Measure for Measure: Shakespeare's play about a law against fornication
In short
In Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, first recorded at the court of James I on 26 December 1604, the deputy Angelo revives a long-unused Viennese law and condemns Claudio to death for getting his betrothed, Juliet, pregnant before their marriage was made public. The play uses the case to question strict moral law, hypocrisy and mercy.
What the full article will cover
- What is Measure for Measure about?
- What is Claudio's offence?
- What law does Angelo enforce, and why?
- How does the play treat sexual morality and hypocrisy?
- How did Jacobean audiences see betrothal and marriage?
- Why is it called a 'problem play'?
Frequently asked questions
- Are Claudio and Juliet married in Measure for Measure?
- What are Shakespeare's sources for the play?
- What is the 'bed trick'?
- How is Measure for Measure staged today?
Sources
- folger.edu — https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/measure-for-measure/
- rsc.org.uk — https://www.rsc.org.uk/measure-for-measure/about-the-play/dates-and-sources
- britannica.com — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Measure-for-Measure
- gutenberg.org — https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1530
General information, not legal or religious advice.