Contriving Humor in The Comedy of Errors by Shakespeare - Assignment Example

of the English of the Teacher 21 October The Comedy of Errors- Contriving Humor through the Comic Contrast between the Identical Twins that are Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus Since times immemorial, literature and mythology have relied on the complications and complexities created by the similarities and differences between the separated twins to accrue readers’ interest and attention. In that sense, Shakespeare’s play The Comedy of Errors also tends to rely on the ancient ploy of eking out humor through the farcical situations facilitated by the physical likeness between two separated twins that are Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus. Many literary experts do hold that The Comedy of Errors in a way happens to be one of Shakespeare’s most simple and short plays that primary relies on slapstick comedy and funny situations contrived by people mistaking the identity of two identical twins to create humor and laughter. However, affiliating to such a simplistic notion will do gross injustice to Shakespeare’s talent for characterization and his grip over human psychology. In that context, the two identical twins that are Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus though being look alike, do happen to differ a lot in terms of their temperament, personality and way of responding to situations. Thereby the play The Comedy of Errors to a large extent manages to evince a marked depth of characterization and the capacity to dole out humor by playing on the essential difference between the personality of the two brothers that are Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus. Though much humor in the play is generated by mishaps ensuing out of the mistaken identity of these two brothers, still one does need to appreciate the fact that it is the ponderous and lonely temperament of Antipholus of Syracuse when set against the smug and contented nature of Antipholus of Ephesus that gives way to a sense of psychological depth and contextual humor in the play (Leggatt 71). The readers simply cannot help appreciating the fact that irrespective of the two brothers resembling each other in terms of looks; it is Antipholus of Syracuse who is prone to inner meditations and ponderings when set against his more outgoing and extrovert twin Antipholus of Ephesus that yields the dramatic action with all its variety and spice. The readers are introduced to Antipholus of Syracuse as a discontented and lonesome personality who is on the lookout for his separated brother. The thing that needs to be understood is that for Antipholus of Syracuse, finding his lost brother is not as simple as facilitating a happy family reunion. Actually, Antipholus of Syracuse’s quest for his lost brother is intimately linked to his deep seated sense of insufficiency and loss (Evans 4). To him, finding his lost brother is in a way a quest for his sense of identity. Thereby, the amazing thing about this comedy of contrasts is that of the two brothers, it is only Antipholus of Syracuse who does present a more expansive and rich inner life. The varied dialogues ensuing from Antipholus of Syracuse present him to be a person who is more prone to weighing things and situations in the inner recesses of his mind. Antipholus of Syracuse is not a character who is blunt and reactionary, but is more of a person who has a way of analyzing situations, while trying to make a sense of them. For instance when Antipholus of Syracuse is affronted by Adriana, instead of practically questioning the absurdity of the situation in which he had landed, he rather resorts to a thoughtful mental analysis as he speaks, “To me she speaks; she moves me for her theme What, was I married to her in my dream?  Or sleep I now and think I hear all this?  What error drives our eyes and ears amiss?  Until I know this sure uncertainty,  Ill entertain the offerd fallacy.” (Act 2, scene 2, lines 570-575) Contrary to this, when one considers Antipholus of Ephesus, he comes out as more of a set piece in the scheme of things, who is endowed with a reputation and a bearing in the social externalities marking the play. Antipholus of Ephesus is seldom depicted to be a character that is vulnerable to inner analysis and ponderings, like his cerebral identical twin. Perhaps that is why in the play the readers get to hear about Antipholus of Ephesus primarily through the information facilitated by Antipholus of Syracuse and Egeon, and it only in the third act that the readers are allowed a direct contact with Antipholus of Ephesus. It would not be wrong to say that all the action in the play moves owing to Antipholus of Syracuse, who is a more emotive and versatile character and Antipholus of Ephesus primarily serves as a parallel reference point, so necessary to create all the confusion and misunderstandings that such a comedy requires. In that context it is Antipholus of Syracuse’s search for his own identity that primarily constitutes the thematic essence of the play. Deeply conscious of the loss of his lost mother and brother, the readers do get the sense that Antipholus of Syracuse is never able to get over the yearning to seek his lost sibling. In fact he takes the initiative to come to Ephesus, a place that he dislikes and is wary of so as to seek his long lost twin. Antipholus of Syracuse voices his sense of insufficiency and confusion as he says, “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." (Act 1, scene 2, lines 35-38) It is this innate search and quest of Antipholus of Syracuse that sets the tone of the play, which is so unlike the domestic smugness and temperamental contentment of his lost twin, Antipholus of Ephesus. Thereby, it is the actions of Antipholus of Syracuse, who is lost in a foreign and inhospitable territory as he conveys, "They say this town is full of cozenage, As nimble jugglers that deceive the eye, Dark-working sorcerers that change the mind, Soul-killing witches that deform the body, Disguised cheaters, prating mountebanks, And many such-like liberties of sin:" (Act 1, scene 2, lines 97-102), that unravel most of the comic action in the play. It is the sense of strangeness and wonder engendered by Antipholus of Syracuse in people who mistake him for Antipholus of Ephesus, which gives way to an array of comic situations that are further enlivened by Antipholus of Syracuse’s ponderous and serious reaction to them. One cannot deny the fact that the readers manage to get much information about Antipholus of Ephesus and thereby the sense of unlikeness and temperamental disparity that the two brothers have with each other through Antipholus of Syracuse’s unlikely and unexpected handling of such situations. It is the sense of unbelief and wonders that the people mistaking Antipholus of Syracuse for Antipholus of Ephesus that sets the essential contrast between the personalities of these twins (Highfill Jr 94). Thereby it is actions of these identical twins to the farcical situations that they come across owing to their mistaken identity that tend to build own a sense of humor relying on versatility and a masterly depth of characterization. Now, if one considers Antipholus of Ephesus, he is never shown as having any special feelings for his lost family and brother. He comes out as more of a man of the world who has carved out a place for himself in the society he lived and his immediate family. He is scarce concerned about his lost family and is open to enjoy the fruits of his social and domestic success. Thereby, Antipholus of Ephesus does lose to Antipholus of Syracuse when it comes to familial bonding, emotional sensitivity, and the capacity to ponder over issues in a meditative and silent manner. However, one amazing thing about Antipholus of Ephesus is that he does have the commonsense to detect strange and irregular situations and in a way happens to be more in tune with the ground realities as compared to Antipholus of Syracuse. On the other hand Antipholus of Syracuse though being emotional, cerebral and meditative is also to a large extent vulnerable to bouts of fanciful and unrealistic thinking. For instance when the people in Ephesus treat Antipholus of Syracuse with all the respect and dignity that actually ensued from his brother’s social status, he never even tries to consider the fact that there may be a valid reason behind such social acceptance that he is getting in a foreign land. Instead he gets carried away with his mistrust and misgivings for Ephesus and his tendency to resort to fanciful thinking and imaginative logic. When he is greeted by strange people he goes on to blame it on Ephesus being a magical and enchanted place that is home to magic, spells and charms. He never tries to reason his way out through such a strange and confusing situation. Contrary to this, the more pragmatic Antipholus of Ephesus is not shown to be vulnerable to fanciful and illogical thinking. When Antipholus of Ephesus is set against the abrupt social and domestic scenarios created by the mistaken identity of the two twins, rather than responding to them by engaging in mental analysis and fanciful thinking, he is quick to recognize the absurdity of such scenarios and reacts by showing apt emotions like anger, aggression, frustration and condemnation. All the time while Antipholus of Syracuse is busy registering varied responses to the confusion created by the mistaken identity of the brothers, the emotional and psychological response of Antipholus of Ephesus remains singular, unchanged and more realistic. Thereby, it is the practicality of Antipholus of Ephesus when placed against the ponderous and fanciful temperament of Antipholus of Syracuse that the varied strange scenarios emerging in the play come out as being really engrossing and gripping. Hence, irrespective of The Comedy of Errors being a simple and short comedy, it is mainly owing to the astute craftsmanship of Shakespeare when it comes to building the characters of Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus that one is able to relish the human diversity and drama in it. The mistaken identity scenarios created by the physical resemblance of the two brothers do push action and conflict in the play. However, it is the contrary and opposite emotional and psychological making of the two brothers that makes this comedy so rich, interesting and lifelike. Works Cited Evans, Bertrand. Shakespeare’s Comedies. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1960. Print. Highfill Jr., Philip. Shakespeare’s Craft. Carbondale, IL: Illinois University Press, 1992. Press. Leggatt, Alexander. The Cambridge Companion to Shakespearian Comedy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Print. Shakespeare, William. The Comedy of Errors. New York: Digireads, 2005. Print. Read More