Abuse Of Power In Measure For Measure By Shakespeare

In both stories Measure for Measure by Shakespeare and selections from Heptameron by de Navarre, the theme of the uneven application of the law becomes very apparent. In both of these stories, main characters face abuse of power by an authoritative figure, or they are the ones abusing this power. In each case, one character or another is accused of breaking a law surrounding intercourse and consensual relationships. It seems that in this century, you were only allowed to have sex if you were married, a man was only allowed to cheat on a woman, and if a woman cheated on a man, there would be hell to pay. These laws surrounding intercourse are clearly broken in each story, and the following examples will support this.
In Measure for Measure, …show more content…
Two of the main characters Juliet and Claudio, had a true written contract to get married to each other described in the following speech by Claudio and he also describes the mutuality of their relationship, “Thus stands it with me: upon a true contract I got possession of Julietta’s bed…The stealth of our most mutual entertainment / With character too gross is writ on Juliet” (12). As the play proceeds and Claudio is waiting in his jail cell for his execution day, the reader gets to hear Juliet’s side of the story. She tells the Duke that their relations were mutual and that she truly does love Claudio, “Duke: Love you the man that wronged you? Juliet: Yes, as I love the woman that wronged him.”… “Duke: So then it seems your most offenseful act was mutually committed? Juliet: Mutually.” (38-39). This statement by Juliet further shows that their contract was mutual and that neither party was technically breaking the law. The character Claudio, was talked about as being plucked out of society as someone to make a name of the law, so the ruler, Angelo, was handpicking people who broke the law, rather than fully enforcing it and arresting every single person who has committed this offense of …show more content…
Like in Measure for Measure, when Angelo sentenced Claudio to death for having sex out of wedlock, but Claudio and Juliet had a true contract. Juliet wasn’t persecuted for committing this crime, only Claudio was, and Angelo himself was having sex out of wedlock. Also, like in Heptameron, when only women were being persecuted for sex out of wedlock while it was condoned for men and the prior in one story where he was abusing his power when trying to sleep with a nun and didn’t get in trouble for it, and women were being far more punished for these affairs like the woman who had to drink out of her lovers skull, and after a long time of feeling guilty, the husband “reinstated” her. These instances could highlight how monarchs worked in this time period and further highlights Machiavelli’s viewpoints of how it is better to be feared by your people than loved, because you will be able to maintain complete control over