The Complete Measure for Measure: An Annotated Edition of the Shakespeare Play
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Donald J. Richardson
Although he has long been eligible to retire, Donald J. Richardson continues to (try to) teach English Composition at Phoenix College in Arizona. He defines his life through his teaching, his singing, his volunteering, and his grandchildren.
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The Complete Measure for Measure - Donald J. Richardson
© 2015 Donald J. Richardson. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
Published by AuthorHouse 11/03/2015
ISBN: 978-1-5049-5914-8 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-5049-5915-5 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-5049-5913-1 (e)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015918024
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,
and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Contents
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
Works Cited
Other Books by Donald J. Richardson
Dust in the Wind, 2001
Rails to Light, 2005
Song of Fools, 2006
Words of Truth, 2007
The Meditation of My Heart, 2008
The Days of Darkness, 2009
The Dying of the Light, 2010
Between the Darkness and the Light, 2011
The Days of Thy Youth, 2012
Those Who Sit in Darkness¸ 2013
Just a Song at Twilight, 2014
Covered with Darkness, 2015
The Complete Hamlet, 2012
The Complete Macbeth, 2013
The Complete Romeo and Juliet, 2013
The Complete King Lear, 2013
The Complete Julius Caesar, 2013
The Complete Merchant of Venice, 2013
The Complete Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2013
The Complete Much Ado About Nothing, 2013
The Complete Twelfth Night, 2014
The Complete Taming of the Shrew, 2014
The Complete Tempest, 2014
The Complete Othello, 2014
The Complete Henry IV, Part One, 2014
The Complete Antony and Cleopatra, 2014
The Complete Comedy of Errors, 2014
The Complete Henry IV, Part Two, 2014
The Complete Henry V, 2014
The Tragedy of Richard the Third, 2015
The Complete Two Gentlemen of Verona, 2015
The Complete Richard the Second, 2015
The Complete Coriolanus, 2015
The Complete As You Like It, 2015
The Complete All’s Well That Ends Well, 2015
The Complete Love’s Labors Lost, 2015
ABOUT THE BOOK
Measure for Measure is usually considered one of [Shakespeare’s] unpleasant comedies
(Asimov, 635) since mercy is offered to the villain
(Asimov). The duplicity of the Duke is debatable, too, along with the final resolution which offers mercy toward the guilty. Like All’s Well That Ends Well, the play should foster discussion about the paternalistic and somewhat insensitive treatment of women and their right to control their own bodies. Critics have often debated both the quality of the justice the play delivers and its attempt to balance the respective claims of Law and Mercy
(Crewe, xlvii). Such debates continue today.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Donald J. Richardson is still trying to teach English Composition at Phoenix College.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
ACT I
SCENE I. An apartment in the DUKE’S palace.
Enter DUKE VINCENTIO, ESCALUS, Lords and Attendants
DUKE VINCENTIO
1 Escalus.
ESCALUS
2 My lord.
DUKE VINCENTIO
3 Of government the properties to unfold,
Of … unfold: to expound the qualities required for governing well
(Riverside, 584); properties: characteristics
(Nagarajan, 35)
4 Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse;
Seem … discourse: i.e. make me appear to be fond of talking for its own sake
(Riverside, 584; to affect: to have an affection for
(Mowat, 6)
5 Since I am put to know that your own science
Put to know: forced to recognize
; science: expert knowledge
(Riverside, 584)
6 Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice
In that: i.e., in this area
(Mowat, 6) lists: boundaries
(Riverside, 584)
7 My strength can give you: then no more remains,
Strength: capability
(Riverside, 584)
8 But that to your sufficiency as your worth is able,
But … work: "A crux that has inspired many emendations, none satisfactory. To provide a reference for them, commentators have explained sufficiency … worth as ‘authority … qualifications’ (or ‘qualifications … authority’), but in fact both words probably mean ‘qualifications.’ There is now wide agreement that a lacuna exists after sufficiency, or, less probably, after able." (Riverside, 584); worth: high personal merit
(Mowat, 6)
9 And let them work. The nature of our people,
The nature … justice: "i.e. our social, political, and judicial usages. Terms probably means ‘modes of procedure.’ The Duke shifts in this sentence to the ‘royal’ plural." (Riverside, 584)
10 Our city’s institutions, and the terms
Institutions: laws and customs
; terms / For common justice: i.e., legal procedures
(Mowat, 6)
11 For common justice, you’re as pregnant in
Pregnant: ready, i.e. well versed
(Riverside, 584)
12 As art and practice hath enriched any
Art: study, theory
(Riverside, 584)
13 That we remember. There is our commission,
We: i.e., I
(Mowat, 6)
14 From which we would not have you warp. Call hither,
Warp: deviate, turn aside
(Mowat, 6)
15 I say, bid come before us Angelo.
Exit an Attendant
16 What figure of us think you he will bear?
What … bear: i.e. how do you think he will represent me as my deputy. The figure is of the royal likeness stamped on wax or metal, to validate a seal or a coin
(Riverside, 584); figure: image
(Nagarajan, 36)
17 For you must know, we have with special soul
With special soul: i.e., using all of my mental powers
(Mowat, 6); soul: conviction (that the choice is right) (?)
(Riverside, 584)
18 Elected him our absence to supply,
Elected … supply: chosen him to fill my place in my absence
(Riverside, 584)
19 Lent him our terror, dress’d him with our love,
Lent … love: "i.e. bestowed on him the royal attributes that inspire terror and those that inspire love. Cf. the list of the ‘servants’ of kings in Henry VIIII, V.v.48: ‘peace, plenty, love, truth, terror.’" (Riverside, 584); dress’d him … love: perhaps, transferred to him the love that usually comes to me; or, perhaps, gave him my love in giving him the office
(Mowat, 6); terror: awesome power
Crewe, 3)
20 And given his deputation all the organs
His deputation: to him as my deputy
; organs: instruments
(Riverside, 584)
21 Of our own power: what think you of it?
ESCALUS
22 If any in Vienna be of worth
23 To undergo such ample grace and honor,
Undergo: sustain, bear up
(Riverside, 584); enjoy
(Mowat, 8)
24 It is Lord Angelo.
DUKE VINCENTIO
25 Look where he comes.
Enter ANGELO
ANGELO
26 Always obedient to your grace’s will,
27 I come to know your pleasure.
DUKE VINCENTIO
28 Angelo,
29 There is a kind of character in thy life,
Character: writing, i.e. clear indication
(Riverside, 584); i.e., behavior (literally, written sign or symbol) Today’s meaning of the words as a combination of characteristics that distinguish the individual is a later development of the word.
(Mowat, 8)
30 That to the observer doth thy history
To … unfold: i.e. enables an observer to predict what your future behavior will be
(Riverside, 584)
31 Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings
Unfold: reveal, disclose
(Mowat, 8); belongings: "qualities, attributes (the virtues of line 33)" (Riverside, 585)
32 Are not thine own so proper as to waste
Proper: exclusively
; waste: expend
(Riverside, 585); waste / Thyself … virtues: i.e. use up your powers in making yourself virtuous
(Mowat, 8)
33 Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.
They on thee: i.e., exhaust your virtues on perfecting yourself
(Mowat, 8)
34 Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,
Heaven … them not: See Luke 8.16: ‘No man when he lighteth a candle covereth it under a vessel … but setteth it on a candlestick that they enter in may see the light.’ See also Matthew 5.15-16.
(Mowat, 8)
35 Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues
36 Did not go forth of us, ’twere all alike
Did … us: i.e., were not active in the world
(Bevington, not paginated); forth of: i.e., out of
(Mowat, 8); all alike: precisely the same
(Riverside, 585)
37 As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch’d
Spirits: souls
(Bevington; finely touch’d: nobly stirred
(Crewe, 4); excellently endowed (with play on testing gold for fineness by means of a touchstone)
(Riverside, 585); touch’d: stirred, motivated
(Mowat, 8)
38 But to fine issues, nor Nature never lends
But … issues: i.e., unless something fine comes from them
(Crewe, 4); issues: purposes, ends
(Riverside, 585); actions, deeds
(Mowat, 8)
39 The smallest scruple of her excellence
Scruple: tiny amount (literally, the twenty-fourth of an ounce)
(Mowat, 8)
40 But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines
But … determines; i.e., without … demanding
(Mowat, 8); determines: allots (to)
(Riverside, 585); assumes
(Bevington)
41 Herself the glory of a creditor,
Herself: i.e., for herself
(Mowat, 8); glory: proud due
(Riverside, 585); privileges
(Bevington)
42 Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech
Use: interest
(Riverside, 585); bend: direct
(Mowat, 8)
43 To one that can my part in him advertise;
Can … advertise: "can instruct that part of me now vested in him, i.e. knows more about how to govern than I can tell him (cf. lines 5-7). Advertise is accented on the second syllable." (Riverside, 585); advertise: display prominently" (Nagarajan, 37)
44 Hold therefore, Angelo—
Hold: i.e. maintain your worthiness (?) or take this (the document, as in lines 13, 49) (?)
(Riverside, 585)
45 In our remove be thou at full ourself;
Remove: absence
; at full: "perhaps with play on part in line 43" (Riverside, 585); i.e., fully myself
(Mowat, 10); in every respect
; ourself: i.e., myself
(Bevington)
46 Mortality and mercy in Vienna
Mortality and mercy: "i.e. authority to pronounce sentence of death and freedom to temper justice with mercy. Cf. terror … love in line 19." (Riverside, 585)
47 Live in thy tongue and heart: old Escalus,
Tongue and heart: "with reference to Mortality and mercy respectively" (Riverside, 585)
48 Though first in question, is thy secondary.
First in question: i.e. first appointed
(Riverside, 585); secondary: subordinate
(Mowat, 10)
49 Take thy commission.
ANGELO
50 Now, good my lord,
Good my lord: i.e., my good lord
(Mowat, 10)
51 Let there be some more test made of my mettle
Mettle: "In Elizabethan English mettle and metal were variants of the same word, with primary meaning ‘substance.’ Here the sense now spelled metal carries on the coining imagery… . (Riverside, 585);
spirit" (Mowat, 10)
52 Before so noble and so great a figure
53 Be stamp’d upon it.
Stamp’d: i.e., as on a coin blank
(Crewe, 5)
DUKE VINCENTIO
54 No more evasion:
55 We have with a leaven’d and prepared choice
Leaven’d: i.e. pervaded by the gradual working of judgment (like the action of yeast in dough)
(Riverside, 585); well-considered
(Crewe, 5)
56 Proceeded to you; therefore take your honors.
57 Our haste from hence is of so quick condition
So quick condition: so urgent a nature
(Riverside, 585)
58 That it prefers itself and leaves unquestion’d
Prefers: advances, give priority to
; unquestion’d: undiscussed, uninvestigated
(Riverside, 585)
59 Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
Of needful value: i.e., highly important
; needful: indispensable
(Mowat, 10)
60 As time and our concernings shall importune,
Our concernings: matters of concern to us
; importune: urge, require
(Riverside, 585)
61 How it goes with us, and do look to know
Look to know: expect to be informed of
(Riverside, 585)
62 What doth befall you here. So, fare you well;
63 To the hopeful execution do I leave you
To … commissions: i.e., I leave you to carry out your commissions, no doubt successfully
(Mowat, 10); hopeful: a transferred modifier, rightly describing the Duke’s expectations
(Riverside, 585)
64 Of your commissions.
ANGELO
65 Yet give leave, my lord,
Leave: permission
(Mowat, 10)
66 That we may bring you something on the way.
Bring … way: escort you some distance on your way
(Riverside, 585)
DUKE VINCENTIO
67 My haste may not admit it;
Admit: i.e., allow
(Mowat, 10)
68 Nor need you, on mine honor, have to do
Have to do / With any scruple: i.e., have any doubts or hesitations
(Mowat, 10)
69 With any scruple; your scope is as mine own
Scruple: detail
(Evans, 422); hesitation
(Crewe, 5); misgiving
; scope: freedom to act; here, breadth of authority (a word that occurs five times in this play)
(Riverside, 585)
70 So to enforce or qualify the laws
Enforce or qualify: i.e. apply with greater or lesser severity
(Riverside, 585); qualify: mitigate
(Crewe, 5)
71 As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand:
72 I’ll privily away. I love the people,
I … it: Usually taken to allude to King James’s dislike of effusive English crowds. See II.iv.24-30.
585); privily: secretly
(Crewe, 5)
73 But do not like to stage me to their eyes:
Stage me: make public show of myself
(Riverside, 585)
74 Though it do well, I do not relish well
Though … do well: even if it is fitting
(Crewe, 5); do well: i.e. show their good will
(Riverside, 585); i.e., is appropriate
(Mowat, 12)
75 Their loud applause and aves vehement;
Aves: "acclamations (Latin ave, ‘hail,’ connected with acclaim of Caesar) (Riverside, 585);
shouts of welcome (Mowat, 12);
salutations" (Nagarajan, 38)
76 Nor do I think the man of safe discretion
Safe discretion: sound judgment
(Riverside, 585)
77 That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
Does affect: is fond of
(Riverside, 585)
ANGELO
78 The heavens give safety to your purposes!
Give safety to: protect, safeguard
(Riverside, 585)
ESCALUS
79 Lead forth and bring you back in happiness!
DUKE
80 I thank you. Fare you well.
Exit
ESCALUS
81 I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
82 To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
Free: frank
(Riverside, 585)
83 To look into the bottom of my place:
Look … place: determine how far my duties and authority extend
(Riverside, 585); place: official position
(Mowat, 12); bottom: full extent
(Crewe, 6)
84 A power I have, but of what strength and nature
A power: i.e., legal or delegated authority
(Mowat, 12)
85 I am not yet instructed.
ANGELO
86 ’Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together,
87 And we may soon our satisfaction have
Our satisfaction have: i.e., have our questions fully answered
(Mowat, 12); satisfaction: dispelling of uncertainty
(Riverside, 585)
88 Touching that point.
Touching: concering
(Mowat, 12)
ESCALUS
89 I’ll wait upon your honor.