Exploring Morality in Measure for Measure Essay -- Measure for Measure

Exploring Morality in poster for Measure In Measure for Measure, Shakespe are is satisfactory to examine the concept of even up and wrong through the suits of Mistress overdo and Mariana. Throughout the play, by using characters that most spate would find virtuously reprehensible, Shakespeare is able to give the audience a different view of these people and, hopefully, show his audience that people arent always what they appear to be. Through the character of Mistress overdone, Shakespeare is able to bring a jovial side to the oldest profession known to man -- prostitution. Through the character of Mariana, Shakespeare allows the audience to take root if dickens wrongs do, in fact, make a right. While the concepts of right and wrong are given a twist in this play, Shakespeare, in the end, allows his audience to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong. At the beginning of act one, scene two, Shakespeare uses the bawd, Mistress Overdone, to beat to the audie nce that Angelo is enforcing the fornication laws of Vienna. While this seems like the more clean-living, and more right, execute to take, Shakespeare puts a twist on what the audience would normally view as a clear cut case. In lines 79 - 81, Mistress Overdone explains to the audience the effects of these new policies. So, while it seems right to shut these businesses down, the audience now is shown that prostitution is this ladys livelihood and her way for making money. However, who is to decide if the moral benefits of eliminating the public display of prostitution is in the best interest of the metropolis? By posing this question, Shakespeare forces the audience to consider both sides of the issue to, in the end, make some decision. In England, during that time... ... While, of course, this play does not say that Shakespeare was in favor of prostitution, it does force his audience to see these people as individuals and not objects. Likewise, by introducing the description o f Mariana, Shakespeare challenges the idea of something always being right or wrong. Through the two characters, Shakespeare is able to have his audience challenge their ideas of right and wrong and force them into justifying these decisions. Sources Cited and ConsultedKnight, G. Wilson. Shakespeare and Morality. London Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1967. Leech, Clifford. The Meaning of Measure for Measure. Shakespeare Survey 3 (1950) 69-71. Shakespeare, William. Measure for Measure. The Arden Shakespeare. Ed. J.W. Lever. London Routledge, 1995. Thomas, Vivian. The Moral Universe of Shakespeares Problem Plays. London Croom Helm, 1987.