in Measure for Measure — Shakespeare, William; Middleton, Thomas, rev.
Metadata
Play
Measure for Measure
Author
Shakespeare, William; Middleton, Thomas, rev.
Year (catalogued)
1623
First performance
1604
Decade
1620s
Genre
Tragicomedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
King's Men
Speech prefix(es)
Bawd. | Baw.
Words
233
Characters
1205
Typicality
0.25 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A11954.4
BritDrama no.
1413
Cluster
Cluster 15 — Devils, vices & grotesques
Important excerpts
Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 15 (ang, hunc, fleire, shillings, chil, sblood…). Matches are highlighted.
arrested: saw him carried away: and which is more, within these three days his head to be chopped off. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child. Thus, what with the war; what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am Custom-shrunke. How now? what's the news with you. And what shall
How now? what's the news with you. And what shall become of those in the City? But shall all our houses of resort in the Sub urbs be pulled down? Why here's a change indeed in the Common wealth: what shall become of me? What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? let's withdraw? Good my Lord be good to me, your Honour is accounted a
be good to me, your Honour is accounted a merciful man: good my Lord. My Lord, this is one Lucio is information a gainst me, Mistress Kate Keepe-downe was with child by him in the Dukes time, he promised her marriage: his Child is a year and a quarter old come Philip and In cob : I have kept it my self; and see how he goes
come Philip and In cob : I have kept it my self; and see how he goes about to abuse me. Well: what has he done? But what's his offence? What? is there a maid with child by him? What proclamation, man?
Full speech
Well, well: there's one yonder arrested, and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all. Marry Sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio. Nay, but I know it's so: I saw him arrested: saw him carried away: and which is more, within these three days his head to be chopped off. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child. Thus, what with the war; what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am Custom-shrunke. How now? what's the news with you. And what shall become of those in the City? But shall all our houses of resort in the Sub urbs be pulled down? Why here's a change indeed in the Common wealth: what shall become of me? What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? let's withdraw? Good my Lord be good to me, your Honour is accounted a merciful man: good my Lord. My Lord, this is one Lucio is information a gainst me, Mistress Kate Keepe-downe was with child by him in the Dukes time, he promised her marriage: his Child is a year and a quarter old come Philip and In cob : I have kept it my self; and see how he goes about to abuse me. Well: what has he done? But what's his offence? What? is there a maid with child by him? What proclamation, man?
Plot summary
Plot — Measure for Measure
Duke Vincentio appoints Angelo as his deputy during his absence from Vienna, but arranges to remain in the city disguised as a friar. He explains to Friar Thomas, who helps with the disguise, that his objective is the restoration of the strict penal laws against sexual immorality which he has allowed to slip; Angelo, famous for his rectitude, will be able to effect this without risk of personal censure. But the Duke is also interested in how Angelo himself will respond to the challenges and temptations of power. Angelo does as expected, enforcing the laws which make begetting a child out of wedlock a capital crime. Claudio is arrested: he has made his fiancée Julietta pregnant, having been unable to have their marriage publicly solemnized because her family disapproves and would withhold her dowry. Claudio asks his friend Lucio to get his sister Isabella, who is about to enter a nunnery, to intercede with Angelo on his behalf. Isabella goes to see Angelo, who initially rejects her pleas, but then defers a decision and asks to see her again. At the second meeting, he offers her a bargain: Claudio’s life will be spared in exchange for sex with her. When he learns of the proposal, Claudio is torn between honour and fear, but finally urges Isabella to accept; she is chastely unwilling to do so. The Duke overhears their conversation, enjoins Claudio to prepare himself for death, and offers Isabella an option. Angelo was engaged to marry Mariana, but jilted her after her dowry was lost at sea. As the Duke suggests, Isabella consents to sex with Angelo, but briefly and in darkness; Mariana then takes her place for the act itself, preserving Isabella’s chastity. Angelo, however, sends a message to the prison reinforcing the execution order and demanding that Claudio’s head be sent by way of proof. There is another prisoner under sentence of death, Barnardine, so the Duke proposes beheading him in Claudio’s place; but Barnardine is drunk and would therefore be damned if executed now. Luckily a third prisoner has just died of a fever, and his head is sent to Angelo as Claudio’s; Claudio himself is hidden in the prison pending the Duke’s return, and Isabella told that he has been executed. The Duke sends Angelo orders concerning his return: Angelo is to meet him at the city gates to give up his commission, and any grievances against him will be dealt with there. Isabella duly sues for justice, but the Duke refuses to believe her story, citing Angelo’s reputation for…