The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare

The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare

Another play on my reading list ticked off and again I really enjoyed it. I actually found it funny as well! I've always seen it advertised but I haven't heard of anyone doing it at school so I was looking forward to it. The plot seemed very simple too. As you can tell Shakespeare called it a comedy and it was.

The play is about two sets of twins. Antipholus of Ephusus and Antipholus of Syracuse who are the sons of Aegon. At the same time of their birth another set of twins Dromio of Ephusus and Dromio of Syracuse are born who are adopted as servants for Aegon's sons. It sounds complicated and it was for the first couple of scenes but then it becomes the simplest thing ever. 

However the family are divided before the main plot of the play by a shipwreck. The twins are split up but still have their servants which means they grow up not knowing they're twins. 

"For servants must their masters' minds fulfil"

Both servants are very loyal and run errands for who they think are their masters but because they're twins get very confused. Some even think they're possessed. A necklace, the marriage between Adriana and Ephusus and a ring cause a lot of trauma which makes everyone think each other is insane. Who bought what? Do they really love each other? The confusion is the funniest part. Literally the definition of Schadenfreuden.

Although it was in Shakespearean language I feel that since I've read more Shakespeare I'm not alien to it anymore and I understand it and I could understand the jokes and euphemisms more which I probably wouldn't have picked up on last year. Got to love A2 English literature. 

Definitely recommend this play as it is hilarious and I would love to see a production of it. This short review really doesn't do it justice so you'll have to read it for yourself.