How Does Shakespeare Use Power In Measure For Measure

Throughout the play Measure for Measure, William Shakespeare utilizes iambic pentameter and the lack thereof to showcase to the audience the Duke’s authority. Whenever the Duke is disguised as a friar, he speaks in prose, in opposition of iambic pentameter. The playwright does this to denote to the audience that the Duke is not being authoritative. Since he is trying to stay hidden as an unknown friar, it is in his best interest to not command others around as if he is the Duke. Furthermore, when the Duke is disguised as a friar and Lucio strikes up conversation with him and disrespectfully talks about the Duke, Shakespeare purposefully has the Duke accidentally talk in iambic pentameter. Up to this point, the Duke has spoken in prose while disguised; having him break it now

In the ending scenes of Measure for Measure, the Duke has Lucio married to the woman, the one he had a child with, after being convicted. The playwright does this to express how similar the Duke and Angelo are with the use of their power. Angelo used his power to try and force Isabella to do something against her will, and here is the Duke forcing marriage upon Lucio and his wife against both of their wills (he does not even ask his wife if this is ok, he just does it.) This contradiction is intentful to show the audience that the Duke is not as pure as he is made out to be. In addition, he forces the marriage between Angelo and his wife too. He is obviously abusing his authority and morals in order to best fit his laws. There is no situation where two individuals should be forced to marry if they do not wish, the Duke doing this is wrong morally and wrong in the sense of what he should be using his authority for. Ultimately, through William Shakespeare’s clever use of the Duke to force marriages vividly entails that the Duke and Angelo are only two different sides of the same