Measure for Measure

by

William Shakespeare

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“Measure for Measure” Symbol Analysis

Read our modern English translation.
“Measure for Measure” Symbol Icon
The play’s title derives from one of Jesus’s biblical sayings: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with that judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure you meet, it shall be measured unto you again.” (Matthew 7:1-2). The sense of this quote—and the moral of the play—boil down to a warning that everyone should, when judging others, be mindful of his or her own sins. After all, the fates of Lucio and Angelo illustrate that those who try to obscure personal faults by judging others harshly end up paying full “measure” for their misconduct.

“Measure for Measure” Quotes in Measure for Measure

The Measure for Measure quotes below all refer to the symbol of “Measure for Measure”. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Virtue Theme Icon
).
Act 4, Scene 1 Quotes

Nor, gentle daughter, fear you not at all.
He is your husband on a pre-contract:
To bring you thus together ’tis no sin,
Sith that the justice of your title to him
Doth flourish the deceit. Come, let us go,
Our corn’s to reap, for yet our tithe’s to sow.

Related Characters: The Duke (speaker), Mariana
Related Symbols: “Measure for Measure”
Page Number: 4.1.78-83
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 1 Quotes

For this new-married man approaching here,
Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong’d
Your well-defended honor, you must pardon
For Mariana’s sake; but as he adjudg’d your brother—
Being criminal, in double violation
Of sacred chastity and of promise-breach,
Thereon dependant, for your brother’s life—
The very mercy of the law cries out
Most audible, even from his proper tongue,
“An Angelo for Claudio, death for death!”
Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure;
Like doth quit like, and Measure still for Measure.
Then, Angelo, thy fault’s thus manifested;
Which though thou wouldst deny, denies thee vantage.
We do condemn thee to the very block
Where Claudio stoop’d to death, and with like haste.
Away with him!

Related Characters: The Duke (speaker), Isabella, Claudio, Angelo, Mariana
Related Symbols: “Measure for Measure”
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 5.1.455-475
Explanation and Analysis:
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