This section contains 2,932 words (approx. 8 pages at 400 words per page) |
Source: "The Duke As Politician,"_ in Measure for Measure: Casuistry and Artistry, The Catholic University of America Press, 1990, pp. 16-24.
[Seiden identifies two different and contradictory personalities of the Duke: one, a "shy and diffident" scholar who shuns contract with his people; and the other, a "man who relishes both the hidden power of the dramatist and the excitement of acting," Seiden asserts, however, that since these two conflicting roles are treated separately in the play and with equal authority by Shakespeare, neither undercuts the Duke's ultimate ability to bring merciful justice to Vienna, nor does either diminish the power of Shakespeare's play to entertain us- particularly in the second half, where the action is effectively stage-managed by the Duke]
If by its title Measure for Measure implies a quantified equality, a moderate and orderly apportioning of whatever it is that is going to be measured out...
This section contains 2,932 words (approx. 8 pages at 400 words per page) |