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Satire
Definition of Setting
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the city of New York, or it can be an imagined... read full definition
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the city of New York, or... read full definition
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the... read full definition
Setting
Explanation and Analysis:
Measure for Measure is the only play by Shakespeare that is set in Vienna, the capital city of Austria. In Shakespeare’s day, Vienna was part of the Holy Roman Empire, ruled by various monarchs of the Catholic Habsburg Dynasty. As a city strongly associated with Catholicism, Vienna was thought of by many in Britain—which was officially a Protestant nation—as an enemy to their faith and to their nation. The status of Vienna as a stronghold of Catholicism sets the stage for the play’s exploration of religious faith, moral purity, and civic virtue. In addition, the play features a number of characters who belong to Catholic religious orders, such as nuns and friars.
