The Comedy of Errors

by Kent Cartwright

  26 chained together The chain links characters together metaphorically, although not always in the spirit of love.

  27 Saving ‘with due respect for’

  merry repeated by Angelo from 3.2.183 (see n.); also at 90 below; cf. 1.2.21 and n., on merry jests.

  humour See 1.2.21n.

  29 chargeful fashion costly workmanship (OED chargeful adj. 1; fashion n. 1); cf. 5.1.18 and n., on charge.

  30 ducats gold (or silver) coins, originating in 13th-century Venice and copied by other Renaissance European countries, so that values varied; loosely, money. A thousand ducats is ‘substantial’ (Fischer, 69); ducats recurs (see 4.3.84, 97 and n.; 4.4.13), and the word figures prominently in MV.

  32 presently immediately

  discharged paid (OED v. 10)

  33 bound See 1.1.81n.

  it i.e. receiving payment; ‘it’ can refer generally to the previous context (Blake, 3.3.2.1.e).

  34 present money ready money (OED present adj. 5); cf. MV 3.2.273.

  36 signor See 3.1.1 and n., on Signor.

  stranger i.e. the Second Merchant, with the implication that he is a foreigner (OED n. 1); see 4.1.0.1n.

  23 I promised] you promisèd Dyce2 27 SD] Folg2 subst. 28 carat] (charect) 36 signor] (Signior)

  41 12 syllables; the context argues for treatment as verse.

  time enough in time

  43 An if See 3.2.153n.

  46 an odd reversal of ‘Time and tide stays for no man’ (Dent, T323). The intended sense may be that wind and tide ‘await’, or are ready for, the merchant (OED stay v.1, 14b).

  stays The s-inflection of stays indicates either a plural ending in the present indicative (Blake, 6.1.1) or a plural subject taking a singular verb; see 3.2.19–20n.

  47 *to The F compositor may have mistakenly set ‘too’ from seeing too at the end of the line. Alternatively, F’s ‘too blame’ might mean ‘too blameworthy’ (as Wells); cf. ‘too willful-blame’, 1H4 3.1.175.

  48 dalliance light talk (OED n. 1); idle delay (OED 4). The word carries a sexual connotation consistent with Antipholus’ other expressions (OED 2); see 25–6n., 59n.

  49 breach of promise The phrase was often used specifically in relation to marriage contracts (OED breach n. 3b); see 48n.

  to i.e. to come to

  the Porpentine See 3.1.116n.

  51 Cf. ‘I do the wrong, and first begin to brawl’ (R3 1.3.323); dubiously proverbial (see Dent, C579).

  shrew railing or scolding woman; cf. shrewish at 3.1.2. Antipholus now transfers the term to the goldsmith, continuing the tone of 25–6, 48–9. Antipholus uses shrew emasculatingly here, although, regarding a man, it could mean wretch or villain (OED n.2 1d).

  begin probably present tense, but possibly past, with the implied modal did: ‘you did first begin’

  40–2] Pope; prose F 40 yourself?] Theobald; your selfe. F 42 will.] F4 subst.; will? F 43 An] (And), Capell 47 I, to blame,] Theobald; I too blame F; I to blame F3

  brawl wrangle, squabble; ‘we say men do brawl, when between them is altercation in words’ (Elyot, 95).

  52 steals on comes on unobserved (OED steal v.1 11a)

  53 me.–The chain! Angelo loses his patience; rhetorical aposiopesis; see 1.1.94 and n., on came–… more.

  55 with perhaps either ‘gav’t’ (Walker, Versification, 145) or ‘e’en’; gave it also occurs at 65.

  56 Either perhaps one syllable, as whe’er (60) (Abbott, 466); cf. JC 4.1.23, R3 1.2.64.

  2send … token i.e. send me for the chain by means of some authenticating sign; cf. e.g. R3 4.2.79; by means either ‘by means of’ (OED prep. 30a) or ‘with’ (OED 3). The line implies a chiasmus: ‘either send the chain to me or send me to the chain’.

  57 run … breath ‘jest too far’ (Ard2), from the proverbial ‘He runs himself out of breath’ (Dent, B641)

  humour Antipholus repeats Angelo’s humour (27): each character believes that the other is joking. See 1.2.21n.

  59 dalliance waste of time in trifling delay; see 48 and n.; also perhaps ‘play’ (OED 3). Words are being appropriated and repeated accusatorily. At 48 dalliance scans as two syllables, but at 59 it scans as three, perhaps with new emphasis and connotation.

  60 whe’er whether

  60, 62 answer recompense (OED v. 7)

  61 him i.e. Angelo

  52, 53 SDs] Oxf 53 me.–The] Dyce subst.; me, the F 60 SD] this edn whe’er] (whe’r)

  65 gave it See 55n.

  hour probably pronounced disyllabically

  66 You … none Angelo will later treat this denial as an oath; see 5.1.11 and n., on forswore.

  68 stands upon affects (OED stand v. to stand upon 17)

  credit reputation for financial trustworthiness; see 71.

  69–70 In F, I do begins 70; Hanmer first set it as the completion of 69, with the line-ending position underscoring its force as a speech-act.

  70 charge … me formulaic language of arrest; cf. e.g. Fennor, sig. B1v.

  71 reputation with -ion as two syllables; see 68n., on credit. On reputation, see 2.1.108–12 and n.

  73 attach See 6n., on attach.

  74 that for what

  77–8 probably spoken to the Second Merchant or the audience

  78 apparently manifestly; openly (OED adv. 1)

  69–70] Hanmer subst.; F lines suite. / me. / ; Hanmer lines suit. / do, / me. / 69 SD] Oxf 72 SD] Capell subst. 76 SD] Capell subst.

  81 sirrah meant contemptuously, and completing the descent in Antipholus’ terms of address to Angelo: Good signor (36), you (37), sir (43), thee and thou (74, 75), fellow (75), sirrah (Ard2)

  81–2 you … answer i.e. ‘This joke is going to cost you all the gold you have’; metal refers to precious metal, esp. gold (OED n. 1e).

  83 law Similarly, Adriana and Ephesian Antipholus will ask the Duke for Justice (5.1.133, 190, 197) against each other; cf. MV 4.1.142.

  84 shame See 2.1.112 and n.

  84.1 from the bay In Men., the left side of the stage leads to the harbour; cf. 13.3 and n. Dromio might carry several bottles with him (see 88–9), instead of the expected rope’s end (16), prompting Antipholus’ charge of drunkenness (96).

  85–92 Dromio’s first trochaic line disrupts the preceding iambic squabble, and his subsequent alliteration, internal rhyme, off-rhyme, balanced lines and repetitions introduce lyricism into the scene. The speech’s style and content enhance the humour of Antipholus’ How now? A madman? (93).

  85, 99 bark See 1.1.116n.

  85 Epidamium with -ium pronounced as one syllable

  87 with the first sir as an extra-metrical vocative

  bears away sails away (OED bear v.1 37a); ‘to bear away’ means nautically ‘to alter course away from the wind’ (Shakespeare’s England, 1.162).

  fraughtage freightage (OED n. 2, first citation); from ‘fraught’ (OED v.), to load or store; the now-archaic spelling enhances assonance. Also at TC Prol.3; cf. waftage (95).

  89 oil … aqua-vitae oil: possibly olive oil; balsamum: the aromatic, resinous vegetable juice from the balsam tree, thought to possess soothing, healing or restorative properties; ‘aqua-vitae’ (‘water of life’): strong distilled liquor such as brandy. These goods were typical of Mediterranean trade. The balsamum and ‘aqua-vitae’ are probably restoratives, perhaps much needed by the beleaguered Syracusans.

  79, 81 SDs] Oxf 84.1 OF SYRACUSE] Theobald2; Sira. F 85+ SP] (Dro., S.Dro., S. Dromio.) 85, 94 Epidamium] Epidamnium / Rowe; Epidamnum / Pope; Epidamnus Oxf1 87 And … she] Then sir she F2; And then she Capell; And then, sir, Steevens4 fraughtage] freightage Oxf

  90 in her trim rigged and ready to sail

  merry Cf. 27 and n., on merry.

  92 master presumably Antipholus rather than the ship’s master

  93 mad
man Reacting from their private worlds, characters are increasingly seeing others as mad, or feeling themselves as mad (Ard2); see e.g. 3.2.53–4, 76.

  peevish foolish (OED adj. 2); perverse (OED 1); cf. 4.4.115. The reversal of consonantal order in peevish sheep offers an aural ‘crossing’ similar to rhetorical antimetabole. Antipholus’ poeticism perhaps mocks Dromio’s.

  93–4 sheep … ship a pun. Cf. ‘he is shipp’d already, / And I have play’d the sheep in losing him’ (TGV 1.1.72–3); also LLL 2.1.219–20 (see also Cercignani, 150; Kökeritz, 145).

  95 hire commonly disyllabic (Cercignani, 25; Walker, Versification, 136)

  waftage passage; conveyance by water (OED n. 2a). Its echo of fraughtage (87) and its sense of breeze give Dromio a last gasp of poeticism.

  96 drunken See 84.1n.

  96, 107 slave See 1.2.87 and n., on slave.

  98 rope’s end i.e. so that Dromio could be flogged; see 16 and n., on rope’s end. Antipholus’ redundant and what end (97) sets up Dromio’s rope’s end (repeating Antipholus’ phrase from 16). Later, Ephesian Dromio will proffer a rope’s end to Ephesian Antipholus (see 4.4.16 and n.). Some editors make rope’s disyllabic to fill out the line, which can be made humorous in performance; others introduce ‘sir’.

  95 hire] (hier) 98 me for] me, sir, for Steevens4 rope’s] (ropes); ropè’s Keightley (Malone) end] end, sir, Ard2

  101 teach your ears i.e. by boxing them

  list listen to (OED v.2 2), also at MW 5.5.42

  102–5 Cf. 4.2.29 and n., on Here.

  102 straight See 1.1.86n.

  104 Turkish tapestry The details of this scene–a merchant bound for Persia, Dutch coins for Ephesian debts, a Turkish tapestry–evoke a cosmopolitan exoticism. ‘Turkey work’–tapestries, chairs, stools, cushions and the like–was much prized by Elizabethans. A Turkish tapestry covers a table in Hans Holbein’s famous painting The Ambassadors (1533) in the National Gallery, London.

  105 purse of ducats Cf. 4.2.61.1 and n., 4.4.97 and n.

  108 This action gains resonance if the arresting Officer corresponds to the ‘Jailer’ who led Antipholus’ father away for debt at 1.1.155–6; see List of Roles, 16n.

  110 Dowsabel sweetheart (OED n.), i.e. Nell; perhaps from the French douce et belle (‘sweet and pretty’) (Halliwell) or the Italian dulcibella. See 3.2.110 and n., on Nell. Dowsabel is associated with pastoral poetry: a beautiful country maiden named Dowsabell appears in Michael Drayton’s Idea, The Shepherd’s Garland (1593) (1.130) (Steevens2).

  claim See 3.2.79 and n., on claims.

  111 compass encircle with arms (OED v.1 8); gain (OED 11b); cf. TGV 2.4.214. Dromio’s inability to embrace Nell demonstrates his unsuitability for her. Associated with cartography and navigation, compass recalls the image of Nell as a globe (3.2.116).

  112–13 Messenio in Men. likewise utters such sentiments (see e.g. 444). He hopes that his punctilious obedience will forestall beatings and win him freedom (see e.g. Men., 966–89). On servants, cf. 1.1.127n., on attendant.

  103 SD] Capell subst. 108 SD all … Syracuse] Capell subst. 109 ‘To Adriana’:] this edn; To Adriana, F; To Adriana? Rowe3; To Adriana! Pope 113 SD with the key] this edn

  4.2 As in 2.1, the setting is within or just outside the Phoenix.

  1–6 The rhyme scheme resembles the sestet of a sonnet (cf. esp. RJ Prol.1–14, 1.5.93–106, 2.Chor.1–14). Adriana’s quatrain recalls Luciana’s opening speech at 3.2 (see 3.2.1–52n.); see also 25–8, 62–5 below.

  1 tempt lure sexually (Williams, Glossary, 304; see also OED v. 4a)

  2 austerely seriously (Crystal & Crystal, adv.); strictly (OED adv.); Adriana double-checks Luciana’s claim.

  2, 4 eye … merrily a rhyme (Kökeritz, 436); also at LLL 5.2.475–7, 480–1

  4 1or … 2or See 1.1.136n., on Or … or.

  red or pale red from blushing, pale from fear

  3or … merrily sad means serious; cf. ‘Look how we can, or sad or merrily’ (1H4 5.2.12). The sense of merrily seems adjectival; cf. ‘he looks so merrily’ (MW 2.1.191). Perhaps pronounced ‘merr’ly’, as at AW 2.2.61, WT 4.3.124.

  5 case particular situation (OED n.1 6a); elsewhere case can refer to a facial mask; cf. 1H4 2.2.53. See 42 and n.

  6 heart’s … face His heart’s passions vie with each other by alternating red or pale (4) in his facial colours, with the extravagant meteors tilting suggesting courtly chivalric combat; cf. ‘meteors’ at 1H4 1.1.10.

  7 Luciana does not answer Adriana’s questions. On right, cf. 2.1.40.

  no any; see 3.2.68n.

  8 he … none i.e. ‘He claimed towards me no rights of a husband.’

  spite injury (OED n. 1a); cf. wrong at 2.2.177, and 177–8n.

  10 i.e. he has sworn truly in that he has been a stranger to his home, but he has perjured himself by his absence in performing his conjugal duties.

  4.2] Capell (SCENE II.) (Theobald subst.) 1–4] alternating indentation as Capell 1+ SP] (Adr., Adria., Adri.) 2 austerely] assuredly Hudson2 (Heath); a surety Cam1a (Kellner) 5–6 case, / Of … face?] F4; case? / Oh, … face. F 7+ SP] (Luc.)

  14 hinting that Antipholus’ wooing had moved her; cf. 4.4.51 and n.

  16 This shared line reverses the order of speakers from 11: there Adriana’s half-line betrays her urgency; here Luciana interjects to calm her, effecting a kind of chiasmus.

  speak him fair speak kindly or courteously to him (OED fair adv. 2a); cf. 4.4.153–4.

  patience Luciana again preaches patience to Adriana; see 1.2.86 and n. Balthazar has used the same phrase towards Ephesian Antipholus; see 3.1.85 and n.

  18 perhaps playing on the proverb ‘What the heart thinks the tongue speaks’ (Dent, H334) (Ard2)

  his its, i.e. the tongue’s (see Blake, 3.2.3.3)

  19–22 Adriana ‘re-invents’ Ephesian Antipholus; perceptions of identity are becoming unstable. Cf. R3 1.3.227–32.

  19 deformed deformèd; cf. 1.2.100, 5.1.299.

  sere dry, withered (OED adj.1 1a), perhaps with sexual connotation (on ‘dry’ see 3.2.123–4n.); cf. Mac 5.3.23; rhyming with everywhere (20) (Kökeritz, 479)

  20 shapeless ugly, unshapely (OED adj. 2); cf. LLL 5.2.303.

  21 Vicious ‘addicted to vice or immorality’ (OED adj. 2a)

  ungentle discourteous, unmannerly (OED adj. 2a)

  blunt unfeeling; stupid (OED adj. 4b, 1); cf. 3H6 5.1.86.

  unkind lacking in natural feeling

  22 Stigmatical in making deformed or blemished at conception as a mark of infamy (OED stigmatic adj. 1–2). Antipholus is Stigmatical ‘as a token of his vicious disposition’ (Johnson). Cf. Greene: those who are ‘ill fauored and deformed eyther in face or body: such I holde as a principle to be counted stigmaticall, as noted by nature to be of a bad constitution’ (Orpharion (c. 1589), 12.67). Cf. ‘Foul stigmatic’ (2H6 5.1.215), ‘foul misshapen stigmatic’ (3H6 2.2.136), both phrases applied to Richard, who is also called ‘elvish-mark’d’ (R3 1.3.227). With its sense of being marked or branded, Stigmatical implies supernatural agency.

  23–4 one … gone a rhyme (Kökeritz, 468)

  25–8 See 1–6n., 3.2.1–52n.

  25 On Adriana’s hopeful imagination, see 65 and 64–5n.

  26 would wish (Abbott, 329)

  others’ eyes i.e. the eyes of other women

  27 proverbial (Dent, L68). The lapwing makes a false cry to distract predators, as would Adriana. The proverb was current in works by Greene, Lyly and Nashe.

  28.1 *running … key See 1.2.43n. Stage Dromios typically enter out of breath and staggering from running fast (30).

  29 Here Dromio proffers the key, presumably to Adriana (see 4.1.102–5) although Luciana responds first (30). Adriana will tell Luciana to Go fetch the purse (47), as if she were passing her the key (objects move among characters in CE); cf. 62 and n.<
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  Sweet perhaps an adverb: make haste ‘sweetly’, i.e. agreeably (OED adv. 3b), as at RJ 2.2.187. If an epithet, Sweet implies supplication (see OED adj. 8b) (Halliwell). For Sweet now, see also Tem 4.1.124.

  29–30 haste … fast a rhyme (Kökeritz, 448)

  25–8] alternating indentation as Capell 28.1 DROMIO OF SYRACUSE] Theobald; S. Dromio F running] Collier2 with the key] Bevington4 29+ SP] (Dro., S.Dro.) 29 SD] this edn Sweet] swift (Collier, Notes); sweat Cam1

  32–40 perhaps echoing Greene’s characterization of a bibulous, greedy and pitiless sergeant who arrests debtors. Greene’s sergeant wears a ‘buffe leather ierkin’, has ‘worne his mace smooth, with onely clapping it on [a man’s] shoulder’ in order to bring him ‘to Limbo’, ‘to the counter’. He is ‘eager … as a dog’ and ravenous like ‘a butchers cur’, with ‘his hart robd of al remorse & pity’. He ‘was framd by the Diuell, of the rotten carion of a woolfe, and his soule of an vsurers damned ghost turned out of hell into his body’ (A Quip for an Upstart Courtier (1592), 11.249, 253–4, emphasis added). See Appendix 1. On false arrests and bilkings of victims, see also Hutton, The Black Dog of Newgate (1596). Dromio imagines the Officer in terms of Ephesian demonism. His lines, mostly in couplets, mix pentameter and hexameter.

  32 Tartar limbo harsh confinement or prison. Tartar refers to Tartarus (OED Tartar n.4), the infernal pit of Greek and Roman mythology (see Aen., 6.548–627) and the deepest part of the classical underworld; an Elizabethan slang term for hell; cf. ‘To the gates of Tartar’ (TN 2.5.205; see also H5 2.2.123). In Elizabethan argot, limbo referred to prison (OED n.1 2a) and sometimes to the place where condemned prisoners were kept before execution (Judges, 506). Luke Hutton recounts a dream-vision of being arrested and cast ‘in Lymbo’ (Newgate prison) by a black dog (sig. B3r–v). See LN.

  33–4 A line may be missing, since the end-words him/steel disrupt the pattern of rhyming couplets.

  33 devil For the recurrence of devil with fiend (35), see 4.3.51, and 67 and n.

  everlasting a sturdy, protective material, also called ‘durance’, characteristically worn by sergeants and catchpoles (i.e. tax-gatherers) (OED n. 3a); see suits of durance, 4.3.26. The Officer’s coat is presumably made of buff leather (36). Portrayed as a devil, the Officer appropriately wears something everlasting.