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Amphitruo of Platus; in the Latin comedy Mercury keeps the real Amphitruo out of his own house, while Jupiter, the sham Amphitruo, is within with Alcemna, the real Amphitruo's wife.

The introduction of the twin Dromios is Shakespeare's own device; and all the pathos of the play is his: there is nothing in the Latin original suggestive of Ægeon's touching story at the opening of the play,-in Platus, the father of the twins is already dead, and there is no reunion of husband, wife, and children.

The Unities. In spite, however, of this romanticising of Plautus, Shakespeare has maintained throughout the play the hallowed unities of time and place," the necessary companions," according to Academic criticism, "of all corporal actions." From this point of view The Comedy of Errors may be regarded as the final triumph of the New Romantic Drama over its opponents; it carried the warfare into the enemy's camp, and scored the signal victory of harmonising Old and New,-the conventional canons of Latin Comedy and the pathos of Romanticism.

Critical Comments.

I.

Argument.

I. Egeon, a merchant of Syracuse, is condemned to death, in default of ransom, by the Duke of Ephesus for bringing traffic into the Ephesian port. Being requested by the Duke to give the cause of his visit to a hostile city, the prisoner states that he is on a quest for missing members of his family. Some years before, twin sons had been born to him and his wife Emilia. At that

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very hour and in the selfsame inn a poorer woman was also delivered of twin sons, which Ægeon had "bought and brought up to attend " his boys. Shortly afterward the party had suffered shipwreck on a voyage to their Syracusian home. All had been rescued, but the husband was parted from the wife; and the twin sons and attendants were separated from their respective counterparts. Ægeon, with his younger son and servant, had been conveyed to Syracuse, where for eighteen years they dwelt without tidings of the other three. Finally Antipholus, his son, now well grown, had set forth in search of them, while Ægeon renewed his own quest. During seven years father and son had heard nothing of each other nor of the rest. All this Ægeon tells the Duke in explanation of his wanderings. Touched by the narrative, the Duke gives him further respite of a day in which to seek ransom.

Unknown to his father, Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant Dromio are even then visiting in Ephesus. Furthermore it so chances that his brother, whom he has

not found and who is known as Antipholus of Ephesus, resides there in high favor with the Duke, and wedded to Adriana, a woman of rank. Dromio of Ephesus mistakes Antipholus of Syracuse for his master and delivers a message from Adriana to the effect that dinner is awaiting him.

II. The servant having fled home beaten for his pains, Adriana herself arrives and persuades the bewildered Antipholus of Syracuse to come to dinner with her; for she also is deceived as to his identity. Dromio of Syracuse is put on guard at the gate with instructions to deny admittance to visitors during the repast.

III. The real husband presently arrives at his door and is greatly astonished and incensed to find it barred against him; but is persuaded to retire to a public house and bide his time. Meanwhile the false husband stoutly maintains that there is a mistake, and makes fair speeches to Luciana, sister of Adriana, rather than to Adriana herself. The two Dromios are suffering most of all from the comedy of errors, being continually confused, sent on the wrong errands and getting beatings for their pains.

IV. The muddle of identities grows constantly more perplexing for both masters and servants. Tradesmen confuse the two Antipholuses. A gold chain made for the Ephesian is bestowed upon the Syracusian, and the Ephesian is arrested for refusing to pay the debt. The Syracusian and his servant believe themselves bewitched and prepare for speedy departure.

V. They are forced to take refuge in a priory from the misguided merchants and Adriana. The abbess protects them. At this juncture the Duke arrives in company with officers conducting Egeon to his execution. Adriana demands from the Duke custody of her husband, whom she believes to be demented and now sequestered in the priory. Charge and counter-charge are made by conflicting witnesses until the joint appearance of both the Antipholuses and both the Dromios unravels the snarl. Antipholus of Ephesus is reconciled with his

wife. Antipholus of Syracuse renews his suit with her sister Luciana. The old Egeon is pardoned, and to the pleasure of greeting both his sons is added the delight of finding in the person of the abbess his long-lost wife Emilia; while the two Dromios in the joy of meeting forget their woes and blows.

MCSPADDEN: Shakespearian Synopses.

II.

The Two Antipholuses.

Sedate, gentle, loving, the Antipholus of Syracuse is one of Shakspere's amiable creations. He beats his slave according to the custom of slave-beating; but he laughs with him and is kind to him almost at the same moment. He is an enthusiast, for he falls in love with Luciana in the midst of his perplexities, and his lips utter some of the most exquisite poetry:

"O, train me not, sweet mermaid, with thy note,
To drown me in thy sister's flood of tears;

Sing, syren, for thyself, and I will dote:

Spread o'er the silver waves thy golden hairs."

But he is accustomed to habits of self-command, and he resolves to tear himself away even from the syren :"But, lest myself be guilty to self-wrong,

I'll stop mine ears against the mermaid's song."

As his perplexities increase, he ceases to be angry with his slave:

"The fellow is distract and so am I;

And here we wander in illusions:

Some blessed power deliver us from hence."

Unlike the Menæchmus Sosicles of Plautus, he refuses to dine with the courtesan. He is firm yet courageous when assaulted by the Merchant. When the errors are

clearing up, he modestly adverts to his love for Luciana; and we feel that he will be happy.

Antipholus of Ephesus is decidedly inferior to his brother, in the quality of his intellect and the tone of his morals. He is scarcely justified in calling his wife shrewish." Her fault is a too sensitive affection for him. Her feelings are most beautifully described in that address to her supposed husband:

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Come, I will fasten on this sleeve of thine:
Thou art an elm, my husband, I a vine;

Whose weakness, married to thy stronger state,
Makes me with thy strength to communicate:
If aught possess thee from me, it is dross,
Usurping ivy, briar, or idle moss."

The classical image of the elm and the vine would have been sufficient to express the feelings of a fond and confiding woman; the exquisite addition of the

“Usurping ivy, briar, or idle moss,"

conveys the prevailing uneasiness of a loving and doubting wife. Antipholus of Ephesus has somewhat hard measure dealt to him throughout the progress of the errors; but he deserves it. His doors are shut against him, it is true; in his impatience he would force his way into his house, against the remonstrances of the good Balthazar :

"Your long experience of her wisdom,

Her sober virtue, years, and modesty,

Plead on her part some cause to you unknown."

He departs, but not " in patience"; he is content to dine from home, but not at "the Tiger." His resolve

"That chain will I bestow

(Be it for nothing but to spite my wife)

Upon mine hostess "—

would not have been made by his brother, in a similar

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