Is Measure for Measure a Social Commentary or Dark Comedy?
The versatility and craftsmanship of Shakespeare lies in the wide range of themes which he explores in his dramas. In his "problem plays" Shakespeare deals with the dark themes as he sets out to explore specific moral dilemmas and social problems through their central characters. These plays like All's Well that Ends Well, Measure for Measure etc, are characterized by their complex and ambiguous tone, which shifts violently between dark, psychological drama and more straightforward comic material which chiefly revolve around a dark theme featuring some enigmatic dark characters.
In Measure for Measure it is rather strange that Shakespeare exhibits the social licentiousness through Angelo's resolution to root out sexual license in Vienna, and his own transgression- demanding Isabella to sleep with him- cannot dissuade him. We are not sure whether to regard the drama as a commentary of the social decadence or an insight into the duality of the nature of a complex human being and hence are unable to strictly categorize Measure for Measure either as a Social Commentary or a Dark Comedy.