MEASURE FOR MEASURE - THEMES (DEFINITIONS / DESCRIPTIONS)

Question 1

THEME: MERCY

• Stops something unpleasant
• Kindness
• Forgiving someone else

Answer 1

• Throughout the play, Shakespeare adopts a Christian worldview and considers different notions of mercy.
• The play examines the contrasting views and values expressed by the characters and illustrates their own perception of mercy. The quality of mercy/grace expressed by the characters also influences their ability to forgive others for their wrongful actions.

Question 2

THEME: HUMAN INSTINCTS

• Humans are the only beings capable of controlling their behaviour

Answer 2

• Shakespeare examines the moral corruption within society through the characters’ inherent tendencies.

Question 3

THEME: THE NATURE OF HUMANITY

• People in general (Being Human)
• Qualities / characteristics of people
• Understanding and kindness towards other people

Answer 3

• The nature of humanity and a person’s capacity to understand other people are significant concerns of the play.
• The nature of humanity and a person’s capacity to understand other people are explicitly examined in Shakespeare’s play.

Question 4

THEME: LOVE

• Platonic love (Loving)
• Sexual love
• Paternal love
• Christian love
• Love of God
• Self-love
• Sibling love
• Marital love (Marriage)
• Romantically and sexually attracted to them
• Strong feelings

Answer 4

• Shakespeare motley examines the moral corruption within society through the nature of love.

…The marital love between…

…Isabella’s strong faith in Christianity and her love for God demonstrates her moral integrity and her ability to exercise self-restraint…

Question 5

THEME: LEADERSHIP

• Skills and ability
• Impotence: Inability to take effective action. Helplessness

Answer 5

• The moral corruption within society is caused by the incompetence of rulers and a lack of proper enforcement of the law.
• The ability and skills of being a good leader are explicitly examined in Shakespeare’s play.

Question 6

THEME: JUSTICE

• That punishment should be proportionate to the offence
• The human law
• Providential justice

Answer 6

• In the play, the moral corruption within society is caused by a lack of proper enforcement of the law. Thus (Thereby), Shakespeare examines the human law as a flawed reflection of divine justice.

Question 7

THEME: LAW/ORDER/GOVERNANCE

- Legal immediacy

Answer 7

• The moral corruption within society is caused by the incompetence of rulers and a lack of proper enforcement of the law.

Question 8

THEME: POWER

- Power to either sentence to death or grant mercy

Answer 8

• The play explores the corruptive nature of power through the moral corruption within society.
• The corruptive nature of power are explicitly examined in Shakespeare’s play.

Question 9

THEME: APPEARANCES

• What things look like or seem to be…
• …rather than what they actually are

Answer 9

• The notion that people are not always what they seem to be is vastly explored in Shakespeare’s problematic play.