Adventures in Classic Readings Sponsored by the FOL's Ruth D. Bogen Memorial Fund

This reading group, facilitated by Dr. Laury Magnus, Professor of English, will feature great classic works -- ancient to contemporary -- as well as participatory reading out loud of selected passages. 

This month's selection is Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare.

Originally published in the First Folio of 1623, Measure for Measure was likely written sometime in 1603 or 1604. The play begins with Vincentio, the Duke of Vienna, who leaves the government in charge of the authoritarian justice, Angelo, when he departs the city on a diplomatic mission. Lord Angelo believes that there is too much debauchery in the city and seeks to more strictly enforce laws against certain sexual activities. The story centers on Claudio who has impregnated his fiancée, Juliet, outside the bonds of marriage. Despite their plans to marry, Lord Angelo wishes to make an example of Claudio by sentencing him to death. Based upon two 16th century works, Italian novelist and poet Cinthio’s The Story of Epitia, and English dramatist George Whetstone’s Promos and Cassandra, Measure for Measure, which is classified by most scholars as a comedy, is notable for being one of the bard’s “problem plays”, given its intermittent shifts in tone between darkly dramatic and comedic elements.

Copies of the book will be available at the Information Desk. All registrants will receive a complimentary copy of the book provided by the Friends of the Library’s Ruth D. Bogen Memorial Fund (while supplies last).