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What does the title of Measure for Measure mean?
The play’s title speaks to the theme of judgment, and specifically to the need to resist extremes when judging other people. The specific phrase “measure for measure” derives from two verses in the biblical Gospel of Matthew: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matthew 7:1–2). This is essentially another version of the Golden Rule, which states that you should treat others as you would like to be treated. Angelo’s extreme hypocrisy in committing the same crime for which he’s sentenced Claudio to death is the play’s chief example of someone failing to “measure” justly.
Why does the Duke leave Vienna in Angelo’s hands?
The Duke leaves Vienna in Angelo’s hands as part of a plan to bring an end to the city’s rampant crime. The Duke has been negligent about enforcing an existing law that forbids sex before marriage. As such, Vienna and its suburbs are overrun with brothels and illegitimate pregnancies. The Duke now wants to enforce the law against fornication, but he feels that to enforce it now would make him look hypocritical. Therefore, he pretends to leave Vienna on political business and deputizes his authority to Angelo, an overzealous judge whose strict interpretation of the law and desire to prove himself makes him the perfect candidate to clean up the city.
Why is Claudio sentenced to death?
Claudio is sentenced to death for having committed the crime of fornication, which involves having sex out of wedlock. The law against fornication reflects the morality of a Christian society that views sex outside of marriage as sinful. Claudio has had sex with his fiancée, Juliet, who is now visibly pregnant. Though he loves Juliet and has every intention of marrying her, in early modern English society, engagement was merely a “precontract” to marriage. Until formal vows had been exchanged, sex was forbidden. Thus, Claudio is arrested for violating the law against fornication. This crime apparently carried a maximum penalty of death, and Angelo, who’s eager to make an example out of Claudio, prosecutes him to the full extent of the law.
Why does Mariana agree to the Duke’s plan?
Angelo has wronged Mariana in the past, and yet she agrees to trick him into a situation that would force them to marry. She professes to love Angelo, though her situation evidently leaves her little choice. Without a husband, she has little control over her life. Hence, when the opportunity comes to ensure a future for herself, she takes it. Her agreement to the Duke’s plan is thus arguably as much a matter of love as of circumstance.
Why does the Duke lie to Isabella about Claudio’s death?
There are two main reasons the Duke lies to Isabella about her brother’s death. The first is that he needs Isabella to deliver a powerful performance in the final act, when she will publicly accuse Angelo. If she believes that Angelo sentenced Claudio to death even after she supposedly held up her end of the bargain, she’ll make her appeal with genuine emotions and hence be that much more convincing. The second reason the Duke lies to Isabella is that he wants to marry her. He believes that she’ll be flooded with happiness when he eventually reveals that Claudio’s alive, thus making her more amenable to his proposal. And indeed, immediately after he unveils Claudio in act 5, the Duke suggests that Isabella might marry him, seeing as he’s saved her brother’s life.
