The Bard's Challenge: Week One

The Bard’s Challenge: Week One

In this post:

Comedy of Errors

Sonnets 1-4

Comedy of Errors overview:

Oh I love this play so much! It always makes me laugh so hard and for some reason I always feel the need to do the whole “bad dum bum chhhh!” sound effect at the end of some of Dromio’s jokes. There were very few “deep” moments in this play, which is understandable considering many think it was Shakespeare’s earliest work. However, I did take about three pages worth of notes and highlighted quotes, (Don’t worry, I won’t share them ALL with you. It’s just for my personal journal. ;)

Although on first glance this play seems to be almost completely a farce intended mostly to excite laughter, and maybe even on second and third glance as well, a couple of themes really stuck out to me.

Master/mistress master/servant:

Also, the whole thing with Adriana and Luciana and their discussions about the proper role of the wife. Take this passage spoken by Luciana for example:

“Men, more divine, the masters of all these,

Lords of the wide world and wild watery seas,

Indued with intellectual sense and souls,

Of more preeminence than fish and fowls,

Are masters to their females, and their lords:

Then let your will attend on their accords.”

~Act II Scene I

This, and Adriana’s completely opposite opinion seem to be present throughout. This applies not only to Antipholus’s relationship with Adriana, but his (and his twin’s) relationship with the Dromios. What do you think? Was Antipholus of Ephesus a bit justified in his treatment of Dromio and Adriana?

Duke:

The Duke of Ephesus kind of reminds me of the Prince in Romeo and Juliet, (we’ll get there soon). He’s the keeper of the peace, the man of justice. The one who helps everyone get sorted out at the end of the play. Shakespeare uses characters like this a lot in his works. Keep your eyes out for characters that seem to be the “problem solvers.”

Who am I?

Despite seeming frivolous, the play puts forth an extremely difficult question. “Who am I?” The twins seem to completely go crazy because they’re not sure who they are or who anyone else is anymore. (Especially the poor Dromios, being beaten so much for things they didn’t understand..)  I think this quote from Antipholus of Syracuse is really fitting here:

“I to the world am like a drop of water

That in the ocean seeks another drop,

Who, falling there to find his fellow forth,

Unseen, inquisitive, confounds himself:

So I, to find a mother and a brother,

In quest of them, unhappy, lose myself.”

~Act I Scene II

Each one of us is here on the world for something. Sometimes we’re not sure what it is. And sometimes when we’re searching we start to lose sight of who we are. I think the people who have the most happiness in the world are those that know exactly who they are and what they want. Think about Steve Jobs, or Benjamin Franklin, or Mother Teresa. They completely knew who they were and what their purpose in life was. So what’s yours?

Other quotes and vocabulary words from Comedy of Errors:

“Every why hath a wherefore.”

~Act II Scene II, Dromio of S.

What a great line to end the play with:

“We came into the world like brother and brother;

And now let's go hand in hand, not one before another.”

~Act V Scene I, Dromio of E.

Cozenage (Act I scene II): cheat, deceit

Sconce (Act II Scene II): first time used it means head, second time it means bulwark or protective barrier. Great example of some quibbling.

Niggard (Act II Scene II): Stingy person, someone who gives or does things extremely sparingly. This really helped with the first few sonnets)

Licentious (Act II Scene II): Unrestrained by law or morality

Carcanet (Act III Scene I): Collar of Jewels

Sonnets:

Oh the sonnets. The source of much controversy in the Shakespeare world. Let me set a base for you in case you don’t already have one:

Shakespeare’s sonnets are addressed to and about three main characters:

1.      The Fair Youth, (Sonnets 1-126)

2.      The Dark Lady, (Sonnets 127-152)

3.      The Rival Poet, (Sonnets 78-86ish)

From these sonnets stem the majority of the opinion that Shakespeare may have been gay. You’ll see a little bit of this as we get further on. For now, let’s just let the mystery unfold.

Sonnet 1:

This sonnet seems to lay the foundation for sonnets 1-17.  It’s interesting that the youth is portrayed as beautiful, yet self-absorbed. What kind of self-absorb-ness is it? Is he conceited or selfish, or is he just too busy with his own life to take time to marry and have kids?

Sonnet 2:

“How much more praise deserv'd thy beauty's use,

If thou couldst answer 'This fair child of mine

Shall sum my count, and make my old excuse.”

~Sonnet 2

This sonnet asks the fair youth what will he say his legacy is when he is 40 years old. The sonnet says if his only legacy and “treasure of his lusty days” is himself, then it’s a shame.

Sonnet 3:

I begin to wonder if maybe when Shakespeare uses the word “beauty” he not only means it in the literal sense, but in the emotional sense as well. Meaning that the youth should have kids not only to pass on his physical beauty, but to pass on his inner beauty. His legacy. What do you think? (Personally, I’m keeping this alternate definition in my head for he future.)

Sonnet 4:

According to this sonnet, the Youth’s beauty was only lent to him by nature on the condition that he pass it on so it could benefit the world. If he doesn’t pass it on then his beauty will die with him, but if he does than his children will retain his beauty.  

And Finally…

So I want to hear your thoughts! If your thoughts were the same as mine I love validation, if you disagree I want to know about it and why! If you had any other thoughts, favorite quotes, epiphanies, or anything at all to share I’d love to hear about it!

My main questions:

I’d love to hear what your thoughts were on these questions I had:

1.      Was Antipholus of Ephesus a bit justified in his treatment of Dromio and Adriana?

2.      What are your thoughts on my opinion of the alternate definition of “beauty” in the sonnets?

3.      What was your favorite quote from the play and/or sonnets?
4.      How many Dromios does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

5.      What part of the play do you think this picture was taken at?

Next week we’re reading King Lear and Sonnets 5-9. I’m super excited! I already have things I want to share!

Until next time,

Andrew Smith