Shakespeare Study Programs: The Comedies

Shakespeare Study Programs; The Comedies is a collection of reviews on Shakespeare plays by Helen A. Clarke. Clarke was an American literary commentator, book editor, musician and lyricist, and the co-founder of the magazine Poet Lore. Excerpt: "The errors of the early Acts begin simply and proceed by begetting other errors and beginning, also, with but one of the twin masters and one of the twin men-servants proceed by involving every one in each of the two Antipholus groups. In this Act others outside the main groups are continually being interwoven in the net of complications. In which Act did these larger social complications arise, and how are they carried on in the present Act. Show how by means of these larger circles of complication, e.g., the arrests, the visits of the Courtisan to Adriana in the attempt to get back her ring, the conjurring scenes, etc., the confusion becomes extreme. And then show, also, how by the very means of these larger circles of complication the clearing up process is brought forward. To whom is the suggestion due that Antipholus the Native has gone mad? What fitness is there in that, especially in its being broached by a minor character? Trace the relation of the Goldsmith, his delays and his debts to the Plot. How does it come about effectively that in this Act the wrong master and man are together, the opposite of what has prevailed, earlier? Show how in the eagerness of Adriana to send the gold and the grief over what she jealously suspects to be the cause of it, a tragic situation is reached. In which scene is the most complex confusion reached."