Isabella is an innocent young woman who dreams of becoming a nun, but when she is informed of her brothers fate, she is faced with a difficult choice. Claudio is an honest, hardworking man who is far from any kind of evil...

He tells her that Angelo's former lover, Mariana, was engaged to be married to him, but he abandoned her when she lost her dowry in a shipwreck. The Duke forms a plan by which Isabella will agree to have sex with the Angelo, but then Mariana will go in her place...

1604 The title: Measure for Measure ? What does the title suggest about the themes or narrative? ? Have you heard the term "measure for measure" before? Where does it come from? Read the plot synopsis Act 1 scene 1 Read the Duke`s opening speech ? What is he saying? ? What are the Duke`s principal interests and concerns? ? Which words or phrases suggest possible themes and ideas to be developed? ? How might the Duke deliver these lines? tone of voice? Read to line 24 ? Why might the Duke appoint Angelo as his deputy and not Escalus? ? How does Escalus respond? Read lines 27- 47 ? Comment on the Duke`s attitude to Angelo ? what does he say and how does he say it? ? What is Angelo`s response to the Duke`s commission? Read to the end of the scene ? Why is he leaving? ? What might be suggested about the Duke`s character? ? Why don`t Escalus and Angelo ask questions? ? What unanswered questions are we left with at the end of the scene? How is this dramatically effective? Language analysis Images of money and forgery echo through the play...

Unfortunately, Claudio is the one who reaps the wrath of Angelo. Escalus understands that there has to be something done about Claudio's offense of the law, but it does not seem as if he is in total agreement when Angelo sentences Claudio to death for fornication...