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Measure for Measure Essay Plans
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Measure for Measure essay plansHow does Shakespeare present ideas about ‘mortality’ and ‘mercy’ in ‘Measure for
Measure’?
INTRO: Mortality and Mercy are one of the major themes in the play, representing the two
extreme forms of justice in the society of Vienna.
1. The moral corruption of Vienna due to too much mercy
- Comedic scenes show the result of being too merciful on stage.
- Language by Shakespeare “unscoured armour” “liberty plucks justice by the
nose.” “like an o’ergrown lion in a cave that goes out not to prey.”
- Attitudes towards Angelo’s clamping down on immorality – “you’ll have to
send out a commission for more heads.” – too engrained in society.
- King James I – Basilikon Doron.
- Shakespeare presents the pursuit of sexuality in a positive light, he would
pass the brothels on the way to the Globe, but he presents the danger of too
much mercy to the audience.
2. Mortality represents the severe form of justice
- “take thy commission.” – handing over of power on stage.
- “snow-broth.”
- “tis one thing to be tempted escalus, another thing to fall.” – “let mine own
trial pattern out my death and nothing come in partial.” Key word partial.
- Isabella shares this view – “’tis a vice I do abhor.” “Oh just but severe law.” “I
had a brother then.” “I’ll pray a thousand prayers for thy death.”
- “It is I. by lying in the violet sun, do as the carrion does, not the flower,
corrupt with virtuous season.”
3. However, Shakespeare presents a negative view of ‘mortality’ as it leads to
corruption and hypocrisy
- “you must lay down the treasures of your body or else let him suffer.”
“destined livery.”
- “more than my brother is my chastity.”
- “I am directed by you.” nature changes halfway through = hypocrisy.
- “Kneeling” – been dragged into this world by the Duke and her views have
had to change – seen on stage.
- One moment in the play: “let mine own confession be my sentence,
immediate sentence and sequence then is all the grace I beg.” However, this
comes only after the Duke is revealed.
- Shakespeare reveals the problems with justice being too severe, it leads to
hypocrisy and injustice. “whereas the unrestrained pursuit of personal
appetite leads to anarchy, the rigid application of the law leads to injustice.”
John Wilders.
, 4. Therefore, Shakespeare recognises the need for a compromise in between, the
“measure” that the Duke wants to achieve
- Escalus represents a man of compromise, able to find the middle ground.
- “as holy as severe.” “A gentleman of all temperance.” The audience
recognises his plan, to expose Angelo and impose a measured form of justice
on Vienna.
- “An Angelo for a Claudio… Measure still for Measure.” severe form of justice.
Dramatic irony – severe form of justice will not be achieved.
- Barnadine – “thou’rt condemned; and for those earthly faults I quit them all.”
Too lax
- One moment in the play: “Thy slanders I forgive.” “Do not marry me to a
whore.” See a measured form of justice.
- Ultimately, in my view, the Duke tries to be a strong ruler but he ends up
being weak and Vienna will fall into moral corruption again. Problem play
no solution, hasn’t achieved his aims.
‘The old fantastical duke of dark corners'. In your opinion, how far does this description
reflect Shakespeare's presentation of the Duke inMeasure for Measure?
INTRO: The Duke’s mysterious nature makes it difficult to understand his plans and motives
for leaving Vienna in the hands of a hypocritical leader, disguising himself as a religious
figure. Ultimately, Lucio’s calumny of the Duke is not accurate, but we do see the Duke as
extremely fallible, unable to achieve his plan.
1. Agree – The Duke’s mysterious nature
- “take thy commission” “our haste from hence” – rushes hurriedly off stage,
leaving Angelo in power. “Let there be more test made of my metal.” Unsure
about his capabilities, but the Duke still leaves Vienna in his hands. Don’t
understand his motivation.
- Hides on stage to listen in conversations and medal in people’s lives –
“coming from concealment.” Satisfying Isabella with a new plan.
- However, Lucio’s calumny and slander is not accurate – “would eat mutton
on Fridays.” The audience at the time would know how serious it was to
slander the Duke, as King James I censored everything in order to prevent
this.
2. The Duke’s disguise as Friar
- Inappropriate to be disguised as a figure of religion and this is encompassed
through the speech he gives to Claudio.
- “Reason with life.” “If I do lose thee I do lose a thing that none but fools
would keep.”
- to sue to live, I find I seek to die” the iambic pentameter shows how Claudio
immediately replies with the acceptance that he is ready to die, expressing
the effect that the ‘friar’ has had.
- Evidence for him being a ‘duke of dark corners’ as he is deceiving the
characters on stage, and only the audience know his true role.
, 3. However, there are some moments in the play where we can see the Duke as a
representative of God, and therefore his assumption of the role of a friar is
appropriate
- Glyn Austen - “The Duke’s assumption of the role of friar is no mere accident:
the prince is exercising his rightful claim to be a kind of priest, to delve into
the spiritual well-being of his subjects and lead them to redemption.”
- The play as a Christian allegory – “tis a miracle that heaven provides.”
- “he who the sword of heaven will bear should be as holy as severe.”
- “like power divine.”
- However, in my view, the Duke is too fallible to be a representative of god
and is just medalling in people’s lives.
4. Escalus’ description “A gentleman of all temperance”
- “as holy as severe.”
- Encourages Isabella to forgive Angelo – “Kneeling.”
- Treatment of Lucio – “thy slanders I forgive.”
- However – Barnadine, Angelo – too lax.
- In my view, the Duke tries to achieve a measured form of justice, but falls
into his earlier habits.
CONC: The Duke is not a ‘fantastical Duke of Dark Corners’ or ‘A gentleman of all
temperance.’ He is seen by the audience as a fallible ruler, trying to intervene in society in
order to correct the immorality, but he seems unable to do so – King James I.
‘More than our brother is our chastity.’ Explore how Shakespeare presents Isabella’s
attitudes towards her chastity in ‘Measure for Measure’.
INTRO: Definition Chastity role of nuns in Vienna society, their lack of power, Isabella’s
puritanical beliefs and how Isabella is dragged into the patriarchal authority, no longer able
to define herself by her religious beliefs.
1. Isabella’s strict devotion to her religion is presented by Shakespeare as selfish and
prudish
- “a more strict restraint” – wants to be restrained more by her religious views.
- “o, let him marry her.” – immediate reaction.
- “’tis a vice I do abhor.” “oh just but severe law” “going” audience see her
physically turning, about to leave the stage, accepting the proclamation, no
effort into saving her brother – “you are too cold.”
- “better it were a brother died at once than a sister died forever.” “more than
our brother is our chastity.” “I’ll pray a thousand prayers for thy death.”
- Isabella’s inflexible devotion to her chastity seems to obstruct her vision to
act morally as she is willing to selfishly lose her brother’s life to save her
virginity.
2. As the play develops, we see Isabella’s attitudes towards chastity as hypocritical as
her nature changes
- E.M.W Tillyard the nature of the play “changes halfway through.”
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