The Comedy of Errors

by

William Shakespeare

The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring Symbol Analysis

Read our modern English translation.
The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring Symbol Icon
While there are not really any symbols in the play (insofar as objects that stand in for something other than what they really are), there are several highly important objects that function as links between characters, plot points, and significant themes. The gold necklace made by Angelo, the courtesan’s diamond ring, and the bail money intended for Antipholus of Ephesus are all exchanged and end up in the wrong hands. They drive the plot of the comedy, resulting in the arrest of Antipholus of Ephesus, Antipholus’ beating Dromio (for not bringing the bail money), and the courtesan’s getting involved in things. As these things pass from character to character, they highlight the importance of the idea of exchange in the play (of money, objects, and also of identities), and also serve as indicators of all the mix-ups of the play: neither the necklace nor the bail money go to the right character, and the diamond ring is not returned to the courtesan as promised. The very idea of bail (giving money in return for someone’s release from jail) suggests the extent to which the world of the play is governed by economics, as money can be exchanged effectively for a human being (a point driven home by Aegeon’s needing 1000 marks to save his life). The return of all these objects to their rightful owners at the end of the play signifies at last the resolution of all the play’s various errors.

The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring Quotes in The Comedy of Errors

The The Comedy of Errors quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
).
Act 1, Scene 2 Quotes

Where is the gold I gave in charge to thee?

To me, sir? Why, you gave no gold to me.

Come on, sir knave, have done your foolishness,
And tell me how thou hast disposed thy charge.

My charge was but to fetch you from the mart
Home to your house, the Phoenix, sir, to dinner:
My mistress and her sister stays for you.

Now, as I am a Christian, answer me,
In what safe place you have bestow’d my money;
Or I shall break that merry sconce of yours,
That stands on tricks when I am undisposed:
Where is the thousand marks thou hadst of me?

Related Characters: Antipholus of Syracuse (speaker), Dromio of Ephesus (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring
Page Number: 1.2.71-82
Explanation and Analysis:

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:
If it prove so, I will be gone the sooner.
I’ll to the Centaur, to go seek this slave:
I greatly fear my money is not safe.

Related Characters: Antipholus of Syracuse (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring
Page Number: 1.2.98-108
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2, Scene 1 Quotes

When I desired him to come home to dinner,
He ask’d me for a thousand marks in gold:
‘’Tis dinner-time,’ quoth I; ‘My gold!’ quoth he:
‘Your meat doth burn,’ quoth I; ‘My gold!’ quoth he:
‘Will you come home?’ quoth I; ‘My gold!’ quoth he,
‘Where is the thousand marks I gave thee, villain?’
‘The pig,’ quoth I, ‘is burn’d;’ ‘My gold!’ quoth he:
‘My mistress, sir,’ quoth I; “Hang up thy mistress!
I know not thy mistress; out on thy mistress!’

Related Characters: Dromio of Ephesus (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring
Page Number: 2.1.62-72
Explanation and Analysis:

I know his eye doth homage otherwhere;
Or else what lets it but he would be here?
Sister, you know he promised me a chain;
Would that alone, alone he would detain,
So he would keep fair quarter with his bed!
I see the jewel best enameled
Will lose his beauty; yet the gold bides still,
That others touch, and often touching will
Wear gold: and no man that hath a name,
By falsehood and corruption doth it shame.
Since that my beauty cannot please his eye,
I’ll weep what’s left away, and weeping die.

Related Characters: Adriana (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 2.1.109-120
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 2 Quotes

Master Antipholus,—

Ay, that’s my name.

I know it well, sir:—lo, here is the chain.
I thought to have ta’en you at the Porpentine:
The chain unfinish’d made me stay thus long.

What is your will that I shall do with this?

What please yourself, sir: I have made it for you.

Made it for me, sir! I bespoke it not.

Related Characters: Antipholus of Syracuse (speaker), Angelo (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring
Page Number: 3.2.182-189
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 1 Quotes

I answer you! What should I answer you?

The money that you owe me for the chain.

I owe you none till I receive the chain.

You know I gave it you half an hour since.

You gave me none: you wrong me much to say so.

You wrong me more, sir, in denying it:
Consider how it stands upon my credit.

Well, officer, arrest him at my suit.

Related Characters: Antipholus of Ephesus (speaker), Angelo (speaker), Merchant (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring
Page Number: 4.1.62-69
Explanation and Analysis:

What ship of Epidamnum stays for me?

A ship you sent me to, to hire waftage.

Thou drunken slave, I sent thee for a rope,
And told thee to what purpose and what end.

You sent me for a rope’s end as soon:
You sent me to the bay, sir, for a bark.

I will debate this matter at more leisure,
And teach your ears to list me with more heed.
To Adriana, villain, hie thee straight:
Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk
That’s cover’d o’er with Turkish tapestry
There is a purse of ducats; let her send it:
Tell her I am arrested in the street,
And that shall bail me: hie thee, slave, be gone!

Related Characters: Antipholus of Ephesus (speaker), Dromio of Syracuse (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring
Page Number: 4.1.96-109
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 3 Quotes

Thou art, as you are all, a sorceress:
I conjure thee to leave me and be gone.

Give me the ring of mine you had at dinner,
Or, for my diamond, the chain you promised,
And I’ll be gone, sir, and not trouble you.

Related Characters: Antipholus of Syracuse (speaker), Courtesan (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring
Page Number: 4.3.68-72
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 4 Quotes

Alas, I sent you money to redeem you,
By Dromio here, who came in haste for it.

Money by me! Heart and good-will you might;
But surely, master, not a rag of money.

Went’st not thou to her for a purse of ducats?

He came to me, and I deliver’d it.

And I am witness with her that she did.

God and the rope-maker bear me witness
That I was sent for nothing but a rope!

Related Characters: Antipholus of Ephesus (speaker), Dromio of Ephesus (speaker), Adriana (speaker), Luciana (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring
Page Number: 4.4.88-96
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 1 Quotes

You have done wrong to this my honest friend;
Who, but for staying on our controversy,
Had hoisted sail and put to sea to-day:
This chain you had of me; can you deny it?

I think I had; I never did deny it.

Yes, that you did, sir, and forswore it too.

Who heard me to deny it or forswear it?

These ears of mine, thou know’st, did hear thee.

Related Characters: Antipholus of Syracuse (speaker), Angelo (speaker), Merchant (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring
Page Number: 5.1.19-26
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring Symbol Timeline in The Comedy of Errors

The timeline below shows where the symbol The Gold Necklace, Bail Money, and Diamond Ring appears in The Comedy of Errors. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 3, Scene 1
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
...because his wife gets “shrewish” when he is late for dinner. He tells Angelo to bring a necklace he has ordered for his wife to his house tomorrow. (full context)
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Marriage and Family Theme Icon
...dinner elsewhere and return home later that night to ask his wife why she is barring the door, when fewer people will see any altercation between them. Antipholus is persuaded and... (full context)
Act 3, Scene 2
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
...she has almost enchanted him with her “mermaid’s song.” Angelo enters and gives Antipholus the necklace that Antipholus of Ephesus had ordered. Antipholus of Syracuse is confused, but accepts the chain.... (full context)
Act 4, Scene 1
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
In Ephesus, a merchant tells Angelo that he owes him money, and that since he is leaving for Persia soon, he needs the money immediately, or... (full context)
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
...him out of his home. Dromio leaves. Angelo gives Antipholus a bill for the gold chain he ordered and asks for his payment immediately, as the merchant needs to go to... (full context)
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
Angelo is confused, and asks if Antipholus has the chain. Antipholus says he does not, and Angelo insists that he gave him the necklace already.... (full context)
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
...deal with Dromio later, and tells him to go to Adriana and have her send bail money to get him out of hail. Dromio is hesitant to go back to Adriana’s... (full context)
Act 4, Scene 2
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Marriage and Family Theme Icon
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
...of Syracuse enters and announces that Antipholus has been arrested. He asks Adriana to get bail money from Antipholus’ desk. (full context)
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
Luciana goes to get the money and Adriana and Dromio share some witty banter. He tells her Antipholus was arrested over... (full context)
Act 4, Scene 3
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
...on. A courtesan enters and greets Antipholus by his name. She asks if the gold chain he has is for her. Antipholus and Dromio think she is “Mistress Satan,” and “the... (full context)
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
The courtesan asks for his chain, which he had promised her in return for the diamond ring he took from her,... (full context)
Act 4, Scene 4
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
Scapegoats and Social Hierarchy Theme Icon
...officer. Dromio of Ephesus finds him, and Antipholus is hopeful that he will have the money for his bail. Dromio, however, only has the rope Antipholus asked for earlier. Antipholus is... (full context)
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
Adriana continues to think Antipholus is mad, and says that she sent money with Dromio to bail him out. Dromio denies this, though Luciana says she saw Adriana... (full context)
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Adriana learns that Antipholus owes money for a chain that Angelo made. The courtesan adds that Antipholus took her ring and... (full context)
Act 5, Scene 1
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
Angelo apologizes to the merchant for making him wait for his money. He says that Antipholus is “of very reverend reputation” and usually good for his money.... (full context)
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
...wife locked him out of his home; then, Angelo did not deliver him his gold chain, so he went to find him and Angelo said that he had already given it... (full context)
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
...that Antipholus was indeed locked out from dinner, but insists that he gave Antipholus the chain. The merchant says that Antipholus even admitted to having the chain and was ready to... (full context)
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
...home but with the courtesan. The courtesan agrees and says that he then stole her ring. The Duke calls for the abbess, and says he thinks everyone is “stark mad.” Aegeon... (full context)
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
Mistakes and Coincidences Theme Icon
...he is not her brother-in-law, he would like to pursue her love. Angelo sees his chain on Antipholus of Syracuse, and Antipholus of Syracuse also produces the bail money that Adriana... (full context)
Commerce and Exchange Theme Icon
Marriage and Family Theme Icon
Antipholus of Ephesus says he will use the bail money to pay Aegeon’s fine, but the Duke says that he will simply pardon Aegeon.... (full context)