The Comedy of Errors

The Comedy of Errors is one of William Shakespeare's early plays, written between 1592 and 1594. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical. A major part of the humor comes from slapstick, mistaken identity, puns and wordplay. It's about twins.

Act I



 * The pleasing punishment that women bear.
 * Ægeon, scene i


 * I to the world am like a drop of water That in the Ocean seeks another drop, Who, falling there to find his fellow forth, (Unseen, inquisitive) confounds himself.
 * Antipholus of Syracuse, scene ii

Act II

 * A wretched soul, bruis'd with adversity, We bid be quiet, when we hear it cry; But, were we burden'd with like weight of pain, As much or more we should ourselves complain.
 * Adriana, scene i


 * Every why hath a wherefore.
 * Dromio of Syracuse, scene ii

Act III

 * Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.
 * Balthazar, scene i


 * Your town is troubled with unruly boys.
 * Dromio of Syracuse, scene i


 * No longer from head to foot than from hip to hip; she is spherical, like a globe; I could find out countries in her.
 * Dromio of Syracuse, scene ii

Act IV

 * He is deformed, crooked, old and sere, Ill-faced, worse bodied, shapeless everywhere; Vicious, ungentle, foolish, blunt, unkind, Stigmatical in making, worse in mind.
 * Adriana, scene ii


 * Marry, he must have a long spoon that must eat with the devil.
 * Dromio of Syracuse, scene iii


 * I am an Asse indeed; you may prove it by my long ears. I have served him from the hour of my Nativity to this instant, and have nothing at his hands for my service but blows. When I am cold, he heats me with beating; when I am warm, he cools me with beating; I am waked with it when I sleep, raised with it when I sit, driven out of doors with it when I go from home, welcomed home with it when I return, nay, I bear it on my shoulders as a beggar wont her brat; and I think when he hath lamed me, I shall beg with it from door to door.
 * Dromio of Ephesus, scene iv

Act V

 * Be quiet, people;
 * Æmilia (the Abbess), scene i


 * A hungry lean-fac'd villain, A mere anatomy.
 * Antipholus of Ephesus, scene i


 * A needy, hollow-ey'd, sharp-looking wretch, A living-dead man.
 * Antipholus of Ephesus, scene i


 * Let’s go hand in hand, not one before another.
 * Dromio of Ephesus, scene i