Adriana lists Antipholus of Ephesus’s past hyperboles regarding his love for her, made during their courtship, in a scene that satirizes the conventions of romantic poetry. She recites:
The time was once when thou unurged wouldst vow
That never words were music to thine ear,
That never object pleasing in thine eye,
That never touch well welcome to thy hand,
That never meat sweet-savored in thy taste,
Unless I spake, or looked, or touched, or carved to
thee.
In a number of his plays, Shakespeare satirizes the sometimes excessively romantic poetry of his day, which imitated the Italian poet Petrarch in describing love as an overwhelming, maddening force that robs a person of their sense. Through Adriana’s recollection, we see the typical, exaggerated romantic cliches with which Antipholus had earlier wooed her: that nothing in the world could be enjoyable to him, for example, unless they came from her.
The banality of this romantic language is underscored by a somewhat unromantic reference to the carving and taste of meat, which awkwardly follows three lines complimenting Adriana’s own body. At this point in the play, Adriana has almost reached her breaking point, and her recitation of these obvious exaggerations suggests that she is desperate to win back her husband, even though there is in fact no real threat to their marriage.
Dromio and Antipholus of Syracuse allude to contemporary historical events of Shakespeare’s time in a scene in which they make a number of unflattering jokes at the expense of the kitchen maid, Luce. In doing so, they likewise satirize other European nations, such as France and Spain. Dromio compares Luce's round body to the globe itself, and Antipholus jokingly asks where various parts of the world are located on her.
ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE
Where France?DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
In her forehead, armed and
reverted, making war against her heir.ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE
Where America, the Indies?DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
O, sir, upon her nose, all o’erembellished
with rubies, carbuncles, sapphires,
declining their rich aspect to the hot breath of
Spain, who sent whole armadas of carracks to be
ballast at her nose.
First, Dromio alludes to the French Wars of Succession, sometimes referred to as the French Wars of Religion, which saw Catholics in France fight against the succession to the throne of a Protestant French king (the “heir” alluded to by Dromio). Next, Dromio compares the lands of the New World to Luce's nose, alluding to the wealth (“rubies” and other precious gemstones) that Europeans believed could be found in great numbers in the Americas. Spain, then, is Luce's breath, reaching up for the treasures inside her nostrils. In this somewhat grotesque image, Spain is satirized as greedily devouring the resources of the new world. This scene reflects Shakespeare’s interest in topical humor that would have been of interest to his audience in the 1590s, and it also showcases the quick wit of both Dromio and Antipholus of Syracuse.
Through the character of Pinch, Shakespeare satirizes the various supposed conjurers, alchemists, and other “magical” hustlers who were common features in the cities of early modern Europe. At one point in Act 4, Scene 4, 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.
Performing an exorcism on a “possessed” Antipholus of Ephesus, Pinch’s lack of spiritual authority is emphasized by the fact that he doesn’t realize, or doesn’t care, that Antipholus is both unpossessed and of sound mind. His speech is full of common clichés and lofty incantations characteristic of those who offer “supernatural” services for pay.
Later, in Act 5, Scene 1, Antipholus of Ephesus further satirizes Pinch in biting language that emphasizes his greedy nature.
They brought one Pinch, a hungry, lean-faced villain,
A mere anatomy, a mountebank,
A threadbare juggler, and a fortune-teller,
A needy, hollow-eyed, sharp-looking wretch,
A living dead man. This pernicious slave,
Forsooth, took on him as a conjurer
Antipholus of Ephesus characterizes Pinch in a deeply critical matter, highlighting above all his greed. He is a “hungry, lean-faced villain” with “hollow eyes,” suggesting that he plans to compensate for what he lacks by taking from the outside world. A "mere anatomy" such as Pinch, Antipholus implies, could never wield the spiritual power to conjure ghosts or exorcise demons.
Through the character of Pinch, Shakespeare satirizes the various supposed conjurers, alchemists, and other “magical” hustlers who were common features in the cities of early modern Europe. At one point in Act 4, Scene 4, 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.
Performing an exorcism on a “possessed” Antipholus of Ephesus, Pinch’s lack of spiritual authority is emphasized by the fact that he doesn’t realize, or doesn’t care, that Antipholus is both unpossessed and of sound mind. His speech is full of common clichés and lofty incantations characteristic of those who offer “supernatural” services for pay.
Later, in Act 5, Scene 1, Antipholus of Ephesus further satirizes Pinch in biting language that emphasizes his greedy nature.
They brought one Pinch, a hungry, lean-faced villain,
A mere anatomy, a mountebank,
A threadbare juggler, and a fortune-teller,
A needy, hollow-eyed, sharp-looking wretch,
A living dead man. This pernicious slave,
Forsooth, took on him as a conjurer
Antipholus of Ephesus characterizes Pinch in a deeply critical matter, highlighting above all his greed. He is a “hungry, lean-faced villain” with “hollow eyes,” suggesting that he plans to compensate for what he lacks by taking from the outside world. A "mere anatomy" such as Pinch, Antipholus implies, could never wield the spiritual power to conjure ghosts or exorcise demons.
