtroom denouement. One of Shakespeare's earliest dramatic efforts, the play abounds in his trademark conceits, puns, and other forms of fanciful wordplay, foreshadowing his later and greater comedies.

Customer Reviews:

Madcap silliness........2004-11-16

The plot of this play is exactly the kind of thing for which the term "madcap" was coined. More so than many of Shakespeare's plays, the humor has survived the many changes our culture has undergone since his time. It's easy to see the similarity between this plot and any number of sitcom plots ranging from the "I Love Lucy" show all the way up through "Sabrina the Teenaged Witch" and "That Seventies Show". In fact, the plot device of twins causing mistaken identity was a VERY frequent device in the old "Patty Duke Show" back in the sixties (functionally as antiquated as Shakespeare's time to most young people). In fact, the semi-modern comic style that this play MOST reminds me of is "Abbott and Costello"; I can VERY easily envision Bud and Lou as the Antipholuses and Dromios, respectively.

All of which just goes to prove that Shakespeare wasn't, at least in his comedies, writing "literature". He was writing pop culture, and in some ways, pop culture hasn't changed a bit in 400 years.

The Comedy of Errors (The New Cambridge Shakespeare)

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Well, well worth the effort

The Comedy of Errors (The New Cambridge Shakespeare)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521535166

Book Description

Ros King provides a completely new Introduction to the existing text and commentary for this updated edition of The Comedy of Errors. She argues that the play cannot be regarded only as a farcical romp based on a classical model, but should be considered part of a critically misunderstood genre of tragi-comedy. Stressing the play's underlying seriousness, the Introduction pays special attention to its religious imagery. First Edition Hb (1988): 0-521-22153-6 First Edition Pb (1988): 0-521-29368-5

Customer Reviews:

Well, well worth the effort.......2004-08-20

In High School I tried to get through Shakespeare but failed miserably. Fortunately I was not deterred in my after life. By the end of this book, I didn't need the translations to understand what I was reading, and actually laughed out loud until I cried! It is that funny. Too bad my teacher didn't pick this one. I highly recommend this book. As a matter of fact, I'm going to look for my copy after I write this, because I could use a good laugh.

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