Measure for Measure (Penguin) (Shakespeare, Penguin)
The pride and hypocrisy of ideologues fill Measure to Measure. As the title implies, moderate sensibilities become the virtuous ones by the play’s end. The extremes are rounded. The cracks in Angelo’s strict piousness are revealed and Isabella’s chaste virtue is tarnished by her pimping of Mariana. The Duke’s behind-the-scenes machinations are the actions of a sensible, but morally ambiguous, man.Though Troilus and Cressida shows it’s Aristotelian influences more overtly, Measure for Measure acts out the golden mean. The cost of imposing our morality sometimes escapes us and Shakespeare is more than happy to tally the bill.
Also, in all honesty, who doesn’t like to see stuck-up, self-righteous people look bad?
