What is Moral lesson of the comedy of errors?

Answer 1

Yes, very much so. It is known as a "Plautine comedy," meaning it starts in chaos and ends in peace. Many times, at the end of Shakespearean plays, there is also marriage. But yes, Comedy of Errors is definitely a comedy.

Answer 2

Twenty years ago, old Aegeon and his wife Aemilia had twin sons, who, for some reason, were both called Antipholus. At the same time a servant also had twin sons, both called Dromio and who were made the servants of the Antipholi. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, considering the confusion that would ensue from so many people having the same name), a storm at sea separated Aegeon, one of the Antipholuses and one of the Dromios from Aemelia and the other two twins, when they were babies. When they had grown to adulthood, Aegeon goes off to find his lost wife and child.

His search takes him to Ephesus, where he is discoved to be from Syracuse, and since this is illegal in Ephesus, he is sentenced to death unless he can find a local surety. Meanwhile the Syracusan Antipholus and Dromio also arrive in Ephesus and conceal the fact that they are from Syracuse.

Of course, the other Antipholus and Dromio are well-settled in Ephesos, having been separated from Aemelia some years before. Antipholus E is married to Adriana who has a sister Luciana; Dromio E is engaged to a kitchen wench. The confusions are predictable, but Shakespeare keeps tight control of who sees whom when to string the confusion out as long as possible. The following confusions ensue:

Dromio S has been sent for money. Dromio E arrives and demands that Antipholus S come home for dinner. Antipholus S beats him for not having the money.

Dromio E leaves, Dromio S arrives with the money. Antipholus berates him for demanding he come to dinner. Adriana arrives and demands that Antipholus come to her home and dine with her. He agrees and Dromio S agrees to bar the door.

Antipholus E and Dromio E come home to find the door barred by Dromio S. Antipholus E has ordered a necklace from a jeweller for his wife but is so mad, he decides to give it to a Courtesan for a ring which she delivers.

Antipholus S falls for Luciana, who resists the advances of what appears to be her sister's husband. The jeweller gives the necklace to Antipholus S. Later, being arrested, he demands payment from Antipholus E who denies that he got it, and so is arrested too. Dromio S comes by and Antipholus E sends him to get his bail from Adriana. (Dromio E has been sent in search of a rope) Dromio S gets the money but delivers it to Antipholus S. The Courtesan demands the necklace from Antipholus S or that he should return her ring, which he cannot do, since Antipholus E has it.

Meanwhile Dromio E arrives and gives Antipholus E the rope. He denies having the money. Adriana arrives, with the Courtesan and a quack doctor called Pinch who declares Antipholus E and Dromio E to be possessed and insane. They are tied up and led off.

Antipholus S and Dromio S now arrive, and Adriana thinks they have escaped. They meet the jeweller who asks why he denied that he had the necklace when he is wearing it. Antipholus says he never denied it. Adriana arrives and tries to arrest him but he and Dromio S escape into an Abbey where he claims sanctuary.

The Duke of Ephesos now is faced with an army of litigants: the jeweller, who wants payment for the necklace, the Courtesan, who wants the necklace or her ring back, Adriana, who claims her husband is insane, Antipholus E who complains about being locked up by Pinch, Pinch who complains about Antipholus beating him up, and poor old Aegeon (remember him?) who is about to be executed, no surety being available. Aegeon sees Antipholus E and claims him as his son and asks for him to go surety. Antipholus E says he has never met Aegeon and the Duke backs him up. Imagining Aegeon to be a liar he is about to sentence him when Antipholus S and Dromio S emerge from the Abbey and the source of the confusion is made plain. As an added bonus, the Abbess turns out to be Aemilia, who is reunited with her sons and her husband.

Answer 3

antipholus of syracuse is seeking his lost family