Graphic Shakespeare

adapted by Vincent Goodwin

illustrated by Rod Espinosa
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www.abdopublishing.com

Published by Magic Wagon, a division of the ABDO Group, 8000 West 78th Street, Edina,
Minnesota, 55439. Copyright © 2011 by Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. International copyrights
reserved in all countries. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any
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Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota.

052010
092010

Adapted by Vincent Goodwin

Illustrated by Rod Espinosa
Edited by Stephanie Hedlund and Rochelle Baltzer
Interior layout and design by Antarctic Press
Cover art by Rod Espinosa
Cover design by Abbey Fitzgerald

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Goodwin, Vincent.
William Shakespeare’s The comedy of errors / adapted by Vincent Goodwin ; illustrated by Rod
Espinosa.
p. cm. -- (Graphic Shakespeare)
Summary: Retells, in comic book format, Shakespeare’s play about two sets of identical twins
accidentally separated at birth.
ISBN 978-1-60270-762-7
1. Graphic novels. [1. Graphic novels. 2. Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Comedy of errors-
-Adaptations.] I. Espinosa, Rod, ill. II. Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Comedy of errors. III.
Title. IV. Title: Comedy of errors.
PZ7.7.G66Wgk 2010
741.5’973--dc22
2010011048
Cast of Characters......................................4

Our Setting..................................................5

Act I............................................................6

Act II.........................................................11

Act III........................................................16

Act IV........................................................21

Act V.........................................................32
Behind The Comedy of Errors...................44
Famous Phrases.......................................45
About the Author......................................46
Additional Works by Shakespeare...........47
About the Adapters..................................47
Glossary ....................................................48
Web Sites..................................................48
Solinus
Duke of Ephesus Dromio of
Syracuse
Twin and servant to
Antipholus of Syracuse
Egeon
Merchant of Syracuse Angelo
Merchant

Antipholus of
Ephesus Aemilia
Twin son of Egeon and Wife of Egeon
Aemilia

Antipholus of
Syracuse Adriana
Twin son of Egeon and Wife of Antipholus of
Aemilia Ephesus

Dromio of
Ephesus Luciana
Twin and servant to Sister of Adriana
Antipholus of Ephesus

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 The Comedy of Errors is set in the ancient Greek town of
Ephesus. In Roman times, Ephesus was a port on the west coast
of Asia Minor, which is now Turkey. The ancient city was the
second-largest city after Rome for many years.
Ephesus was founded in about 600 BC. Tyrants ruled Ephesus
until the city fell to Cyrus of Persia. For years, the city was
ruled by many people who contributed great temples, churches,
and public buildings. By the early Middle Ages, Ephesus was
abandoned. The once-famous port was forgotten until 1869, when
archaeologists discovered remains of the city.

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 Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors was
one of his earliest written plays. It was written
between 1592 and 1593. The play is based on
Plautus’s Menaechmi, which is also a comedy
dealing with identical twins. Shakespeare added
twin servants, which creates even more confusion
and misunderstandings.
The play starts with Egeon, a merchant of
Syracuse, being arrested for traveling between
Syracuse and Ephesus, which was illegal. Egeon
was in Ephesus looking for his wife and one of his
twin sons, who were separated from him 25 years
earlier. The twins, both named Antipholus, are
identical and have identical twin servants, both
named Dromio.
Antipholus of Ephesus is a wealthy citizen
and is married to Adriana. Antipholus of
Syracuse and his slave, Dromio of Syracuse, go
to Ephesus looking for Antipholus of Ephesus.
Adriana confuses Antipholus of Syracuse with her
husband and invites him to lunch while Dromio
stands guard. Antipholus of Ephesus comes
home and is not allowed into his own house.

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 Antipholus of Syracuse soon falls in love with
Adriana’s sister, Luciana. Luciana is upset because
she thinks Antipholus of Syracuse is her brother-
in-law. There is more confusion as Antipholus of
Syracuse is given a gold chain and Antipholus
of Ephesus later refuses to pay for it because he
never got it. He is arrested for not paying.
The confusion is ¿nally ended when Aemilia
brings out both sets of twins and reveals herself to
be Egeon’s lost wife. Everyone understands they
were being confused by the two sets of twins, and
the play ends happily.

For if we two be one and thou play false, I do

digest the poison of thy Àesh.

Let’s go hand in hand, not one before another.

Say what you will, sir, but I know what I know.

I cannot hide what I am.

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 William Shakespeare was baptized on April
26, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. At the
time, records were not kept of births, however, the
churches did record baptisms, weddings, and deaths.
So, we know approximately when he was born.
Traditionally, his birth is celebrated on April 23.
William was the son of John Shakespeare, a
tradesman, and Mary Arden. He most likely attended
grammar school and learned to read, write, and
speak Latin.
Shakespeare did not go on to the university.
Instead, he married Anne Hathaway at age 18. They
had three children, Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith.
Not much is known about Shakespeare’s life at this
time. By 1592 he had moved to London, and his
name began to appear in the literary world.
In 1594, Shakespeare became an important
member of Lord Chamberlain’s company of players.
This group had the best actors and the best theater,
the Globe. For the next 20 years, Shakespeare
devoted himself to writing. He died on April 23, 1616,
but his works have lived on.

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 The Comedy of Errors (1589–94)
The Taming of the Shrew (1590–94)
Romeo and Juliet (1594–96)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1595–96)
Much Ado About Nothing (1598–99)
As You Like It (1598–1600)
Hamlet (1599–1601)
Twelfth Night (1600–02)
Othello (1603–04)
King Lear (1605–06)
Macbeth (1606–07)
The Tempest (1611)

Vincent Goodwin earned his BA in Drama and Communications from

Trinity University in San Antonio. He wrote three plays and is the
cowriter of the comic book Pirates vs. Ninjas II. Goodwin is also an
accomplished journalist, having won several awards for his work as a
columnist and reporter.

Rod Espinosa has worked in advertising, software entertainment, and

¿lm. Today, he lives in San Antonio, Texas, and produces stunning
graphic novels including Dinowars, Neotopia, Metadocs, Battle Girls,
and many others. His graphic novel Courageous Princess was
nominated for an Eisner Award, and Neotopia was nominated for the
Max und Moritz Award.
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 anon – right way.
bark – a small sailing ship.
bespoke – requested.
conÀscate – to seize by authority.
distinguish – to tell apart.
face me down – maintain to my face.
foreswore – denied.
horn-mad – acting like an angry horned animal.
importune – to annoy with persistent demands or requests.
inquisitive – asking many questions.
knave – a young fellow.
latter – referring to the second in a group of things.
league – a measurement of distance.
pate – head.
Pentecost – a Christian feast on the seventh Sunday after Easter.
pray – an old saying meaning “please.”
prithee – a way to make a request.
privy – private or personal.
prosperous – being successful or thriving.

To learn more about William Shakespeare, visit ABDO Group

online at www.abdopublishing.com. Web sites about
Shakespeare are featured on our Book Links page. These
links are routinely monitored and updated to provide the most
current information available.

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