Alienation Quote by Emma Smith
““The Comedy of Errors has been consistently under-appreciated, I’d argue, in part because we don’t know how to appreciate plot. Contemporary culture, the study and performance of Shakespeare, and our own intrinsic narcissism tend to encourage the view that character is destiny. Errors challenges this humanistic view of the world by emphasizing, in ways that anticipate the experience of modernity, the alienation of a mechanical universe. Think Charlie Chaplin on the accelerating assembly line in Modern Times (1936), and you have something of the comic terror captured in The Comedy of Errors.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Shakespearean Criticism, 2015
Argues that The Comedy of Errors is undervalued because modern audiences prioritize character over plot, missing its commentary on mechanized alienation.
In simple terms: The play highlights plot over character, reflecting modern alienation.
Key Takeaway
Focus on narrative structure, not just characters.
Themes
theatre
Shakespeare
plot
modernity
alienation
Mood
analytical
reflective
Type
academic
critical
When to use this quote
- theatre studies
- literary analysis
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
mechanical universe
humanistic critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How does plot drive meaning in comedy?
- What modern parallels exist to mechanized alienation?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on character can limit appreciation of structural themes.
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