Measure for Measure

Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare is considered to have been written in 1603 or 1604 and was published in the First Folio of 1623 from a transcript of an authorial draft.  According to some records it was first performed in 1604.

When was Measure for Measure written and published, how many scenes and acts are included, the main themes of the play

Where does Measure for Measure take place? The play centers around the fate of the benevolent Claudio Vincentino, the duke of Vienna, who is arrested by the temporary leader of the city Lord Angelo.  The Duke, who dresses as a friar and pretends to leave town in order to watch what unfolds, left Angelo in charge. The Deputy decides to enforce more strictly laws against brothels and unlawful sexual activity in location of Vienna. Thus, Claudio is arrested for impregnating Juliet, his betrothed, before they were married. Despite the fact that their sexual intercourse was consensual, Angelo sentences Claudio to death as an example to the other citizens of Vienne.

Entire play in one page

Act 1, Scene 1: An apartment in the DUKE'S palace.
Act 1, Scene 2: A Street.
Act 1, Scene 3: A monastery.
Act 1, Scene 4: A nunnery.

Act 2, Scene 1: A hall In ANGELO's house.
Act 2, Scene 2: Another room in the same.
Act 2, Scene 3: A room in a prison.
Act 2, Scene 4: A room in ANGELO's house.

Act 3, Scene 1: A room in the prison.
Act 3, Scene 2: The street before the prison.

Act 4, Scene 1: The moated grange at ST. LUKE's.
Act 4, Scene 2: A room in the prison.
Act 4, Scene 3: Another room in the same.
Act 4, Scene 4: A room in ANGELO's house.
Act 4, Scene 5: Fields without the town.
Act 4, Scene 6: Street near the city gate.

Act 5, Scene 1: The city gate.

Measure for Measure by Shakespeare was printed in the First Folio and classified as a comedy. Although it is characterized by the use of devices like irony, wordplay, the employment of disguise and substitution as well as other Shakespearean comedies, tragic elements (executions and soliloquies) are also presented. For instance, Claudio’s speech is compared to tragic heroes like Prince Hamlet. Nowadays, it is often cited as one of problem plays in Shakespeare's heritage due to its ambiguous tone. How many acts are in Measure for Measure? The comedy consists of five acts and seventeen scenes.

The main themes revealed in the play are justice, "morality and mercy in Vienna", and the contradistinction between corruption and morality: "some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall". As compassion and forgiveness are exercised at the end of the production, mercy, grace and virtue prevail. Although the play focuses on justice overall, in the final scene Shakespeare intended for moral justice to temper strict and unforgiving civil justice. So, several characters receive leniency, instead of the punishment to which they could have been sentenced.

Character list:

• Isabella, a novice and sister to Claudio,
• Mariana, betrothed to Angelo
• Juliet, beloved of Claudio, pregnant with his child
• Francisca, a nun
• Mistress Overdone, the manager of a thriving Viennese brothel
• Vincentio, The Duke, who also appears disguised as Friar Lodowick
• Angelo, the Deputy, who rules in the Duke's absence
• Escalus, a lord working under Angelo
• Claudio, a young gentleman, brother to Isabella
• Pompey Bum, a pimp who acquires customers for Mistress Overdone
• Lucio, a "fantastic", a foppish young nobleman
• Two gentlemen, friends to Lucio
• The Provost, who runs the prison
• Thomas and Peter, two friars
• Elbow, a simple constable
• Froth, a foolish gentleman of fourscore pound a year
• Abhorson, an executioner
• Barnardine, a dissolute prisoner
• a Justice, friend of Escalus
• Varrius (silent role), a friend of the Duke