Measure for Measure: Context and Pre Reading | Shakespeare Play by Play Season 1

[@cathyjomccann]

This is good! I'm going to share it with Shakespeare group(s) , those of us who read the plays for fun and insight.

[@Tenyii]

Thanks for making the play easy! 😊

[@shakespeareplaybyplay]

My pleasure

[@tanisradoux2391]

I’m curious to get your opinion on a question I have about this play, do you think Shakespeare’s measure for measure was writing for or against mercy?

[@tanisradoux2391]

Would you agree that the only real act of mercy was shown by Isabella when she believed her brother dead but asked that Angelo receive the mercy her brother did not get. Because the other acts of “measure for measure” were actually a punishment for the crime (i.e., marriage was worse than death for Lucio and Angelo asked to be killed). And even that act of mercy did not receive its “measure for measure” because Isabella was not shown mercy when what she really wanted all along was to keep her virtue and virginity, but is now in a way being punished by marriage as well?

[@shakespeareplaybyplay]

I don't think it's an argument for or against mercy. I think he's problematizing the idea of mercy. Many of his place include similar lines about the necessity of mercy since all humans make mistakes and this should teach us to be merciful (see Portia in Merchant or Hamlet to Polonius, for a couple examples). I think mercy shows up in unexpected places in Measure. Lucio advocating on behalf of his friends, the Duke and Barnadine. We need mercy, but mercy is difficult.

[@tanisradoux2391]

@@shakespeareplaybyplay oh thank you. That makes a lot of sense to me. So just like measure for measure is a problem play he uses the idea of mercy in the play to problemize it as well? In that way, would you also that that Shakespeare shows how mercy can be a “problem” because depending on one’s perspective an act may be viewed by some as merciful and by others as not? Like he is saying mercy isn’t a yes or no kind of thing and it may also have some grey areas?

[@nonocow]

you kinda look like lin manuel miranda. great video!

[@shakespeareplaybyplay]

Thanks. I actually get that more and more