Measure for Measure - William Shakespeare
Summary "Measure for Measure" by William Shakespeare is a dark comedy set in Vienna, where Duke Vincentio, finding his city's laws lax and ...
Summary
"Measure for Measure" by William Shakespeare is a dark comedy set in Vienna, where Duke Vincentio, finding his city's laws lax and morality declining, decides to feign a departure. He entrusts the city's governance to the notoriously rigid and puritanical Lord Angelo, while secretly remaining in Vienna disguised as a friar named Lodowick. Angelo immediately enforces an ancient, harsh law against fornication, condemning young Claudio to death for impregnating his fiancée, Juliet, before marriage.
Claudio's sister, Isabella, a virtuous novice nun, pleads with Angelo for her brother's life. Angelo, despite his reputation for chastity, finds himself powerfully tempted by Isabella's purity and offers her a horrific deal: her virginity in exchange for Claudio's pardon. Isabella vehemently refuses, determined to preserve her honor even if it means her brother's death.
The disguised Duke, privy to these events, devises a cunning plan: the "bed-trick." He arranges for Mariana, Angelo's jilted former fiancée, to secretly take Isabella's place in the darkness, allowing her to consummate her relationship with Angelo under the guise of Isabella. Angelo agrees to the arrangement but then, fearing exposure, still orders Claudio's execution. The Duke, however, intervenes, orchestrating a substitution where another prisoner's head is sent to Angelo instead of Claudio's, saving Claudio.
The play culminates in the Duke's grand return to Vienna, where Isabella and Mariana publicly accuse Angelo. The Duke, maintaining his disguise until the last moment, reveals Angelo's hypocrisy and treachery. Angelo is exposed, forced to marry Mariana, and then condemned to death, only to be pardoned by the Duke at Mariana's and Isabella's pleas. Claudio is revealed to be alive, and the Duke, having restored order and justice, proposes marriage to Isabella, whose response is left ambiguous.
Book Sections
Section 1
The play opens in Vienna, a city where the Duke, Vincentio, perceives that laws have become too lenient and morality has eroded. He decides to feign a departure from the city, announcing that he will travel abroad. To restore order and enforce neglected statutes, he appoints his austere and seemingly virtuous deputy, Lord Angelo, to govern in his stead. The Duke also appoints Escalus, an experienced nobleman, as Angelo's second-in-command, advising Angelo to be merciful, but emphasizing the need for strict governance. Unknown to everyone, the Duke does not leave but disguises himself as a friar named Lodowick, intending to observe Angelo's rule and the city's affairs firsthand.
Angelo immediately begins to enforce the forgotten laws with extreme rigor. One such law condemns fornication, punishable by death. Claudio, a young gentleman, is arrested and sentenced to death for impregnating his fiancée, Juliet, before their marriage could be formally recognized. His friend, Lucio, a flamboyant and gossipy gentleman, rushes to inform Claudio's sister, Isabella, who is about to enter a convent as a novice nun. Lucio urges Isabella to intercede with Angelo on her brother's behalf, believing her purity and eloquence might sway the unyielding deputy.
| Character | Characteristics | Motivations |
|---|---|---|
| Duke Vincentio | Benevolent, philosophical, cunning, somewhat indecisive as a ruler, prone to disguise for observation and manipulation. | To restore moral order and respect for the law in Vienna without directly incurring the people's resentment for harsh reforms; to test Angelo's character; to understand the true nature of justice and mercy. |
| Lord Angelo | Puritanical, outwardly virtuous, severe, self-righteous, repressed, ambitious, sexually inexperienced. | To prove his strict adherence to justice; to purge Vienna of moral decay; driven by a subconscious desire for power and control, which quickly turns to lust when confronted with temptation. |
| Isabella | Virtuous, chaste, intelligent, articulate, devout novice nun, deeply committed to her religious vows and personal honor. | To save her brother's life; to uphold her religious vows and moral integrity; to prevent the corruption of her soul. |
| Claudio | Young, impulsive, generally good-natured, deeply loves Juliet, fearful of death. | To live; to be with Juliet; initially accepts his punishment but later becomes desperate. |
| Lucio | Bawdy, gossipy, cynical, charming, enjoys meddling, loyal to Claudio but speaks ill of others. | To help his friend Claudio (initially); to spread rumors and gossip; to inject levity and chaos into serious situations. |
| Escalus | Wise, experienced, pragmatic, humane, a seasoned statesman. | To ensure justice is tempered with mercy; to advise Angelo and maintain stability in the city. |
| Mistress Overdone | Bawdy house owner, practical, cynical, concerned about her business. | To maintain her livelihood; to navigate the legal and moral complexities of Vienna's underworld. |
| Pompey Bum | Clown, pimp, servant to Mistress Overdone, witty, cynical, adaptable. | To earn money; to survive in the city's underbelly; to offer comic relief. |
| Provost | Head jailer, compassionate, dutiful, respectful of authority but also capable of mercy. | To uphold the law and manage the prison; to execute his duties humanely where possible. |
| Juliet | Pregnant, remorseful, devoted to Claudio. | To be with Claudio; to raise her child; to repent for her sins. |
Section 2
Isabella, despite her initial reluctance due to her impending vows, visits Angelo to plead for Claudio's life. She begins cautiously but, encouraged by Lucio's persistent nudges, grows more impassioned and articulate in her appeals for mercy, arguing that "all sins are not equal." Angelo initially remains unyielding, but Isabella's fervent virtue and beauty stir a powerful, unsettling lust within him, exposing the hypocrisy beneath his strict facade. He dismisses her, instructing her to return the next day.
Upon her return, Angelo, struggling with his unexpected desire, reveals his corrupt proposition: he will pardon Claudio if Isabella sacrifices her virginity to him. He presents this as a harsh test of her love for her brother, suggesting that "a sister [should] die for a brother." Isabella is horrified and vehemently refuses, declaring she would rather die than betray her purity and vows. She threatens to expose his corruption, but Angelo, confident in his reputation and Isabella's lack of credible witnesses, dismisses her threats, knowing his word will be believed over hers.
Section 3
Distraught, Isabella visits Claudio in prison to tell him of Angelo's vile offer. She expects him to readily accept her decision to preserve her honor, even at the cost of his life. Claudio initially agrees, praising her virtue. However, when faced with the stark reality of impending death, he breaks down, desperately begging Isabella to yield to Angelo's demands, prioritizing his life over her chastity. Isabella is appalled by his cowardice and selfishness, reacting with fury and disgust, renouncing him as her brother.
The Duke, still disguised as Friar Lodowick, has been observing and overhears this traumatic exchange. He approaches Isabella, reveals his knowledge of the situation, and offers a solution. He proposes the "bed-trick": Isabella is to agree to Angelo's demand, but instead of her, Mariana, Angelo's former fiancée, will secretly take her place. Mariana and Angelo had been betrothed, but Angelo had broken off their engagement when Mariana's dowry was lost at sea, citing a perceived lack of purity. The Duke suggests that Mariana's participation will not be a sin, as she is Angelo's rightful wife in the eyes of God, and it will give her the chance to reclaim her honor and husband. Isabella agrees to the plan.
| Character | Characteristics |
| Mariana | Shy, virtuous, deeply sorrowful over Angelo's abandonment; still loves Angelo despite his treatment of her. | To reclaim her honor and Angelo as her husband; driven by love and a desire for justice. |
| Elbow | Simple-minded, malapropism-prone, illiterate constable; earnest in his duties but comically incompetent. | To enforce law and order as best he understands it; to bring criminals to justice (often the wrong ones). |
Section 4
The bed-trick is executed successfully: Mariana meets Angelo in the garden at night, disguised as Isabella, and they consummate their union. However, to the Duke's and Isabella's dismay, Angelo, despite having received what he thought was Isabella's virginity, does not pardon Claudio. Instead, he sends word to the Provost, ordering Claudio's immediate execution and demanding his head be sent to him as proof. Angelo's motive is to eliminate Claudio, thus preventing any future accusation from Isabella that he reneged on his promise.
The Duke (as Friar Lodowick) is furious but quickly devises another plan. He instructs the Provost to execute Barnadine, a condemned pirate who refuses to be prepared for death, and send his head to Angelo. However, a suitable alternative presents itself: a pirate named Ragozine, who looks somewhat similar to Claudio, dies naturally in the prison that very day. His head is dispatched to Angelo, thus preserving Claudio's life while satisfying Angelo's cruel demand. The Duke then prepares Isabella and Mariana for the public accusation against Angelo, instructing them on how to petition the Duke upon his official "return."
Section 5
The Duke makes his grand "return" to Vienna, staging a public ceremony. As planned, Isabella steps forward and publicly accuses Angelo of corruption, hypocrisy, and attempting to blackmail her into sacrificing her virginity. Angelo, feigning outrage and offense, vehemently denies her accusations, relying on his untarnished reputation. Escalus, initially believing Angelo, dismisses Isabella's claims.
The Duke then pretends to call for the friar who supported Isabella's story, leading to the entrance of the Duke himself, still disguised as Friar Lodowick. After a series of dramatic twists and turns, including the "friar" slandering the Duke (himself) and then being apprehended, the Duke finally unmasks himself, revealing his true identity to a shocked court.
With his identity revealed, the Duke quickly unravels Angelo's deception. He confirms Mariana's role in the bed-trick, forcing Angelo to confess his crimes. The Duke then orders Angelo to immediately marry Mariana, legitimizing their union. Following the marriage, Angelo is condemned to death for his attempted rape and abuse of power. Mariana, despite his betrayal, pleads for his life. Isabella, after a moment of profound reflection, ultimately joins Mariana in begging for Angelo's pardon, showing an act of profound mercy. The Duke grants the pardon but insists Angelo's life will be one of remorse.
Finally, the Duke reveals that Claudio is alive, bringing him forth to Juliet. As order is restored, the Duke then turns to Isabella and proposes marriage. Her reaction is not explicitly stated in the play's ending stage directions, leaving her response ambiguous. Lucio is punished for his slanderous remarks about the Duke (made to the Duke himself while he was disguised as a friar) by being forced to marry Kate Keepdown, the mother of his child, which for the libertine Lucio is a fate worse than death. The play concludes with justice and mercy balanced, and the city restored to a state of moral order, albeit with complex moral questions lingering.
Literary Genre
Dark Comedy, Problem Play, Tragicomedy. It is often considered one of Shakespeare's "problem plays" because it defies easy categorization, blending serious ethical dilemmas, dark themes, and moments of profound injustice with elements of comedy, happy endings, and resolutions.
Author Facts
- William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.
- He was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England.
- He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon."
- His extant works consist of roughly 39 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship.
- He was a key member and later shareholder of the Lord Chamberlain's Men (later the King's Men), a leading acting company in London.
Moral of the Book
"Measure for Measure" explores the complexities of justice, mercy, hypocrisy, and the corrupting nature of absolute power. The central moral lesson is arguably the importance of self-knowledge and the danger of judging others without understanding one's own susceptibility to sin. It suggests that true justice must be tempered with mercy and that human laws, when applied without compassion or understanding of human frailty, can become tyrannical and reveal the hypocrisy of those who enforce them. The play questions whether anyone is truly qualified to mete out justice when all are flawed, famously asking for "measure for measure" not as retribution but as an understanding of reciprocal human failing.
Curiosities of the Book
- Problem Play Status: "Measure for Measure" is one of Shakespeare's most debated "problem plays," a term coined in the late 19th century for plays that pose moral and ethical dilemmas without providing clear-cut answers, often leaving audiences with a sense of unease despite a conventional "happy ending."
- The Duke's Role: The Duke, Vincentio, is unique among Shakespearean protagonists for his deliberate manipulation of events while disguised. He acts more like a stage director or a providential figure, orchestrating the plot from behind the scenes, rather than a conventional hero.
- Isabella's Silence: At the end of the play, when the Duke proposes marriage to Isabella, she does not respond aloud. Her silence is one of the most intriguing ambiguities in Shakespeare, leading to various interpretations about her feelings, her future, and the nature of the "happy ending."
- Source Material: The play draws heavily on an earlier play, Promos and Cassandra by George Whetstone, published in 1578, which itself was based on an Italian novella by Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio. Shakespeare transformed this source material, particularly by adding the Duke's disguise and the character of Mariana, to deepen its moral and psychological complexities.
- Themes of Sexual Repression: The play delves into themes of sexual repression and societal hypocrisy. Angelo, the seemingly chaste and virtuous deputy, is revealed to be profoundly susceptible to lust, particularly when confronted with the pure Isabella, highlighting the dangers of outward piety without inner integrity.
