Shakespeare through Performance

Dr. Vicente Forés López

Curso monográfico de literatura inglesa: “Shakespeare through performance”

November, 2006

Dromio of Syracuse (The Comedy of Errors)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction and historical background

2. Dromio of Syracuse

3. Bibliography

1. Introduction and historical background

To gain a better understanding of the character of Dromio of Syracuse, it is essential to analyse the master-servant relationships in the Elizabethan time.

In Shakespeare’s society there was a clear distinction between the governing and the governed classes (in other words it was a hierarchical society where the ranks were determined by birth)[i]. And Queen Elizabeth was, of course, the highest authority. The ruling class was characterized by refined manners, elaborate speech, and high level of education. The governed classes were represented by village dwellers (peasants) and lower class citizens. They were viewed as uncivil, absurd, and awkward[ii]. This difference is best illustrated in a Midsummer Night Dream, in which William Shakespeare contrasts the nobility and the common people. On the one hand, we deal with clumsy, ill-bred, and ugly common people, and on the other, we see the well-mannered, well-educated, refined and beautiful nobility. The common people’s efforts are practically reduced to nothing. Pilostrate, Theseus’s Master of the Revels, responsible for organizing the entertainment for the duke’s marriage celebration, reveals how the low-class citizens were viewed by the people of power:

Theseus

What are they that do play it?

Philostrate

Hard-handed men that work in Athens here

Which never labour’d their unbreathed memories

With this same play, against your nuptial

(Act 1, Scene 5 . Athens. Lines 74-78. The palace of Theseus.. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/dream51.html)

But it is necessary to highlight that in the Elizabethan society people irrespective of their belonging to one rank or another took for granted such subdivision. It was the only possible way to survive (for if the rich had not exploited the poor, they would not have been able to live in luxury, so they were interested in keeping their servants in submission and ignorance); so status influenced everything these people did or believed. It was the law of life doubted by neither rich nor poor, in general, and by neither masters nor servants, in particular.

The fact of being held in high esteem and honour was essential for both the ruling and the ruled. That is why the rich “took care” of their servants in the sense that they dressed them more or less well, gave them enough food to eat etc. The nobler were the masters the higher esteem had the servants. The personality of masters was reflected in the personality of servants and vice versa, which is seen in the case of Dromio and Antihpolus of Syracuse. Thus we can conclude that in the Elizabethan society there was interrelation in interconnection between masters and servants.[iii]

Although the action of the play takes place in ancient Greece with its rival cities of Ephesus, Corinth, etc., Shakespeare clearly indicates that what he is talking about is England, and precisely Dromio of Syracuse helps us understand this (when he compares the parts of the body of the kitchen wench Nell to different countries, he reveals the prejudices of the Elizabethan society against other countries).

2. Dromio of Syracuse

Dromio of Syracuse is mentioned for the first time by Aegeon in Act 1 Scene 1. We learn that his mother was extremely poor and after giving birth to twins decided to sell them to Aegeon who at that time became a father of two sons (also twins), so Aegeon bought the poor woman’s twins to attend his sons. It was by the whim of fortune that although poor but freely born Dromio (and his twin brother) became slaves

That very hour, and in the self-same inn,
A meaner woman was delivered
Of such a burden, male twins, both alike:
Those,--for their parents were exceeding poor,--
I bought and brought up to attend my sons.

(Act I, Scene I, Lines 53-57. A hall in DUKE SOLINUS'S palace. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html)

Both of these two twins were given the name of Dromio, and both Aegeon’s sons were named Antipholus. When Aegeon, together with his wife, his sons and two slaves were on their voyage to Ephesus, their vessel was damaged by the storm. Facing inevitable death, Aegeon’s wife fastened herself with one of the slaves and one son to “a small spare mast, such as seafaring men provide for storms” (Act I, SceneI. Lines 79-80. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html)and Aegeon “had been like heedful of the other”, (Act I, Scene I. Line 82. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html) fasting himself with the other son and the slave to the other end of the mast. Later they saw two ships (from Corinth and Epidaurus), but a “mighty rock” (Act I, Scene I. Line 101. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html) broke the ship into two parts separating the twin brothers, their slaves and their parents. Eighteen years passed, but Dromio is still yearning to find his brother in the same way as Antipholus of Syracuse is willing to find his. So they decide to leave Syracuse in order to find their lost brothers.

As far as Dromio’s appearance is concerned, we do not have much information save that he is a sweet-faced youth:

DROMIO OF EPHESUS

Methinks you are my glass, and not my brother:
I see by you I am a sweet-faced youth.

(Act 5, Scene 1: Lines 422-423.

http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html)

 Dromio's primary and most obvious trait is best personified by his behaviour.  Dromio is characterized by his master as “a trusty villain”. (Act 1, Scene 2: Line 19. The Mart. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html). He is so fit to be confident in, that Antipholus of Syracuse gives him all the money he has (one thousand marks) to bear to the Centaur (the inn where they host).

 His indignant condition of a slave is emphasized by the word villain. According to its definition a villain is a bad person, especially in fiction. Villains are the fictional characters, or perhaps fictionalized characters, in drama and melodrama who do evil deliberately and work against the hero. As such, villains are an almost inevitable plot device, and more than the heroes, the villains are the crucial elements upon which plots turn.(http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=villain). Of course, Dromio does not work against Antipholus, he is called a villain by his master in a humorous way. But it marks his inferior condition, his low status.  With all this it does not lack affection.

 Dromio’s inferior condition is also emphasized by his speech and grammatical forms he makes use of. In Shakespeare’s time people of humble origin (servants, craftsmen and other representatives of lower rank) used the form of you to masters, nobles etc. By contrast, thou/thee were used by people of higher rank to their inferiors.[iv]

For example:

 DROMIO OF SYRACUSE

I did not see you since you sent me hence,
Home to the Centaur, with the gold you gave me.

ANTIPHOLUS

OF SYRACUSE

Villain, thou didst deny the gold's receipt,
And told'st me of a mistress and a dinner;
For which, I hope, thou felt'st I was displeased

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE

I am glad to see you in this merry vein:
What means this jest? I pray you, master, tell me.
ANTIPHOLUS

OF SYRACUSE

Yea, dost thou jeer and flout me in the teeth?
Think'st thou I jest? Hold, take thou that, and that.

(Act 2, Scene 2. Lines 15-23. A public place. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html)

 Another very important trait of Dromio’s character is his excellent sense of humour which is reflected in his witty remarks and speech. His personality makes him easy and pleasurable to keep company or carry on a conversation with. He even infects Antipholus with his hilarity and laughter.

ANTIPHOLUS

OF SYRACUSE

A trusty villain, sir, that very oft,
When I am dull with care and melancholy,
Lightens my humour with his merry jests.

(Act 1, Scene 2. Lines 19-21. The Mart. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html)

But despite the fact that Antipholus clearly appreciates Dromio, for him he is first and foremost a servant, who can be insulted, punished and beaten. Dromio has to know his place, the place of an inferior creature. Although a benevolent person, Antipholus uses Dromio for his fool. He compares him to foolish gnats:

ANTIPHOLUS

OF SYRACUSE

Because that I familiarly sometimes
Do use you for my fool and chat with you,
Your sauciness will jest upon my love
And make a common of my serious hours.
When the sun shines let foolish gnats make sport,
But creep in crannies when he hides his beams.
If you will jest with me, know my aspect,
And fashion your demeanor to my looks,
Or I will beat this method in your sconce.

(Act 2, Scene Lines 26-34. A public place. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html)

Dromio of Syracuse, as well as his brother, Dromio of Euphesis, is often called an ass. To compare human beings to asses help masters justify their cruel behaviour toward servants and provided them with an excuse to insult and punish servants whose obligation is to endure everything and not to get angry in the same way as asses do.

Evidently, Shakespeare sympathises with Dromio and hints at the brutality and the tendency to reprimand the servants too typical of the people of power. He seems to indicate that the masters should not be cruel; instead they should be characterized by the virtue of forgiveness. And Dromio, despite being insulted and beaten never loses his excellent sense of humour. It is like the immunity system developed by him against all these injustices:

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE

Was there ever any man thus beaten out of season,
When in the why and the wherefore is neither rhyme
nor reason?
Well, sir, I thank you.

(Act 2, Scene 2. Lines 47-50. A public place. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html)

He even thanks his master for beating him:

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE

Marry, sir, for this something that you gave me for nothing.

(Act 2, Scene 2. Line 52. A public place. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html)

Here is Dromio in his best form, making fun of cheerless things.

It is interesting that his master’s reply reflects the idea mentioned in the introduction concerning the interdependence and interrelation between masters and servants. Servants take part of the rank from their masters and vice versa but servants also influence their masters: Dromio’s quick wit and sense of humour influences his master. In can be seen in Antipholus’s reply:

ANTIPHOLUS

OF SYRACUSE

I'll make you amends next, to give you nothing for
something.

(Act 2, Scene 2. Lines 53-54. A public place. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html)

In his plays, Shakespeare often introduces intelligent servants versed in rhetoric, philosophy (for example, Tranio from The Taming of the Shrew), geography (Dromio The Comedy of Errors) etc. Dromio’s knowledge of geography and orography of different countries is striking. Thanks to Dromio I learned that one of Ireland's most characteristic features is the bog: covering 1,200,000 hectares (1/6th) of the island, Ireland contains more bog, relatively speaking, than any country in Europe except Finland[v]. According to him, Scotland is characterized by “barrenness” (Act 3, Scene 2: Line 115. The same. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html), and England by “the chalky cliffs” (Act 3, Scene 2. Line 120. The same http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.html.). Of all descriptions the latter is the most flattering for white chalk cliffs emphasize the exceptionally beautiful nature of the south of England. This is one more indication of the fact that we are not in ancient Greece, but in England. Spain, on the contrary, is characterized by “hot breath” (Act 3, Scene 2. Line 124. The same. http://eamesharlan.org/tptt/com_err32.htmll). Such description can only arise negative connotations. Spain and England at that time did not go on well because of rivalry, fight for power and influence[vi]. Here we have Dromio talking with ease about politics, geography, history etc.

From his remarks we can also reconstruct the type of a woman he hypothetically could fall in love with (in case this is a heterosexual, of course). She would be the opposite of Nell, the kitchen wench: slim, fair and docile.

Dromio’s jokes are not refined; they are vulgar and very appropriate of a low class man. But this straightforwardness appeals more to the readers (or spectators) than obscure, although refined humour.

William Shakespeare creates a “sweet-faced youth”, the character who makes a mess of everything, speaks in a faltering but humorous manner, displays extraordinary knowledge of geography and politics and artfully links together sometimes bawdy jokes.

Dromio of Syracuse is a very important character and without him The Comedy of Errors would be less amusing. No one in the play is as good at playing with words as Dromio is. Even his bawdy jokes play a great part in achieving humorous effects, Shakespeare-s comedies are so famous for.

By creating the characters of Dromio and Antipholus, Shakespeare depicts the master-servant relationship and the way the servants were treated at that time, functioning as useful tools for the creation of luxury and comfort for their masters. He shows servant’s tough struggle for survival. Shakespeare’s sympathies are with faithful servants, like Dromio of Syracuse, and compliant and benevolent masters, like Antipholus of Syracuse.