Measure for Measure as a Comedy

Measure for Measure as a Comedy:

By the end of the sixteenth century, it became clear that Elizabeth’s prosperous reign was coming to an end. Her replacement would be her cousin James, who sought to replace Elizabeth’s strong, maternal leadership and establish his absolute authority as an authoritarian ruler. During this time of transition, England entered into what Professor Little described as an era of disillusionment. The Jacobean Era, which lasted from 1603-1625 was vastly different from the optimistic, confident England of the Elizabethan Era, which persisted from 1558-1603. By the 1590s, the mood of England had already darkened. The English feared the impending reign of James, especially after his plans as king leaked in the Basilicon Duron. Professor Little suggested that once James became king, the English lost a lot of their hope. They had already determined that Catholicism was not the answer they were looking for, but now they also began to question whether Protestantism was really an improvement. From there, everything seemed dark, hopeless, and even dead. Much of the art of the period reflects this hopelessness, and Shakespeare’s plays throughout the Jacobean Era are often darker and more tragic.

Measure for Measure, a comedy first performed in the Jacobean Era, might seem out of place in an era of hopelessness and disillusionment. Measure for Measure, though, is not a typical Shakespeare comedy, and it often reflects the darkness of the atmosphere in which it was created. For a comedy, Measure for Measure dwells a lot on death. Even though there is no blood or murder, Measure for Measure alludes to death almost as much as Macbeth and Othello. The play constantly refers to executions, and as Professor Little pointed out, all of the main characters in Measure for Measure are already essentially dead. Mariana statically waits in the grange, Isabella plans to give up a part of her life and enter the nunnery, and Claudio is about to literally lose his life. All of these situations reflect individuals being isolated and alone, and even in the end, when all of the characters pair off to be married, many are unsatisfied and the conclusion feels very forced. This play, then, fits into this Jacobean tradition, even if it is a comedy, because dark elements constantly impose on the comedic.

Laura Anderson
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