Structure and Summary (Measure for Measure)

This section explains the structure and gives a summary of Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure is structured around the interplay of justice and mercy, power and corruption, and public versus private morality. The formal structure, marked by the Duke’s disguise and the bed trick, reflects the complexity of the characters’ moral dilemmas and the broader societal questions about law and governance. The resolution, while outwardly satisfying, leaves the audience with lingering questions about the true nature of justice and the balance between law and mercy.

Structure of the Play

Acts and Scenes

Measure for Measure is divided into five acts, following the traditional structure of Shakespearean drama. Each act moves the plot forward, with rising tension leading to a resolution in the final act.

Act 1 sets up the central conflict, introduces key characters, and establishes the moral dilemmas.

Acts 2 and 3 build tension as the characters’ situations become more complex, particularly focusing on Isabella's moral struggle and Angelo’s growing corruption.

Act 4 is the turning point, where the Duke, disguised as a friar, begins to manipulate events behind the scenes, and plans are set in motion for the resolution.

Act 5 serves as the climax and denouement, where all the characters are brought together, secrets are revealed, and a final judgement is passed.

Exposition, Complication, Climax, and Resolution

Exposition: The play begins by introducing the Duke of Vienna, who leaves the city under Angelo’s rule to enforce Vienna’s strict laws. The exposition sets up the moral landscape, particularly focusing on the consequences of strict legal enforcement.

Complication: The complication arises with Angelo’s condemnation of Claudio to death for fornication. Claudio’s sister Isabella is drawn into the conflict, pleading for mercy while facing Angelo’s corrupt proposition to trade her chastity for her brother’s life.

Climax: The climax occurs in Act 4, when the Duke, disguised as a friar, orchestrates the “bed trick” that exposes Angelo’s hypocrisy. This moment shifts the power balance and begins to set up the resolution of the various moral and legal conflicts.

Resolution: In Act 5, all the characters gather for the final judgement. Angelo’s hypocrisy is revealed, Claudio is pardoned, and the Duke proposes marriage to Isabella, tying up the central conflicts in a resolution that blends justice with mercy.

The Use of Disguise and Deception

A significant structural element in Measure for Measure is the Duke’s disguise as a friar, which enables him to observe and manipulate the events in the play. This theme of disguise allows for dramatic irony, as the audience knows the Duke’s true identity, while the other characters do not.

The structure relies heavily on deception, particularly with the “bed trick” in Act 4, where Mariana takes Isabella’s place to expose Angelo’s corruption. This form of structural deception serves both to complicate the plot and to provide a resolution to Angelo’s misuse of power.

Thematically Divided Structure

The structure of the play can also be seen in terms of its thematic development:

Acts 1 and 2 focus on law, justice, and morality, with Angelo’s enforcement of Vienna’s strict laws and Isabella’s moral dilemma.

Acts 3 and 4 shift towards mercy, forgiveness, and the question of power, particularly as the Duke’s intervention brings the more merciful aspect of justice into play.

Act 5 brings all these themes to a conclusion, as the play explores the balance between justice and mercy, questioning how power should be wielded and by whom.

Structural Devices

The Duke’s Disguise

The Duke’s use of disguise allows him to influence events without revealing his true identity. This creates a complex narrative structure where the Duke is both participant and observer, manipulating the actions of others while staying hidden. This structural device builds tension and creates dramatic irony.

The Bed Trick

The “bed trick,” where Mariana takes Isabella’s place, is a key structural device that resolves Angelo’s abuse of power. It provides a turning point in the plot, allowing justice to be served in a morally ambiguous way.

Comic Relief and Subplots

The play includes comic relief through characters like Lucio, Pompey, and Mistress Overdone, who represent the seedy underworld of Vienna. Their subplot provides a counterpoint to the more serious main plot, offering a satirical view of the enforcement of morality.

Summary of the Play

Act 1

The play begins with Duke Vincentio announcing that he is temporarily leaving Vienna and entrusting Angelo with the task of ruling in his absence. The Duke believes that Angelo, known for his strict moral principles, will enforce the city’s neglected laws, particularly those concerning sexual immorality.

Claudio, a young man, is arrested for impregnating his fiancée, Juliet, before their marriage. Despite their engagement, this is considered fornication, and Angelo sentences Claudio to death as part of his strict enforcement of the law.

Lucio, a friend of Claudio, urges Claudio’s sister, Isabella, who is about to enter a convent, to plead with Angelo for her brother’s life.

Act 2

Isabella meets Angelo and begs him to show mercy to her brother. Angelo is struck by her beauty and virtue, and instead of granting clemency, he propositions her, offering to spare Claudio’s life in exchange for her chastity.

Horrified by this offer, Isabella threatens to expose Angelo’s corruption, but he warns her that no one will believe her. Angelo’s hypocrisy becomes evident as he presents himself as a moral authority while secretly pursuing his own desires.

Act 3

Isabella informs Claudio of Angelo’s indecent proposal. Initially, Claudio is devastated by the thought of dying, and he weakly suggests that Isabella should comply to save his life, but he quickly realises the moral wrongness of such a request.

Meanwhile, the Duke, disguised as a friar, overhears their conversation. He devises a plan to save both Isabella’s honour and Claudio’s life. The Duke arranges for Mariana, a woman once betrothed to Angelo, to take Isabella’s place in the night-time meeting with Angelo. This “bed trick” will trick Angelo into fulfilling his promise to marry Mariana.

Act 4

The Duke's plan goes ahead, and Angelo believes he has slept with Isabella, when in fact it was Mariana. However, Angelo, still not satisfied, orders Claudio’s execution to prevent his wrongdoing from being revealed.

The Duke intervenes, arranging for another prisoner’s head to be sent to Angelo in place of Claudio’s, thus saving Claudio’s life while maintaining the illusion of his death.

Act 5

In the final act, all the major characters are brought before the Duke, who has returned to Vienna. Isabella publicly accuses Angelo of his misconduct, and Mariana supports her claim. Angelo initially denies the accusations, but when the Duke reveals his true identity, Angelo’s hypocrisy is exposed.

The Duke sentences Angelo to death, but Mariana and Isabella plead for mercy, showcasing the play’s central theme of justice tempered with mercy. The Duke pardons Angelo and orders him to marry Mariana.

Claudio is revealed to be alive, and the Duke proposes to Isabella, though her response to the proposal is left ambiguous. The play ends with a general atmosphere of reconciliation, although the moral ambiguities remain unresolved.