choose specific scenes and speeches in crafting my essay
Right here, you have your solution. Look to a scene with one of the characters, and it can help you more than anyone can help in this thread. All you need to do is write a paragraph about what a scene shows about the character.
For ideas about how to approach it, google this: character analysis, how to
It can be ANY scene. Just write something about the character in the scene. Maybe throw in a quotation.
Then, do that for the other character, and see if you have found a similarity or difference. All you need to do is write about one scene in each paragraph of your essay, and for every paragraph you can show something about one of the characters and say whether it makes him similar or different from the other.
If you have trouble with the actual play, use Sparknotes.com because they have great lessons about the literature, great explanation.
Write the thesis statement AFTER you have written some great body paragraphs with sims and differences.