In William Shakespeares play The Comedy of Errors the theme that comes to interest is appearance verses reality. Shakespeare uses this play to express that things are not always as they seem. There are two sets of twins who are interchangeably mistaken for the others through out the play. The towns people and Antipholus of Syracuse believe the mix up to be witch craft and sorcery, however they are not one person but in fact two different people who look the same and share the same names. There is such a strong play on appearances that the play culminates on the exchange of material objects such as the Courtesans ring, the chain for Adrianna, the thousand marcs to save Egeons life, and the five hundred ducats to free Antipholus of Ephesus. Shakespeare emphasizes identity as major theme throughout the play, as he uses identity as a way to conjure chaos. Identity is a strong theme as he uses a correlation to individuality.
Appearance verses reality is an obvious theme in the fore front of the play. The two Antipholus and Dromios having the same faces and names was not just coincidence, but it enforced Shakespeares point that things are not always as they seem. The towns people mistake the two twins to be Antipholus of Ephesus and Dromio of Ephesus, not thinking that there could possibly be another man to look identical to the two of them.
The mistaken identity is believed by Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse and the Duke to be the cause from sorcery and witchcraft before all was resolved. Antipholus of Syracuse says There is none but witches do inhabit hear when he and his Dromio leave dinner with Adrianna and Luciana. When the Courtesan confuses Antipholus of Syracuse to be Antipholus of Ephesus, she believes him to be mad else would he never so demean himself. Adriana and Luciana and Pinch all are convinced that her husband is possessed and they try to bind him to perform a exorcism on him when Pinch says I charge thee, Satan, housed within this man, to yield possession to my holy prayers, and to thy state of darkness hie thee straight: I conjure thee by all the saints in heaven. The Duke believes one of the Antipholus to be a spirit manifestation of the other when he says One of these men is genius to the other: and so of these, which one is the natural man and which is the spirit?.
The exchange of material objects is important because it represents the importance of outward appearance. The play was mainly concerned with outward appearance so much that the identities of two men were mistaken solely because they shared the same outward looks. The chain, ring and money that were exchanged throughout the play were a physical manifestation of how people get caught up with superficial things. The idea that one can ransom his life by paying a thousand marcs is definitely superficial because it is basically saying that life can be essentially bought. The Courtesan rushes to assumption that Antipholus of Ephesus is mad and she chooses to tell his wife of his behavior all because she lost her ring and it is worth too much money to loose. A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats.This course I fittest choose, for forty ducats is too much to loose.
The play on identity in this comedy is also a very interesting theme. Shakespeare uses the identity to be an integral part in individuality. Adriana and Luciana have a conversation about liberties and individuality when they are waiting for Antipholus of Ephesus to come home for dinner. Adriana doesnt understand that she, as a wife, has no individuality and liberty as does a husband or man. She also speaks to Antipholus of Syracuse, thinking he is her husband, about her identity. I am not Adriana nor thy wife . Thy self I call it, be strange to me that individual, incorporate. She believes that she has lost herself in her marriage to him and that as they became one person she essentially became him. This passage as a whole is about identity. She is part of him and what he does, so does she. Antipholus Syracuse acts as if he doesnt know her, which only adds to her estrangement and abandonment. He is clearly being mistaken for another man and she is emptying her heart to him, a complete stranger.
Ultimately at the end of the play the audience learns that the appearance doesnt necessarily make you who you are but it is who you are inside that defines your identity. They also learn that not everything is as they appear to be, that there can be another explanation for things.
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