1. International Indexed & Refereed Research Journal, January, 2013 ISSN 0975-3486, RNI- RAJBIL- 2009-30097, VOL- IV * ISSUE- 40
Research Paper—English
Shakespeare’s Measure For Measure with
Varied Themes
January,2013 * Anant N. Gawande
* Asst. Prof. -Smt. Kokilabai Gawande Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Daryapur Dist.Amravati (M.S.)
The theme of Shakespeare’s Play Measure for Measure Most critics believe that shakespeare was passing
is very apt which attracts attention. It is also obious through a phase of dark cynicism when he wrote plays
that Shakespeare while giving his play this title had in like Measure For Measure. It belongs to the third period
mind the New Tesfament. In it he attempts to achieve of Shakespear’s dramatic career. Coleridge considered
the kind of Justice that can only be possible through this play as the most painful. But it is also a problem
compassion and true understanding of what the Play which raises several questions that remain
characters of the play demand. The Christan believe improperly answered. Shakespeare present here
that men are all sinners by birth and have come to this hedonistic society of Vienna. If is a counpos fo
world to do penance for the original sin committed by prostitutes, bawds pimps and alcoholism. These must
Adam and Eve. There is no doublt that this concept of be rightfully condemmed as all critics have done. The
human existence is hideously monstrous. In this play fact is that condemnation of these things is intellectually
an attempt is made to undo some harm by dishing out correct which lack virtues. Evil things are also shown
forgiveness and mercy to those crimes that are with contraditons. Many characters intends one and
committed by people on earth. Measure For Measure do another. This shows mental turmoil in characters.
is about foregiveness of these is crimes. In Vienna a Sometimes an axiom which says power
Duke named Vincentio handsover the reigns of his corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is
government to Lord Argelo to ensure justice and he also widely evident that human beings go to extreme
lives secretly. Angelo revives all the laws strictly. Angelo extents to generate power for themselves. Power means
declares death sentence to claudio formaking a girl the control of human being has on others. The larger
Juliet pregnant. Claudio’s sister Isabella begs Angelo the power, the greater the number of human beings
to withdraw death sentence. And Angelo insists on controlled, the more advantageous us it is considered
Isabella’s body to surrender for sexual desires to save to be. It has almost entirely alluded man that power is
claudio. The disguised Duke dislikes it and plans to a second hand emotion sought by third rate human
send Mariana in place of Isabella to Angelo in darkness. beings. Intellectual truth does not demand approveal
Mariana was berothed to Angelo before. Angelo feels of others. It definitely does not include blind following.
that he fulfills sexual desires with Isabella but it is Once government of the state must include all those
Mariana. Angelo refuses to pardon claudio. The things which add to the enlightenment and joys of the
disguised Duke appears and tells Isabella and Mariana citizens, the flaw in the authority in Measures For
to bring charges against Angelo publiely. Angelo Measure can be easily understood.
confesses his misdeeds. In the end the Duke withdraws In the same way this play is open to many
Angelo’s death sentence and orders him to marry with interpretations. The world of play is hedonistic. This
Mariana. Claudio marries Juliet, Luccio with another kind of world exists at the beginning of the play due to
woman and Isabella is told to accept a marriage a tender - hearted Duke whose compassion for his
proposal. The Play ends with joys where all culprits are countrymen does not permit him to undertake any harash
forgiven. measures. There are sufficient laws in Vienna to counter
This play is termed as a tragi -comedy which any menace that may arise in society. One such law
has a plot suitable to tragedy but end happily like deals with premarital sex. It punishes men indulging in
comedy. It has all the conventional devices like disguise, premarital sex with death. The Christians believe it to
mistaken identify, complex intrigue and surprise be religious crime. The Duke enacts a law, keeping in
denouement. Guarini, an Italion critic brings out a blend view the christian belief but does not enforce it. So lax
of seeming disparties in this play, taking from tragedy is the impementation of this law that sex out of wedlock
its great characters but not its great action. The story is rampant. The world of Vienna in the play is a world
appears probable but is not true. It is frougnt with of protitution, pimps, bawds and unwed pregnancies.
dangers do not lead to death. It is universally accepted that sex out of wedlock is
sinful and degrading. Yet nemerous studies reveal that
RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION 1

2. International Indexed & Refereed Research Journal, January, 2013 ISSN 0975-3486, RNI- RAJBIL- 2009-30097, VOL- IV * ISSUE- 40
this sin is committed in large numbers- sometimes as neither does Juliet know any of this. Mariana uses
personal freedom, more often as guilt. But it is sexual deception to trap a husband, which is worse
nonetheless, done- atleast in the mind. We have than prostitution. In prostitution at least the superficial
accepted premarital and extramaital as sin so universally truths and known. In sexual deception the price to be
and for such a long time that no one seems the need to paid is far in excess of the few minutes of pleasure; and
ask why it is a sin. It is sufficient for us that some even that is not known at the time of the act of deception.
religious book say so we do not feel the need to question Poetic justice was a term coined by Thomas
its validity. We are told it is a divine truth. We do not Rymer, an English critic, of the later nineteeth century,
wish to evaluate as to why it is so. The play Measure to signify an “ideal situation in which goods is rewarded
For Measure bares before us a world of hedonistic sex. and evil is punished in proportion to virtue” Justice
Those having an anti-sexual mind-set have termed it a demands qualities of integrity, impartiality , rightness
problem play full of dark emotions once gain depending and the awarding of what is due. This can only be
on what others have told us, without waiting to evaluate achieved if there are rigid set laws of values which must
its truth. We accept it as true due to the sheer force of be impartially interpreted in order to arrive at a decision
number of human beings who believe it to be true, not of what constitutes right or wrong. Most people believe
because we know it to be true. that justice means mere interpretation of legal, religious
There is no doubt that sexually promiscuous or social laws
world of Measure For Measure is sinful and degrading Conclusion :-
but it is for reasons entirely different from what Measure For Measure is tragi-comedy with a
shakespeare has tried to convey or critics have accepted happy blend of good and evil in accptance of both
over the years sexual preference or timing has nothing sides of life. Some critics consider it as a least agreeable
to do with a supernatural god. It is linked only with of shakespear’s dramas which leaves us in doubt as to
human happiness. Since happiness can only be what must be accepted by us as true sexual morality.
achieved through the potent use of intellectual truth, They have labelled it as dark comedy because of gloomy
the orbitrary nature of sex is what is degrading. Only picture of human existence where an evil is depicted as
animals do instinctive arbitrary sex, based entrirely on an all consuming force throughout man kind. It is also
sensory perceptions. Man can only seek everlasting found that here Shakespeare attempts to achieve the
sexual pleasure through the human mind. Since kind of justice that can only be possible through
Angelo’s desire is based on sensory perception it must compassion and true understanding of what the
be condemmed. But equally orbitrary is the desire of characters of the play demands. Again it is universally
sex in Claudio. Juliet, Mariana, and later in the Duke for accepted that sex out of wedlock is sinful and degrading
Isabella. Claudio thinks the time is ripe to indulge in sex which the play Measure for Measure bares before us
but not in Marriage. He does not know what intellectual such a world of hedonistic sex. It occurs because of
worth attracts him to juliet; but neither does Juliet : but absolute power in hands of authority.
R E F E R E N C E
1) S Nagarajan Measure for Measure, New York Penguin 1998.
2) N.W. Bawcutt(ed) Measure for Measure ( oxford, 1991)
3) William Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure - Praween Bhatia Measure for Measure - Reference.
4) E.E. Halliday, A Shakespeare Companion 1564-1964, Baltimore Penguin 1964
2 RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION