New Paltz Students Blogging about Shakespeare
Monday, March 1, 2010
I found Measure for Measure an interesting yet complex play. The weird part about this Shakespearian play for me, was the ending. As we know usually the end of a Shakespearian play ends in love, marriage, hapiness and sacrifice. Even though Measure for Measure did end in these elements, the ending itself was strange and almost different to me than the other Shakespearian comedies I've read. I was surprised that marriage was used more as a form of punishment at the end instread of a symbol of love. I know back in Shakespeare's day marriage was not always about love and usually only about procreation. However, usually in Shakespeare's comedies the person or people at the end of the play who get married are in love with each other and their love is what they have been fighting for through-out the whole play. I didn't really think that was the case in this play. I feel like Shakespeare did represent the procreation part well. At the end of Measure for Measure Lucio as punishment has to marry the women that he has gotten pregnant. Angelo must also marry Mariana as punishment for what he did to her many years ago and for what he did to Claudio and Isabella. I also found it extremely odd that the Duke asks Isabella to marry him. I know we do not get a certian answer but it seems to me that Isabella is going to marry the Duke. I find it a little hard to believe that someone who through-out the whole play represents purity and who has a big commitment to God ( big enough to let her brother die ) that she would just willingly accept the Duke's offer. I also think that he'd be stupid to ask her to be his wife. The Duke knows she wants to become a nun. Usually in the end if Shakespeare's comedies most of the main characters ( especially the ones who are getting married ) live happily ever after. Yet Juliet and Claudio get to live happily ever after I feel like almost everyone else sacrificed something for these two people . I also feel like the ending should have been more about Juliet and Claudio and that the Duke and Angelo kind of took over the play. I'm usually happy with the way Shakespeare ends his comedies in a quick yet romantic quick fashion however, I feel like many things in Measure for Measure were left unsolved and that the ending was just a quick fix to fit everything together.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I too found the end of Measure for Measure to be a bit strange, and I didn’t really like how marriage was used as a punishment for Angelo. Even understanding the meanings behind marriage in Shakespeare’s time, I still don’t see how using it as a punishment really meant anything.
As for the Duke asking Isabella to marry him—I was unclear as to why Shakespeare decided to add this to the play. Like you said in your post--Isabella represents purity throughout the entire play. Why would Shakespeare want to taint that symbol?
I really like your discussion about the complexities of Measure for Measure. I too found it really interesting that the marriages at the end of the play seemed more of a punishment than a symbol of love etc. And I also agree with your observation of how it seems a little far fetched that Isabella would accept the duke's proposal.
As Amy and Kim have said, this is a nice insight to the way in which Shakespeare uses marriage at the end of this play--as a kind of punishment. It makes me think back to our discussion of Merchant, and whether that play, too, shows marriage as a kind of punishment. Although it is not as bleak as in Measure (Lucio's impending marriage to a prostitute is equated with hanging!), Merchant also shows us that heterosexual matches are not always ideal. Antonio, the main character, is left out of these pairings. And the issue of the rings hovers over the end of the play as a reminder of the power of Bassanio's bond with both Antonio and Shylock. Why is marriage such a problem, we might rightfully ask! Are there any plausible alternatives presented?
Post a Comment