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Dramatic Irony
Key Examples in The Comedy of Errors
Genre
Explanation and Analysis:
The Comedy of Errors is, as the title suggests, a comedy—it isn’t the Tragedy of Errors or the Romance of Errors, after all. Fittingly, the overall tone of the play is lighthearted and frivolous, rife with clever wordplay, dirty jokes, and cutting satire. Despite the threat of violence posed by the Ephesian law that bars residents of Syracuse from entering the city, there is little real sense of suspense or danger. Furthermore, character traits are exaggerated beyond plausibility for the purposes of comedy—Adriana, for example, doesn’t merely implore her husband to return to her, but throws herself at his feet and begs shamelessly for his love, all under the misapprehension that he has abandoned her. Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus aren’t simply confused by the seeming generosity of the Ephesians, but rather become convinced that they have stumbled upon a ghostly city of spirits and witches who intend to entrap them with dark magic.
Related Themes:
