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Allusions to Paul the Apostle
The Comedy of Errors is suffused with allusions to the books in the New Testament of the Bible attributed to St. Paul, namely the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistle to the Ephesians. Paul famously associates the Greek city of Ephesus with witchcraft and sorcery. The play’s numerous references to magic may therefore be read as biblical allusions. Consider, for example, Antipholus of Syracuse’s declaration, “There’s none but witches to inhabit here” (3.2.173). Even more extreme is Doctor Pinch’s attempt to exorcise the demon allegedly inhabiting the body of the Ephesian Antipholus: “I charge thee, Satan, housed within this man, / To yield possession to my holy prayers” (4.4.58–59). But in addition to the references to witchcraft and sorcery, the play’s thematic emphasis on hierarchical relations of domestic authority may also be read as an allusion to Paul. Thus, when Luciana claims that men have been created to be masters of women, she directly echoes the apostle’s letter to the church in Ephesus: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). The subsequent chapter of Ephesians demands that servants show similar obedience to their masters, thereby implicitly justifying the violence used by the Antipholuses to keep their Dromios in line.
Acts of Physical Violence
The action of the play is punctuated by many acts of violence, most commonly in the form of beatings. Both Antipholuses are prone to outbursts of rage that result in the battering of their bondsmen. Thus, the Dromios frequently complain of their bruised heads and question the senselessness of the violence visited upon them. Hence, Dromio of Syracuse asks his master, “Was there ever any man thus beaten out of season, / When in the ‘why’ and the ‘wherefore’ is neither rhyme nor reason?” (2.2.50–51). Dromio of Ephesus likewise laments having marks from his master “upon [his] pate” as well as “some of [his] mistress’ marks upon [his] shoulders” (1.2.83–84). In general, the violence against the Dromios is designed to be played for physical comedy—not unlike twentieth-century slapstick films, where the harm is downplayed to humorous effect. Yet even if neither of the Dromios ends up seeming traumatized, there is always a hint of real harm. This hint serves as a reminder of the larger threat that hangs over the action of the entire play: the impending execution of Egeon, who has been sentenced to death for trespassing in Ephesus.
Debts
Debt is a frequent plot point throughout The Comedy of Errors. For instance, Egeon is indebted in the sense that he must pay a ransom of ten thousand marks or else suffer death. The First Merchant warns Antipholus of Syracuse of this very danger upon their arrival in Ephesus, and he cautions him to pretend he’s from Epidamium to avoid the ransom. Debt also leads to a complicating plot point in the middle of the play, as Angelo gets caught up between two debts. Angelo owes money to the Second Merchant, but he can’t pay the merchant back until he collects the money owed him by Antipholus of Ephesus for the gold chain he made. The Second Merchant puts pressure on Angelo, since he and his crew had planned to set sail that day. However, due to the mix-up caused by the presence of the two Antipholuses, Angelo delivered the gold chain to the wrong Antipholus. Thus, when he goes to collect his money, the Ephesian Antipholus denies having received the goods and refuses to pay. His refusal ends up getting him arrested and placed in debtors’ prison. All these various debts are ultimately sorted out in the end, rebalancing all accounts.
