Measuring “Measure”
Monday, September 10th by scott malia“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
The above passage from Matthew 7:2 is commonly believed to be the source of the title of Shakespeare’s “problem play” Measure for Measure. The line is excerpted from the famous Sermon on the Mount and has drawn a variety of interpretations. A recent editorial looked at some of those interpretations (both in the Bible and in the play) from a political point of view. According to the editorial’s author, Jerry Bowyer, everybody appropriates the passage for their own purposes. For the liberals it’s a “judge not lest ye be judged” declaration, while conservatives align it more with “an eye for an eye.” The truth, Bowyer argues, lies somewhere in the middle.
Applying these interpretations to the play presents similar challenges. It can’t be solely interpreted as a statement against judgments, because the play hinges on the moral judgments of the characters, particularly Angelo and Isabella. On the other side, the play is also not pro-judgment, as the severity (not to mention hypocrisy) of Angelo’s sentencing of Claudio is portrayed in a less-than-flattering light. Even Bowyer’s notion that the passage and the play represent a broader-based statement about leadership is not without its problems. If Measure for Measure is about leadership, is the Duke supposed to be a good example of it in contrast to Angelo’s abuses? If so, why does he ask Isabella to forsake the virtue for which she has fought so hard throughout the play by marrying him? Shakespeare buffs debate whether Isabella’s silence following this question indicates acceptance or refusal, yet the real measure of this play is why the Duke puts her in the position of having to answer.
