Water
Water is a symbol of separation and isolation in the play. Starting at the beginning, when Egeon recounts the tale about how his family was destroyed by the storm at sea, water plays a pivotal role in keeping characters apart from one another. Characters make frequent reference to bodies of water that prevent them from knowing others or even themselves, suggesting that water os an emblem of both literal and figurative distance.
The Necklace
The necklace that Antipholus of Ephesus initially purchases for Adriana is a symbol of mistaken identity. The necklace passes through multiple hands in the play, as Antipholus of Syracuse cannot understand why it was delivered to him but nonetheless wears it as if it is his own. The necklace, which was initially intended to appease Adriana, becomes, ironically, a reason for further conflict between husband and wife.
Money
Money is a significant motif in the play, whose very plot is framed by the trial of Egeon in which he is told he must raise 1,000 marks in order to secure his freedom. Ephesus is a bustling town of commerce, and buying and selling of goods is central to its culture. Thus, money becomes a means of raising the stakes for what is otherwise a straightforward comedy: Egeon's very life depends on his ability to acquire money, and Antipholus is eventually jailed because of his inability to pay for the necklace. When the play resolves in Act Five with the pardoning of Egeon, it is a testament to the power of familial bonds over monetary gain.
Travel
Both Egeon and his son, Antipholus of Syracuse, have traveled extensively in search of their family. Egeon has also traveled around the world as a successful merchant. Their travels are depicted, however, in disparate ways: Egeon arrives in Ephesus and is immediately dealt a death sentence. Antipholus of Syracuse, by contrast, arrives in town and is immediately greeted with dinner invitations, a wife, and the potential for a whole new life. Thus, the play uses these two characters' experiences to showcase how travel is both an eye-opening but dangerous endeavor.
The Priory
In the final act of the play, Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse seek refuge in priory, or a small monastery that is governed by a prior or prioress. It is then revealed at the end of the play that the abbess in question is Emilia, Egeon's lost wife. In this way, the priory becomes a symbol of safety and comfort, both for the fleeing Syracusians and for the distraught Emilia, who turned to the priory as a source of her own refuge when she thought she had lost her family in the storm.
