MEASURE FOR MAEASURE AS A DARK COMEDY ?

Many critics consider this a dark comedy because it is full of corruption, bitterness, and cynicism. The city in this play is corrupt, just as Angelo becomes so. This corruption seems to be the result of too much indulgence, or a belief that one will get away with one's crimes. Several figures in the play seem to err either toward being too indulgent or too strict; the play attempts to punish those who are too licentious, and teach those who are too pious, by the time the end is reached. Temptation plays on the tendency of human nature to be flawed and vulnerable, and those who allow themselves to be tempted too far are weak of character. The GradeSaver themes page really addresses this.