Cole Elliott

ERH-321

1 November 2017

 

Measure for Measure Response Paper

 

Part 1

Prostitution in the early modern English framework was considered a crime. However, it was a prominent representation of society and was certainly going in in densely populated areas all over England. Editors Evo Kamps and Karen Raber comment on the area surrounding the Globe Theater, “the Londoner of the early seventeenth century would have passed block after block of ‘bawdy houses’, many secretly owned by famous figures of the day” (252). Just as in Measure for Measure the “bawdy houses” or other prostitution venues were owned by top-tier Viennese, many English were occupying themselves with prostitution—“Tavern’s and brothels were attractive investments for landlords” (252). Early modern English brothels and prostitution venues also were instrumental in their advertising efforts to attract clientele as they, “became established and acknowledged houses of resort, advertising through signage and probably also through the women who lingered in windows or on doorsteps” (257-258)—citing further that the prostitution industry was not something necessarily hidden or concealed. It was readily available for the public to view and to pursue in early modern England—particularly larger areas such as London. Furthermore, due to law enforcement practices and the undeveloped society, prostitution in early modern England was not seen as we see it today—“Prostitution was always presumably illegal, yet many women in the profession were preserved from the law’s long arm. In part this was because they had provided a service in much demand” (258). This perspective cites prostitution simply as an early modern English economic means to an end. It was the service-providing prostitutes that were simply stimulating the economy in an area of demand that needed to obtain more supply.

Part 2

Isabella’s character as an aspiring member of the clergy and overall dedication of her life to God is a very interesting mix in Measure for Measure. In the company of Mistress Overdone, Pompey, Claudio, Lucio, among others, she is the outlier that represents purity and sanctity in the midst of everything that is not these things. Isabella’s commitment and longevity of dedication are important character qualities that do not go unnoticed in the play. It also is noteworthy that Isabella’s commitment is one that stands at a time when she is persuaded to shy away from it in Claudio’s attempt to get her to surrender her virginity—and by nature pursuit to become a nun. This ability to remain constant in her commitment to the church and to God even in the midst of a family crisis involving her brother is important—considering that many women were experiencing real financial success in prostitution. In an era when the exploitation of women was happening constantly, Isabella is a beacon of feminine prowess. She exists in the play not only as a way to point human’s ability to do the right thing in the midst of wrong things occurring elsewhere, but also as a human figure that is committed to decency, fairness, and virtue. Prostitution was a tempting endeavor given the rewards and easily justified nature that existed in both early modern England and Vienna. It was something that was not condemned to the point where citizens could associate it with criminal punishment or mistreatment of a woman’s body, and therefore it’s emergence secures the lack of development of society, and secures that characters like Isabella are anamolies.

 

 

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. Measure for Measure. Ed. Ivo Kamps and Karen Raber. Boston:     Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004.