Duke Vincentino in Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. The Playwright Within The Play

Seminar paper from the year 2017 in the subject Didactics for the subject English - Literature Works grade: 20 Leuphana Universität Lüneburg language: English abstract: With Duke Vincentino Shakespeare has created a very ambiguous character in Measure for Measure one that seems to split critics up into two camps - Is this Duke a figure of Christian Providence who has complete control over his surroundings? Or should he be seen as a coward with inappropriate judgement will try to discuss it along the following research question: To what extent does Duke Vincentino act as a playwright at work within the play? As a basis for the analysis I am going to introduce the Duke in a characterization which will include a closer look at his personal traits as well as his relations with other characters in the play. After this overview of the Duke's character and affairs I will advance to analyzing them in context of the play more deeply. This part will consist of three subchapters in which I will go into more detail of the different roles the Duke takes on throughout the play. First in 'The Disguise (Acts I.I-II.II)' I will elaborate on the Duke's motives to officially leave the city but actually stay in disguise as Friar Lodowick. I will then proceed to the analysis of Acts II.II-IV in which I hope to shine a light on the way the Duke pulls the strings of the other characters and thereby controls the plot with a focus on his schemes that are often referred to as the 'bedtrick' and the 'headtrick'. Finally I am going to discuss the denouement in Act V. Conclusively I am going to discuss whether the Duke's manipulations contribute to an achievement of justice or not. To finalize the conclusion I am going to refer back to and possibly answer the research question presented above.