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Bill Kerwin's Reviews > The Comedy of Errors
The Comedy of Errors
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The Comedy of Errors is perfect, but it is perfection of a low order. In this early play, Shakespeare sets out to master the complex mechanisms and simple humor of farce, and succeeds completely.
It is enjoyable and well-crafted--like a really good episode of The Beverly Hillbillies or Three's Company--and represents an important early step on Shakespeare's journey as an absolute master of drama in all its forms.
by
The Comedy of Errors is perfect, but it is perfection of a low order. In this early play, Shakespeare sets out to master the complex mechanisms and simple humor of farce, and succeeds completely.
It is enjoyable and well-crafted--like a really good episode of The Beverly Hillbillies or Three's Company--and represents an important early step on Shakespeare's journey as an absolute master of drama in all its forms.
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Reading Progress
May 12, 2007
– Shelved
Started Reading
September 1, 2009
–
Finished Reading
December 8, 2010
– Shelved as:
16th-17th-c-brit
August 20, 2012
– Shelved as:
tudor-drama
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Neale
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Feb 22, 2016 07:52PM
I am always struck by the opening: for a play that is pure farce the opening scene is extraordinarily dark, surely giving the audience the impression that they have come to the wrong play. It is the one thing that goes beyond convention and hints at what is to come…
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Interesting. It struck me just as a necessary exposition scene, Given the title, the reader already knows that the two lost children at least must have survived and will encounter the two Syracusans in good time, and probably ransom their father too. Still Shakespeare plays the whole thing straight, as he should. And it is well written, and efficiently done, and the pathos is there.
Thank you for the review! Not one of my favourite Shakespeares. Most farce makes me want to hit my head with a hammer.
Bill, "low order" is right on the money: "....words are but wind, Ay, and break it in your face, so he break it not behind..." One can indeed see efforts that Shakespeare is just setting out.
To Neale's point, so true. The beginning starts with "doom of death" but ends with "let's go hand in hand.
William wrote: "Thank you for the review! Not one of my favourite Shakespeares. Most farce makes me want to hit my head with a hammer."Which--come to think of it--is a gesture that would work very well in farce!
