Measure for Measure : Summary

Summary

Duke Vincentio’s voluntary abdication: Duke Vincentio, the ruler of Vienna, was also unmarried despite his advanced age. Being a philanthropist, he could not punish anyone severely even if he committed a serious crime. The duke knows very well that this mental weakness of his is not conducive to running the kingdom. After much thought, he decided to leave the administration of the kingdom in the hands of a competent assistant and he would hide inside the country for a few days, from there keeping an eye on the administration in disguise. The duke, in consultation with his elder councilor Escalus, transferred the entire administration of the kingdom to his privileged assistant, Angelo. He then secretly took refuge for a time in the monastery of St. Thomas on the outskirts of the city. He didn’t tell anyone where he was going before he left. Even the new ruler, Angelo, doesn’t know. Everyone knew that he was going to Poland for a few days. On his way, Duke Vincentio assured Angelo that he would write occasionally to check on the state of affairs.

Claudio’s execution is announced by Angelo: A few days after the duke leaves the kingdom. An elderly citizen arrives in Vienna and complains to Angelo that a nobleman named Claudio has kidnapped his daughter Juliet and impregnated her. Juliet’s father demanded that Claudio be punished for his crimes. According to the prevailing law of Vienna, the only punishment for such crimes is death. After hearing the accusation, Angelo orders Claudio’s arrest. The guards arrest Claudio and bring him in. At the palace, Angelo declares the execution of Claudio for adultery. After the sentence was announced, the guards took Claudio to prison

Meanwhile, Lucio visits Claudio in prison after hearing that his friend Claudio is in prison. He asks Claudio, what crime he committed for which Angelo sentenced him to death. Claudio says he didn’t kidnap Juliet. Rather, their marriage was already arranged. Because of the marriage, he demands some dowry from Juliet’s parents. But Juliet’s parents refused to pay the dowry as per his demand. So he takes Juliet to the church and secretly marries her. After that, they live as husband and wife. As a result, Juliet becomes pregnant. Juliet’s father hears the news and goes to Angelo to complain that Claudio has kidnapped his daughter. Without verifying the truth of the charges, Claudius was imprisoned and ordered to be executed. Claudio says to Lucio, “Dude! Will you do me a favor”?

Lucio says, “Tell me what to do”? Now Claudio tells Lucio, “My sister Isabella joined a girl’s convent a few days ago with the hope of becoming a nun. She is studying there. If this time is spent properly, she will become a full-fledged nun. You will go to that convent and meet Isabella and tell her about me. Tell her to meet Angelo and beg for my life. Isabella has the power to convince people with reason. I believe she can do it”.

Isabella arrives at Angelo to beg for Claudio’s life: At the request of a friend, Lucio comes to the monastery and tells Isabella everything. After hearing everything, Isabella went to Angelo, the royal representative, with permission from the monastery. She knelt before him and begged for her brother’s life. After listening to Isabella’s plea, Angelo said, “I am very sorry.” I have nothing to do about it. Claudio will be executed tomorrow. Isabella was surprised and said, tomorrow will be the death penalty?

Angelo said solemnly, “Yes, the execution will take place tomorrow.” Isabella then pleads with Angelo for her brother’s release. Hearing these reasonable words, Angelo became weak towards Isabella. Then Angelo said to Isabella, Tomorrow I will tell you my decision. In fact, Angelo now began to think of himself as a duke. When Isabella comes to him the next day, he tells her that if Isabella spends one night with him, he will forgive Isabella’s brother. Isabella was very angry. He looked at Angelo in disgust and left the palace.

Duke returns to Vienna in disguise: Meanwhile, news of Claudio’s execution reaches Duke Vincentio. The duke returned to Vienna in the guise of a monk. He visits Claudio in prison in disguise. At that time Isabella also appeared. The disguised Duke went into the next room to listen to the sibling’s conversation. Isabel said she went to Angelo to beg for Claudio’s life but Angelo gave her a bad offer. That’s why she didn’t agree to his proposal. Claudio then tells Isabella, “You will not agree to his proposal at all”. But after a while, Claudio realized that he would not live without it. So he tells his sister to agree to Angelo’s proposal.

Isabella angrily said, “Shit, Claudio, you are so selfish! I decided to become a nun, and you are asking your sister to lose my virginity for your own life? Death is the only punishment for a sinner like you”. Hearing this, Claudio burst into tears. Just then, the monk Duke Vincentio arrives there. He goes there and tells Isabella to accept Angelo’s proposal. When Isabella refuses to agree, the Duke says that Mariana will actually spend the night in Isabella’s place. So here comes a question, why would Mariana spend the night with Angelo instead of Isabella? Angelo was actually supposed to be married to Mariana. But Angelo did not marry her due to a lack of dowry. In fact, Mariana’s brother Duke Frederick was bringing his sister’s dowry by ship. But suddenly a storm arose in the sea and he died along with all the goods. And that’s why Angelo didn’t marry Mariana after not getting a dowry. But Mariana still loves Angelo very much. So if Isabella initially agrees to Angelo’s proposal according to the Duke’s plan, it will be better in three ways.

1. Angelo can be married to Mariana by committing the same sin as Claudio
2. Isabella must not lose her virginity
3. Her brother Claudio’s life would also be spared

So after hearing all the words of the disguised Duke, Isabella finally agreed. So then the Duke goes to see Mariana. Mariana lives in the old mansion of St. Luke’s. He went there and explained everything to Mariana. Mariana agrees to do as he says. Meanwhile, Isabella meets Angelo. And she agrees to spend one night with Angelo on his terms to save her brother. Isabella then meets Mariana. At night, Mariana and Isabella go to Angelo’s palace together. Isabella walks in, leaving Mariana there. The Duke had previously forbidden Mariana to speak unless necessary.

Meanwhile, Angelo cheats. The Duke hears that Angelo has not canceled the order to kill Claudio. So just as Claudio is about to be killed, the Duke goes to jail and rescues Claudio. In fact here the impersonated Duke told the jailer that he knew Angelo and the Duke. He showed the duke’s seal as proof. So looking at this seal, one can understand that this person is someone very close to their duke. So Claudio was released. That day a robber named Ragozin died after a long illness. He looked a lot like Claudio. Jailer says he will send Rogozin’s severed head to Angelo and hides Claudio.

Isabella appears as the Duke leaves. Mariana is spending the night at the palace with Angelo tonight, she tells the Duke. Now Isabella wants to know if Claudio’s death sentence has been canceled. The duke replied, “No, his sentence of death was not revoked. He was put to death.” The disguised duke said this deliberately. Isabella breaks down in tears after hearing the news of Claudio’s death. The duke tells Isabella, “What is to be done is done. The duke is returning to town in a few days, to whom Isabella should tell everything.”

Duke’s Homecoming: This time Duke Vincentio wrote in a letter to Angelo when he is coming back to the country. On the appointed day he renounced his monastic guise and returned to Vienna. Angelo welcomes him to town. There Isabella confides her grievances to the Duke. She says Angelo spent the night with him, yet he killed his brother. So at this time Mariana comes there and says, I spent the night with Angelo. So the duke was very angry with Angelo. He wanted to execute him. Because he has committed the same sin as Claudio spending the night with Mariana before marriage. However, Mariana and Isabella beg the duke’s forgiveness for him. Claudio was then brought before everyone at the duke’s command.

The Duke then asks Angelo to marry Mariana. Angelo eventually marries Mariana. Meanwhile, Claudio gets permission to marry Juliet. And the Duke tells Isabella, “You are not quite a nun yet. It is all right that you are going to be a nun. But think again. I want to marry you.” So Isabella agreed to the Duke’s proposal and they were married. And here the drama ends.