The Theme Of Coincidence In 'Comedy Of Errors'

Who gets more confused than a group of elders with Alzheimer's? Only the characters in The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare. Coincidence occurs all throughout the play and is the main cause of all the issues that go on resulting in a domino effect creating mass confusion. The two Dromios get confused with the two Antipholus and create a lot of misunderstanding through coincidental situations. Emilia becomes an abbess in the same city where her lost son is living. The Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse thinks Ephesus is full of witches and sorcerers, which are why everyone seems to know and recognize the two.

Firstly, most of the play is purely coincidence filled with the events of the other characters getting the two Dromio and Antipholus

Engine and his long-lost son and servant, Dromio and Antipholus of Syracuse, all ironically end up in the same city, Ephesus. Egon was explaining to the Duke why he came to Ephesus, “There had she not been long, but she became A joyful mother of two goodly sons; And, which was strange, the one so like the other, As could not be distinguish'd but by names. 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. My wife, not meanly proud of two such boys, made daily motions for our home return: Unwilling I agreed. Alas! Too soon, We came aboard” (1.1.49-61). Coincidentally, the two Antipholus and Dromio were born in the same inn at the same time and looked very much alike, only being distinguished by name. In the same conversation, Egeon explains why he is looking for his two vanished twins, “My youngest boy, and yet my eldest care, At eighteen years became inquisitive After his brother: and importuned me That his attendant--so his case was like, Reft of his brother, but retain'd his name-- Might bear him company in the quest of him: Whom whilst I labour'd of a love to see, I hazarded the loss of whom I loved. Five summers have I spent in furthest Greece, Roaming clean through the bounds of Asia, And, coasting homeward, came to Ephesus; Hopeless to find, yet loath to leave unsought Or that or any place that harbors men. But here must end the story of my life; And happy were I in my timely death, Could all my travels warrant me they live” (1.1.124-139). Aegeon, Antipholus, and Dromio of Syracuse all go to Ephesus in search for the disappeared twins, Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus. Somehow they end up in the exact city these two live in while supposedly having no clue where they are and willing to go across the globe to find