Wednesday, March 13, 2013

The Comedy of Errors - Act 4 “Both wind and tide stays for this gentleman, and I, to blame, have held him here too long.”


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:

 Time is a very bankrupt, and owes more than he's worth, to season.” Adriana urges haste.

 

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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