Kindred Spirits

Shakespeare used the term cousin very loosely. He did not care if his characters were connected by blood, by marriage, by being in the same social status or by just being friends — they were all cousins.

We see Shakespeare's use of "cousin" in so many of his stories,  including:

• Richard III when the Duchess of York said to Clarence's children  (Act II Scene II), "My pretty cousins, you mistake me much." The children she calls cousins are actually her grandchildren.

• In Henry VI Part 1, King Henry says to Richard and Somerset (Act IV Scene I), "Good cousins both...." Richard and Somerset are kinsmen through different marriages of King Henry's great-grandfather.

• In As You Like It (Act I Scene I) Celia says to Rosalind, "I pray thee, Rosalind, sweet my coz, be merry." Celia is the daughter of Duke Frederick and Rosalind is the daughter of Duke Senior. While they are no where near related, they share the same social status.

So, if Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, Joey and Chandler were to have a hit play during Shakespearean days, perhaps the appropriate title would be "Cousins?"