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Shakspeare, Comedy of Errors. Act V, Scene I

1803, Engraving
Shakspeare, Comedy of Errors. Act V, Scene I
Shakspeare, Comedy of Errors. Act V, Scene I
Shakspeare, Comedy of Errors. Act V, Scene I
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Category
Library Item
Item no
40224
Title
Shakspeare [Shakespeare]. Comedy of Errors. Act V, Scene I
Description
ABBESS: Most mighty duke, behold a man much wrong’d. [All gather to see him.]
ADRIANA: I see two husbands, or mine eyes deceive me.
DUKE: One of these men is genius to the other;/ And so of these: Which is the natural man,/ And which the spirit? Who deciphers them?

Comedy of Errors is a play that has a lot of slapstick humour to it, but it is one of the more overlooked comedies of Shakespeare. It is of course difficult to stage it, since it revolves around not one, but two pairs of twin brothers, who are unaware of each other. Naturally, this leads to a lot of misunderstandings. But John Francis Rigaud chose to illustrate the solution denouement, when the misunderstandings come to light for everybody. It is a very busy scene, with lots of characters and dramatic tension. The Duke, dressed in rich, dark clothes on the left stands confused, as the Abbess flies towards him to stop the execution of Ageon. Ageon, the father of the Antipholus twins kneels on the centre, his figure is almost Jesus-like. On the far right a servant is waiting for orders to kill the man. On the Abbess’s sides are Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse, worriedly looking on Ageon, whom they know well. Angelo, the goldsmith incredulously examines a gold chain he made in Antipholus’s neck. The other Antipholus watches his twin in astonishment. They are even dressed in the exact same way. Between them Adriana, the wife of the Ephesean twin spreads her arms in disbelief. Dromio of Epheseus is in the back, behind his master, and only his head is seen.
Engraver
Charles Gauthier Playter
Date
1803
Size
64 x 50 cm
Type
Location
Art and Design Library
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Price
Digital FileElectronic file 72 dpi JPEG​
£6.10(inc. VAT 20%)
Digital FileElectronic File 300 dpi TIFF​
£31.00(inc. VAT 20%)
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