By William Shakespeare(Playwright)
The Duke of Vienna, Vincentio, temporarily steps away from his duties, leaving his strict and puritanical deputy, Angelo, in charge. Angelo immediately enforces draconian laws regarding sexual morality, sentencing Claudio to death for impregnating his fiancée, Juliet.Claudio’s sister, Isabella, a young novice nun, pleads with Angelo to spare her brother. Angelo propositions her: he will pardon Claudio if Isabella will sleep with him. Isabella refuses, but the Duke—who has disguised himself as a friar to secretly observe the city—intervenes. He orchestrates a "bed trick" (substituting Mariana, Angelo's jilted former fiancée, for Isabella) to satisfy Angelo's demand without compromising Isabella's virtue. Angelo breaks his promise anyway, prompting the Duke to reveal himself, expose Angelo’s hypocrisy, and deliver a dramatic conclusion that blends mercy, justice, and marriage.
Spoiler Warning! Click the scene to expand for Summary and Characters.
| Act | Scene | Setting | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I | An apartment in the Duke's Palace | |
| I | II | A street in Vienna | |
| I | III | A monastery | |
| I | IV | The nunnery of St. Clare | |
| II | I | A hall in Angel's house. | |
| II | II | Another room in the same. | |
| II | III | A room in a Prison. | |
| II | IV | A room in Angel's house. | |
| III | I | A room in the Prison. | |
| III | II | The street before the Prison | |
| IV | I | A room in Mariana's house. | |
| IV | II | A room in the Prison. | |
| IV | III | Another room in the same. | |
| IV | IV | A room in Angelo's house. | |
| IV | V | Fields without the town. | |
| IV | VI | A street near the City Gate | |
| V | I | A public place near the City Gate |
| Character Name | Gender | Age | Lines | Scenes | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vincentio, the Duke | Male | — | 189 | Act I, Scene IAct I, Scene IIIAct II, Scene IIIAct III, Scene IAct III, Scene II | |
| Isabella | Female | — | 129 | Act I, Scene IVAct II, Scene IIAct II, Scene IVAct III, Scene IAct IV, Scene I | |
| Lucio | Male | — | 108 | Act I, Scene IIAct I, Scene IVAct II, Scene IIAct III, Scene IIAct IV, Scene III | |
| Angelo | Male | — | 83 | Act I, Scene IAct II, Scene IAct II, Scene IIAct II, Scene IVAct IV, Scene IV | |
| Escalus | Male | — | 79 | Act I, Scene IAct II, Scene IAct III, Scene IIAct IV, Scene IVAct V, Scene I | |
| Provost | Male | — | 67 | Act I, Scene IIAct II, Scene IAct II, Scene IIAct II, Scene IIIAct III, Scene I | |
| Pompey, the Clown | Male | — | 61 | Act I, Scene IIAct II, Scene IAct III, Scene IIAct IV, Scene IIAct IV, Scene III | |
| Claudio | Male | — | 35 | Act I, Scene IIAct III, Scene IAct IV, Scene II | |
| Elbow | Male | — | 27 | Act II, Scene IAct III, Scene II | |
| Mariana | Female | — | 24 | Act IV, Scene IAct IV, Scene VIAct V, Scene I | |
| Mistress Overdone | Female | — | 15 | Act I, Scene IIAct III, Scene II | |
| First Gentleman | Male | — | 13 | Act I, Scene II | |
| Abhorson | Male | — | 13 | Act IV, Scene IIAct IV, Scene III | |
| Froth | Male | — | 8 | Act II, Scene I | |
| Second Gentleman | Male | — | 8 | Act I, Scene II | |
| Barnardine | Male | — | 7 | Act IV, Scene III | |
| Juliet | Female | — | 7 | Act I, Scene IIAct II, Scene III | |
| Friar Peter | Male | — | 7 | Act IV, Scene VAct IV, Scene VIAct V, Scene I | |
| Friar Thomas | Male | — | 3 | Act I, Scene III | |
| Servant to Angelo | Male | — | 3 | Act II, Scene IIAct II, Scene IV | |
| Justice | Male | — | 3 | Act II, Scene I | |
| Francisca | Female | — | 2 | Act I, Scene IV | |
| Messenger | Male | — | 1 | Act IV, Scene II | |
| Varrius | Male | — | 0 | Act IV, Scene VAct V, Scene I | |
| A boy | Male | — | — | Act IV, Scene I |
= You have a physical copy of a program from this production stop in your personal collection.
Swipe sideways to see all columns.
| Collection | Opening Night | 🎭 Production Name | 🏛️ Company | 🏢 Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 1981 | Measure for Measure | Lyttelton Theatre London, England, United Kingdom | ||
| 24 Mar 1981 | Measure for Measure | Hull New Theatre Hull, England, United Kingdom |