The Supernatural in Theatre

By Jasmine Ross

The Comedy of Errors

Throughout the beginning of The Comedy of Errors,Antipholus of Syracuse is very suspicious that witchcraft is afoot in Ephesus.

Thesis Statement

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when Antipholus of Syracuse is met by Dromio of Ephesus who insists that his master come home to dinner, something that Antipholus of Syracuse knows nothing about. Antipholus of Syracuse also accuses Dromio of Ephesus of running away with his money that was supposed to be deposited, and their argument escalates until Antipholus strikes Dromio of Ephesus, who runs away. When Dromio of Syracuse returns, he has no idea what Antipholus of Syracuse is speaking

about, leading both men to believe that the city is under a spell.

The First Signs of the Supernatural

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This experience with E. Dromio is S. Antipholus’s first hint that something is amiss in Ephesus. S. Antipholus’ immediate conclusion is that sorcery and witchcraft are to blame.

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“Upon my life, by some

device or other

The villain is o'erraught

of all my money.

They say this town is

full of cozenage;

As, nimble jugglers that

deceive the eye,

Dark-working sorcerers

that change the mind,

Soul-killing witches

that deform the body,

Disguised cheaters,

prating mountebanks,

And many such-like

liberties of sin”

Other Scenes with Witchcraft (1)

Again, S. Antipholus is quick to chalk up the strangeness of Adriana knowing he and Dromio’s name to "inspiration" (meaning divination or clairvoyance). This is rather surprising, considering that S. Antipholus did come to Ephesus to look for a twin brother, and, if that were the case, shouldn’t his first assumption be that Adriana is married to his twin? Regardless, S. Antipholus seems to have accepted that he’s come to a magical place. With that premise, nothing that follows seems particularly strange and S. Antipholus has no reason to look for logical answers to the strange situations that befall him.

“How can she

thus, then, call

us by our names,

Unless it be by

inspiration?”

Other scenes with witchcraft(2)

S. Antipholus is certain he is dreaming, or was dreaming when he married this woman. This dream-state is an echo of all the supernatural stuff he assumes is afoot in Ephesus. Again S. Antipholus seems to use the supernatural as an excuse to avoid looking at a more complex reality.

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“To me she speaks;

she moves me for

her theme.

What, was I married

to her in my dream?

Or sleep I now, and

think I hear all this?

What error drives

our eyes and ears

amiss?

Until I know this

sure uncertainty,

I'll entertain the

offer'd fallacy.”

Other scenes with witchcraft (3)

Like his master, S. Dromio clearly believes in supernatural forces, but is less comfortable succumbing to sorcery. Rather than let all of this seeming witchcraft roll over him (like S. Antipholus does), S. Dromio cries out and appeals to his rosary (which, if this is set in the pre-Christian era, is one of the play’s many playful anachronisms). How is it that S. Dromio and S. Antipholus believe that sorcery is the cause of their problems in Ephesus but E. Dromio and E. Antipholus never resort to this sort of strange reasoning?

“O, for my beads! I

cross me for

sinner. This is the

fairy land. O spite

of spites! We talk

with goblins, owls,

and sprites. If we

obey them not,

this will ensue:

They'll suck our

breath, or pinch

us black and

blue.”

Other scenes with witchcraft(4)

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S. Dromio’s romantic connection with Nell serves as a foil to S. Antipholus’s connection with Luciana. Both feel they’re being bewitched, but while S. Antipholus describes his enchantment in the romantic terms of mermaids and songs, S. Dromio’s enchantment is darker, and involves dogs. It’s a reminder that the supernatural is all about perspective – one man’s evil bewitching is another man’s lovely enchantment.

“O, Sir, I did not look so

low. To conclude: this

drudge or diviner laid

claim to me; call'd me

Dromio; swore I was

assur'd to her; told me

what privy marks I had

about me, as, the mark of

my shoulder, the mole in

my neck, the great wart

on my left arm, that I,

amaz'd, ran from her as a

witch. And, I think, if my

breast had not been made

of faith, and my heart of

steel, She had transform'd

me to a curtal dog, and

made me turn i' th'

wheel.”

Other scenes with witchcraft(5)

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Antipholus shows some strength of spirit by choosing not to bask in the good treatment he’s been getting in Ephesus. Though he’s being treated kindly, it doesn’t sit well with him that people really seem to think he is who he’s not. Even if the seeming magic at hand has good consequences, it’s still not real, so he chooses to reject it.

“Even now a tailor

call'd me in his

shop, and show'd

me silks that he

had bought for

me, And

therewithal took

measure of my

body. Sure, these

are but imaginary

wiles, And

Lapland sorcerers

inhabit here.”

Other scenes with witchcraft(6)

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Dialogue with The supernatural ADRIANA : “Good Doctor Pinch,

you are a conjurer: Establish him in his true sense again, And I will please you what you will demand.”

LUCIANA:” Alas, how fiery and how sharp he looks!”

COURTEZAN: “Mark how he trembles in his ecstasy.”

PINCH: “Give me your hand, and let me feel your pulse.

E. ANTIPHOLUS: “There is my hand, and let it feel your ear.” [Striking him]

PINCH: “I charge thee, Satan, hous'd within this man, To yield possession to my holy prayers, And to thy state of darkness hie thee straight. I conjure thee by all the saints in heaven.”

This is all rather hilarious. Throughout the entire play, the supernatural has seemed a dark and mysterious force in Ephesus, but actually, when this guy who’s supposed to be a conjurer shows up, he’s clearly viewed as an innocuous old quack. Adriana seems as foolish as S. Antipholus to believe in all of this stuff, and though Pinch takes himself very seriously, that’s all the more reason we don’t take him seriously. In case it wasn’t clear before, Pinch’s character shows us that relying on explanations like magic is ludicrous. Also, this is where E. Antipholus finally smacks around somebody that deserves it.

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Again we see there are many sides to the supernatural – the Abbess equates her holy prayers with her wholesome syrups. This whole healing of madness is all a matter of perspective, whether done by a witch doctor, a wife, or a holy woman.

“Be patient; for I will

not let him stir Till I

have us'd the

approved means I

have, with wholesome

syrups, drugs, and

holy prayers, to make

of him a formal man

again. It is a branch

and parcel of mine

oath, a charitable

duty of my order;

therefore depart, and

leave him here with

me.”

Other scenes with witchcraft(7)

holydevotions.blogspot.com

Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is said to be cursed, so actors avoid saying its name (the euphuism "The Scottish Play" is used instead). Actors also avoid even quoting the lines from Macbeth inside a theatre, particularly the Witches' incantations. Outside of a theatre the play can be spoken of openly. If an actor speaks the name Macbeth in a theatre, he or she is required to leave the theatre building, spin around three times, spit, curse, and then knock to be allowed back in.

Superstitions in Theatre

theatregeeks.com

There are several possible origins for this superstition. One is the assumption that the song of the Weird Sisters is an actual spell that will bring about evil spirits. Another is that there is more swordplay in it than most other Shakespeare plays, and the more swordplay must be rehearsed and performed, the more chances there are for someone to get injured. Yet another option is that the play is often run by theatres that are in debt and looking to increase patronage.

More Superstitions in Theatre

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Generally, it is considered bad luck to wish someone good luck in a theatre. Prior to performances, it is traditional for the cast to gather together to avert the bad luck by wishing each other bad luck or cursing.

Good Luck!

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In English-speaking countries, the expression “break a leg” replaces the phrase “good luck”, which is considered unlucky. Recently, the term "chookas" has also come into use, replacing "good luck". The expression is sometimes used outside the theatre, as superstitions and customs travel through other professions and then into common use. If someone says "good luck", they must go out of the theatre, turn around 3 times, spit, curse, then knock on the door and ask to be readmitted to the theatre.

More Good Luck!

robertronnes.com

One ghost-related superstition is that the theatre should always be closed one night a week to give the ghosts a chance to perform their own plays. This is traditionally on Monday nights, conveniently giving actors a day off after weekend performances. Theatres that have stood for more than a few decades tend to have lots of associated ghost stories, more than other public buildings of similar age.

Ghosts!

ghosttheory.com

Not surprisingly, given the number of things that can go wrong, sometimes with no apparent logical cause, theatre folk often are a superstitious lot. Superstitions aren't limited to the theatre, of course.

Scary Folk

thesbians.blogspot.com

Undoubtedly you’ve heard of athletes who feel they absolutely must always wear a given article of clothing or they’ll have a bad game. For example, Jack Nickalausmust carry three pennies with him every time he plays golf, Babe Ruth had to touch first base with his foot on the way to the outfield, and race-car driver Rick Mears refuses to allow peanuts near his car.

More Scary Folk

auntiestreasures.com

Surely we all have our personal superstitions about avoiding walking under ladders, not stepping on a sidewalk’s crack, and changing direction so the black cat does not cross our paths.  And as for breaking a mirror--of course we know that means seven years of bad luck!

Crazy superstition

hopelessromantic.com

For many of us, there’s a comfort in the ritual of superstition.  Perhaps the logical part of your brain tells you there’s no magic in the first star you see at night but your heart encourages you to say, “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might....” Not only is there comfort, we are happy that our art has interesting quirks.

Comfort in Superstitions

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Other Shakespeares books with witchcraft in them.

falconlit.com

grandlakebusinessjournal.com

grandlakebusinessjournal.com

doitincolumbia.com

doitincolumbia.com

Andrews, John. Concise Dictionary of British Literary Biography, Volume 1: Writers of the middle Ages and Renaissance before 1660, Gale, 1992, pp. 251-337.

Fletcher, Martha. “A Short History of the Drama”. Bellinger, New York. Henry Holt&

Company. 1927, p.224-6, 234.

Lablanc L., Micheal. Shakespearean Criticism. Gale Research Co., 2003

Miola S., Robert. “The Comedy of Errors Critical Essays”. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-

Publicaton Data. 1997

Papatola P., Dominic. “Theater review: Few Errors, Plenty of Comedy in Acting Company

Productions” Pioneer Press, 2011

Rolfe J., William “The Comedy of Errors: The History of the Play” New York Harper & Brothers

(1894)

Shakespeare, William. “The Comedy of Errors” Public Domain. 1594

Shakespeare , William. “Exploring Shakespeare” Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003

Snider J., Denton. System of Shakespeare’s Dramas. GI Jones and co. 1877 p.370-82.

Latham Collin, Looking at Shakespeare, Chicago times, 1975

Works cited

Work cited