Measure for Measure: Questions for Discussion and Further Research
Measure for Measure poses a complex moral dilemma in the proposed exchange of Isabella’s chastity for Claudio’s life. Shakespeare resolved it in his script by employing a series of “tricks,” much to the delight of Early Modern audiences.
Discuss:
- Ragozine’s substitution is a plot element that is not present in the original source material, a short story by the Italian writer Cinthio. How does it affect our sense of satisfaction with the play’s resolution? How would you, as a reader/audience member, respond if the execution had really taken place — as in Cinthio’s tale?
- Neither the stage directions nor the dialogue indicate how Isabella responds to the Duke’s proposal. If you were part of a production for Measure for Measure, how would you suggest the actress portraying Isabella handle this moment onstage? Why?
- What is the role of “low lifes” in this play? What do they contribute to the overall story, or audiences’ experience while viewing?
- Is Angelo a tragic hero? How might he be considered one? Does anything complicate this characterization?
Do further research:
- One of the more problematic elements of Measure for Measure, by 21st century standards, is the play’s use of “the bed trick” to resolve a dilemma. Research the history of this plot device in Western literature. How was it viewed in Shakespeare’s day? What issues does it raise, for modern viewers/readers?
- The character Mariana reappears in British literature centuries later, in Tennyson’s poem “Mariana,” as well as a painting by the celebrated Pre-Raphaelite artist John Everett Millais. How does each man approach Mariana’s depiction, and how does it compare to Shakespeare’s original text? What additional Victorian-era social issue(s) does she illustrate in these updated portrayals?
