"Measure for Measure"

by T F Wharton

Published 24 July 1989
This new interpretation of "Measure for Measure" guides its readers through recent criticism of the play and suggests that Shakespeare's Duke conducts a "moral experiment" on his subjects, designed to satisfy his curiosity about human nature and to re-establish his own power. "The Critics Debate" series aims to help delineate various critical approaches to specific literary texts, and to introduce the reader to further reading on the subject and to a fuller evaluation of a particular text by illustrating the way it has been approached in a number of contexts. T.F.Wharton is the author of "Samuel Johnson and the Theme of Hope", "Henry IV Parts 1 & 2" and "Moral Experiment in Jacobean Drama".