Name: Measure for Measure: A Play
Price: 648.00 TWD
Availability: InStock
Author: William Shakespeare
ISBN: 9781495354199

Type

Physical Book

Author

William Shakespeare

Publisher

Createspace

Language

English

Pages

Format

Paperback

Dimensions

22.9 x 15.2 x 0.5 cm

Weight

0.14 kg.

ISBN13

9781495354199

Synopsis "Measure for Measure: A Play"

Measure for Measure is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604. It was (and continues to be) classified as comedy, but its mood defies those expectations. As a result and for a variety of reasons, some critics have labelled it as one of Shakespeare's problem plays. Originally published in the First Folio of 1623 (where it was first labelled as a comedy), the play's first recorded performance was in 1604. The play deals with the issues of mercy, justice, and truth and their relationship to pride and humility: "Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall." The play draws on two distinct sources. The original is "The Story of Epitia," a story from Cinthio's Hecatommithi, first published in 1565. Shakespeare was familiar with this book as it contains the original source for Shakespeare's Othello. Cinthio also published the same story in a play version with some small differences, of which Shakespeare may or may not have been aware. The original story is an unmitigated tragedy in that Isabella's counterpart is forced to sleep with Angelo's counterpart, and her brother is still killed. The other main source for the play is George Whetstone's 1578 lengthy two-part closet drama Promos and Cassandra, which itself is sourced from Cinthio. Whetstone adapted Cinthio's story by adding the comic elements and the bed and head tricks. The title, which appears as a line of dialogue in the play, is usually thought to be a reference to the Bible, Matthew 7:2: For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

William Shakespeare

(Author)

View Author's Page

William Shakespeare (Stratford-upon-Avon, c. April 23, 1564jul. - Ibid., April 23/May 3, 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor. Often known as the Bard of Avon (or simply the Bard), he is considered the most important writer in the English language and one of the most famous in world literature.

According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, "Shakespeare is generally acknowledged as the greatest of all time writers, a unique figure in the history of literature. The fame of other poets, such as Homer and Dante Alighieri, or novelists such as Leo Tolstoy or Charles Dickens, has transcended national barriers, but none has achieved the reputation of Shakespeare, whose works today are read and performed more frequently and in more countries than ever. The prophecy of one of his great contemporaries, Ben Jonson, has thus been fulfilled: 'Shakespeare does not belong to one age but to eternity'".

Among his most notable works are Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. His ability to portray the complexities of human nature, along with his mastery in the use of verse and language, has made him a timeless figure.

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