Measure For Measure

[Laura smith]

I think that you make an excellent comment, and agree with your view of what Shakespeare is trying to achieve. However I have to say that I think it is downgrading to both Shakespeare and Measure for Measure, to state that perhaps Measure for Measure is a combination of ideas which he may have had for Hamlet and Othello but they didn't fit in. This is almost as bad as trying to say that Measure for Measure is a combinatiion of 'leftovers' that Shakespeare decided to make into a play. This may be just my opinion - being very overprotective! As I have said, I agree with everything else in this message. Please feel free to email me if you would like to comment.<br><br>Best wishes

[Mark]

Measure For Measure is one of Shakespeare's "problem plays." The problem, similar to that in The Merchant of Venice, is how does society rightly combine two moral virtues... justice and mercy. You can view the King as a kind of God-figure. Having allowed his people free reign to sin all they wish without the penalty of justice, he finds his people going down the slippery slope. What to do? Skip town and give the problem to a caretaker, a steward, who leans toward justice and away from mercy. Here the irony begins in earnest, For the one who brings justice to the people will come out on the short end of the stick if it is adminstered to himself in similar measure. The situation is like a courtroom drama where several on the jury are more guilty than the accused. <br><br>Both justice and mercy are desired. But how to have these opposing qualities exist simultaneously is a challange. Lean to far towards mercy, and one tends to negate justice and encourage injustice. Lean to far towards justice and one winds up with the intolerable situation we find in this play.... a leader, or system, that mocks justice by being more guilty than those whose misdeeds it judges.<br><br>The title, measure for measure, comes from a quote from the New Testament. Appropriately so. Taken out of context it seems to mean... "an eye for an eye." As Jesus used it the phrase is more positive. Do good and God will see that you receive back good measure for measure. To borrow the title from the Bible is fitting, for this is a central Biblical theme. How does God be just with his universally erring human creation and at the same time be forgiving of his beloved children? God, at least in the New Testament, does it by taking his creation's punishment on Himself via the incarnation of Christ and the atonement purchased at the cross. Measure for Measure does it with humorous coincidences and accidents. <br><br>Since both mercy and justice are vital in this less than perfect world, and since one seems to war against the other, this theme I believe has universal application. Measure for Measure offers us a brilliant and entertaining avenue to consider this serious and unavoidable dilemma. Comments welcome. Mark

[kELLY]

As we are all aware Shakespeare's reputation for stealing ideas was more famous than his plays.So to complement his shamble of a play with Religious connetations is rather far fetched. However, Mark makes excellent points that it is a problem play and i agree with the empathy we could all feel for these dilemma's. I also feeel the ending,with forginess, marriage and reconciliation all at once was thrown together and ruined the suspense. I also feel that the bawdy jokes from the gentlemen and pompey were very amusing. <br>Comments also welcome. Kelly

[Sarah Jayne Brabin]

I think this play is a combination of thoughts drawn togethr by Shakespeare and placed into this one Comedy play which was written at the same period as Hamlet and Othello which are two very dark plays mayeb the ideas that are in this paly are ideas which he had for the other two plays but they didnt fit in. Shakespeares point of this paly is to question our moral fabric and to basically pose the question are we all morally flawed? whther we be of "Demi-god" stature as Angelo is or whether we are as human as the duke we can all be affected by the sexual morality of another person. <br><br>i would love replies to this thought