Measure For Measure Problem Play

Comedies Histories Tragedies Late Romances

All's Well That Ends Well

Main Classifications

Probably written around same time but no intention to group them

Troilus and Cressida

Don't fit

Roman Plays

Measure for Measure Hamlet ?

J Dover Wilson

Shakespeare having personal difficulties

Mood of country changed when Elizabeth dies and James I acceded Development of Shakespeare as a dramatist

Some critics have suggested why these plays are problematic

1st half tragedy - poetry 2nd half comedy - prose Angelo's fall

Surprises and reversals

Does not neatly fit the standard classifications/genres Play about a moral problem

2 part Structure

3 definitions

Problem Play Tragi-Comedy

Unsure of the intent and the extent to which achieved

Duke's marriage ? Duke as Deus ex machina

Measure For Measure

Contain decadent or morbid elements - dark

Angelo's desire vs. morality Conflicts

Raises difficult ethical questions

Isabella's desire to save brother vs. chastity Abuses of power (Duke and Angelo)

Unsatisfactory outcome

Rebellion of a codpiece

Comedies start with trouble but end happily Tragedies start happily but end badly

Isabella's resolution

Comedy

Meaning

Sub plot 4 marriages

Duke always in control to will never descend to complete tragedy Thought-provoking Dilemmas

1896 - from Ibsen/Shaw

Disturbing moral implications with comic parallels

Lawrence - at the close our feeling is neither of simple joy or pain Fletcher - ...no tragedy; yet brings some near it, which is enough to make it no comedy

Problem Play.mmap - 28/05/2009 - Roger Knight

By Boas

Term used

'comedy for the most part takes the grim form of dramatic satire'

By E M Tillyard

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