Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare Essay

I am constantly directed by you Mariana I am directed by you Isabella. Both these lines are address to the Duke. What do they suggest about wowork force status in this play? What otherwise evidence can you find to support your view? metre for Measure is a play written by William Shakespeare in the seventeenth coke which crucially presents the role of women. Women were viewed as pure and were not expected to be scant(p), but dependent on men with few options or choices.Shakespeares interpretation of women in Measure for Measure genuinely much reflects associations opinion of women at the time, where men had more freedom and should be demon more respect than women. The society at that time was a patriarchal one, where a male was a considered a God interchange commensurate figure and ultimately the leader, and below him was the king and then the nobles. However, although the society gave men more rights than women, Measure for Measure demonstrates that men too had more respo nsibilities.This is shown by means of the situation with Claudio and Juliet, as although they are both equally to blame for Juliets pregnancy, it is Claudio facing the death penalty. The women of Measure for Measure are generally rather low in the ranks of importance and respect they are not intercommunicate of with each importance. Juliet is the object of Claudios sexual release and Mariana is the long disconnected forgotten fiancee of Angelo, who was abandoned by him when she lost her dowry in a shipwreck.The only woman who kind of breaks the trend of the lowly women is Isabella, who has the heroism to stand up to Angelo for her sexual abstention. In the first half she is pushed between Angelo and Claudio darn she decides what to do and refuses to respond Angelos advances, then in the second half, she takes her orders from the Duke which shows that on the other hand she is still obedient toward the Duke, following all of his instructions. In Act V, Scene 1, the Duke shows h is opinion of women when talking to Mariana, he says Why, you are cryptograph then neither maid, widow nor wife.According to the Dukes shoot for of view, the other woman who truly is free is Mistress Overdone as she earns her own money and is able to get some freedom at least she doesnt have to stay at home cooking. The primary(prenominal) female character in Measure for Measure is Isabella she represents a very pure female character. This is first seen at the start of the play by the fact that she is training to become a nun and by the loyal Christian values she appears to have. This is then emphasized later when she is told her brothers life will be saved if he agrees to sleep with Angelo.She refuses this offer, placing her chastity and her Christian values above her own life. This illustrates that a womans purity is highly valued, while a woman being promiscuous is not accepted. Mariana is another female character in the play and she is kinda different to Isabella. None of t hese three men, Angelo, Claudio or the Duke, seem to think that her plectron matters- her body is to be bargained for whether for lust, life or love.When the duke asks Mariana to allow him a buck private discussion with Isabella, she replies, I am always bound to you, as if she is sermon to an old friend. And again, when the duke tells her he respects her, she answers that she knows it and has found it to be true, suggesting a long relationship. This statement also shows that she is his subject. The adjective bound means that she is obliged to do as he wishes and also compelled to do so. She uses the adverb always to him which shows that she will always follow his example and will do his will in any condition.Her absolute trust is manifested when she agrees to entrust her chastity as the Friar asks. In the Jacobean society Shakespeare lived in, women would have always done as they were compact by order of men, but especially if the order was tending(p) by a man of religion. Th ese words show the absolute compliance that the Duke is able to gain through becoming a disguise (pseudo-)friar. The Duke abuses this religious precedent to gain insight into peoples souls for his own ends.He knows that Angelo wishes Isabella to give up the treasures of her body and uses the two women to gain more power over Angelo. The same applies to when Isabella says to the Duke, I am directed by you, this statement also shows how women respected men and how men were above in authority. As mentioned above, thither are no independent women in Measure for Measure, this is not strange, considering the linguistic context and Shakespeares own era there are prostitutes and nuns who are given no chance to control their own lives most of all they seem to have no choice in any matter.