What was the play measure for measure about?

Answer 1

It's a quote from The Bible, refering to just retribution. As you sow, so shall you reap. Since the play is all about justice and the law, it''s an appropriate title.

Answer 2

Measure for Measure is one of Shakespeare's most underrated plays. The story goes like this: The Duke of Vienna is concerned about the lax sexual morals in the city. He announces that he is going on vacation and that his deputy Angelo will have authority in his absence. Angelo is a very strait-laced and morally judgemental type of man, and immediately begins a crackdown on sexual license in the city. One of the first to be arrested is young Claudio, whose fiancée Juliet is pregnant by him, since they anticipated the marriage a little bit. Angelo sentences Claudio to death, but Claudio sends a message by the gadabout Lucio to his sister Isabella, who is a novice nun, asking her to come out of the convent and plead with Angelo. She does this, and pleads very powerfully indeed. Angelo is impressed--he is in fact a little too impressed, and finally, after much beating about the bush, he makes his demand of Isabella: Claudio can go free but only if she has sex with him. Meanwhile the Duke arrives in disguise as a priest. Isabella takes her story to Claudio and the disguised priest. Claudio says she should do it; he's got more to lose than she does. She is outraged. The Disguised Duke has another plan: Angelo was engaged to Mariana but dumped her when she didn't pay as much as was agreed upon, and Mariana still wants to marry Angelo. Why not arrange for the Duke to get his way, but the naked woman he will find in his bed will be Mariana, not Isabella, and it will be too dark to tell. This happens, and everyone is waiting for Claudio's pardon to come from Angelo, but instead, his execution is to be brought forward, and Angelo wants to see his head. They send the head of another dead guy instead, with the connivance of the Provost, who is getting a bit nervous. The Duke announces his return (out of disguise) and Isabella pleads her case. The Duke pretends to believe everything Angelo says, and of course he calls Isabella a liar. The wheels fall off Angelo's wagon when the disguised priest is shown to have been the Duke all along, and he reveals what he knows of Angelo's iniquity. Angelo is compelled to marry Mariana and then to be put to death. Then there is a twist; Mariana wants him alive and pleads for his life, imploring Isabella to help plead for him. And Isabella does! The ending is more or less happy for everyone, but the point of the play is that justice must give way to forgiveness. At the same time, the various prostitutes and lowlifes (who provide the comedy relief throughout the play) are contrasted with Angelo's real evil and iniquity, showing that the appearance of moral uprightness can hide the worst faults.

Answer 3

Measure for Measure is a play about justice, morality and forgiveness.

In Vienna, sexual morals have become extremely lax, and laws against immorality have been unenforced for years. The Duke of Vienna, in order to see if this situation can be improved, leaves town and puts his straight-laced deputy Angelo in charge. Unknown to Angelo, the Duke sneaks back into Vienna disguised as a priest in order to check up on him.

Angelo begins his reign by arresting young Claudio, who has gotten his fiancee pregnant. That's adultery! says Angelo and sentences Claudio to death. Claudio sends word to his sister Isabella, who is a novice nun, to come and plead on his behalf. She does, very persuasively, but Angelo does not listen to her arguments. Instead, he is checking out how good-looking she is. In the end, he tries to molest her, and demands that if she wants to save Claudio's life, she must sleep with him. She reports this to Claudio, saying that of course she will refuse. Claudio, however, does not really want to be executed, and pleads with Isabella to give in to Angelo.

The Duke, in his disguise, finds out about all this, and has a plan. Angelo had a fiancee himself called Mariana who he dumped after compromising her position. The Duke suggests that Isabella should agree to Angelo's terms, but send Mariana to sleep with him instead of herself. She does this.

They await the order for Claudio's release, which Angelo has promised to give, but instead Angelo orders Claudio to be immediately executed. The Duke still has a plan--they will send the head of someone else who looks like Claudio to Angelo to prove that he is dead. Fortunately there is a dead pirate who fits the bill. Only Claudio, the Duke and the jailer know about this.

The Duke sends word to Angelo that he is returning to Vienna and does so, without his disguise. Isabella brings her complaint about Angelo to the Duke as the Duke-priest had advised her to do. Angelo denies it all and calls her a liar, relying on his reputation as a straight-laced moral man. Isabella says that there is a priest who can back up her story. The Duke leaves and reappears as the priest, and eventually reveals himself. Now Angelo's guilt is apparent, and the Duke says he ought to die.

At this point Mariana pleads for the life of her fiance and asks Isabella to support her. Isabella must plead for the life of the man who attacked her and murdered her brother. In a supreme act of forgiveness for Mariana's sake, she does so. Angelo is required to marry Mariana and Claudio is reunited with his fiancee. The Duke invites Isabella to leave the convent and marry him. The script does not say how she answers.

Answer 4

It's a quote from The Bible, refering to just retribution. As you sow, so shall you reap. Since the play is all about justice and the law, it''s an appropriate title.