The Comedy of Errors - Act 4 “Both wind and tide
stays for this gentleman, and I, to blame, have held him here too long.”
Simple plots can be twisted and complicated until they
prove convolutedly comical. In Act 4, we see the confusions set in place in
Acts 1 and 2, and the conversations and interactions of Act 3, bear fruit. The
goldsmith Angelo owes money to the Second Merchant and is threatened with
arrest and Angelo claims he will make payment when Antipholus pays him for the
gold chain he made for Antipholus to give to his wife. Angelo sees Antipholus
who has just sent Dromio off to buy rope so that he can thrash his wife for
locking him out of the house and depriving him of a meal. Angelo asks for
payment on the chain (which he gave to the other Antipholus). Antipholus claims
he never received the chain. Angelo threatens to jail Antipholus. Then Dromio
(not the one who just went offstage but Dromio of Syracuse) returns with a full
list of which ships are leaving from the harbor. Antipholus cuts him short and
asks Dromio to go to Adriana to fetch his purse so that he can avoid jail.
After finding out that the man she
thinks is her husband has declared his love for her own sister Luciana, Adriana
declares she both loves and curses her husband Antipolus: “My heart prays for him, though my tongue do
curse.” Dromio (of Syracuse) rushes in to report Antipholus
has been arrested and needs some of his money. Luciana is sent back home to get
the money and Dromio is ordered to hurry and go and save Adriana’s husband from
the fate of prison. Dromio hesitates:
Meanwhile, Antipholus of Syracuse is
cruising the city and he is surprised how everyone greets him like a friend.
“There’s
not a man I meet but doth salute me
As if I were their well-acquainted friend
And every one doth call me by my name.”
Enter Dromio of Syracuse with the gold that Adriana
sent him to get from home to prevent Antipholus of Ephesus from being out in
jail. Antipholus is confused and asks Dromio about which ships are leaving
Ephesus. The Courtesan enters and asks for a ring that the other Antipholus
borrowed. Both Antipholus and Dromio are confused. The Courtesan wants go to see Antipholus’ wife to sort out this business and get
her ring back.
With Antipholus of Ephesus in police custody, Dromio
enters with a rope end. Antipholus requests that Dromio gives him the money he
was sent for to prevent Antipholus from going to jail. Dromio is perplexed and
confused but, Antipholus is angry and tries to assault Dromio.
Enter Adriana, Luciana, the Courtesan,
and Dr. Pinch, a school master and part time sorcerer (teacher’s colleges were
much more exciting and diverse in the range of skills they taught back then).
Knowing Antipholus to be mad, the women want to use the doctor to cure Antipholus
with an exorcism (a medical practice sadly no longer covered by medical
insurance). Antipholus beats the doctor, while Antipholus and Dromio argue over
where Antipholus had dinner. Doctor Pinch declares both Antipholus and Dromio
mad and that they must be “… bound and laid in some dark room.”
Obviously some bizarre treatments for mental illness have not changed. They are
led off. Adriana promises to pay all her husband’s debts and then hears about
the gold chain which her husband still owes Angelo, the goldsmith for.
Suddenly, the Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse swashbuckle in brandishing
their swords. All the others flee thinking that Antipholus and Dromio of
Ephesus have escaped. Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse see this as proof that
the people of Ephesus are witches and that these witches are afraid of swords.
Witchcraft seems as reasonable as a explanation as madness. So Act 4 ends as
Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse declare they will leave the town on the next
boat.
“ I
will not stay tonight for all the town;
Therefore away to get our stuff aboard.”
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