Measure For Measure Quotes

[Measure for Measure] leaves me with the sense that life is all there is, so we might as well live it as best we can; that being human is not a given something we have to strive for. That the reason we are here is to live and that this involves making many difficult judgements. ~ Roger Allam

For this new-married man approaching here,
Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd
Your well defended honour, you must pardon
For Mariana's sake: but as he adjudged your brother,
Being criminal, in double violation
Of sacred chastity and of promise-breach
Thereon dependent, for your brother's life,
The very mercy of the law cries out
Most audible, even from his proper tongue,
'An Angelo for Claudio, death for death!'
Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure;
Like doth quit like, and MEASURE still FOR MEASURE ~ William Shakespeare

ANGELO

From thee, even from thy virtue!
What's this, what's this? Is this her fault or mine?
The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?
Ha!
Not she: nor doth she tempt: but it is I
That, lying by the violet in the sun,
Do as the carrion does, not as the flower,
Corrupt with virtuous season. Can it be
That modesty may more betray our sense
Than woman's lightness? Having waste ground enough,
Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary
And pitch our evils there? O, fie, fie, fie!
What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo?
Dost thou desire her foully for those things
That make her good? O, let her brother live!
Thieves for their robbery have authority
When judges steal themselves. What, do I love her,
That I desire to hear her speak again,
And feast upon her eyes? What is't I dream on?
O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint,
With saints dost bait thy hook! Most dangerous
Is that temptation that doth goad us on
To sin in loving virtue: never could the strumpet,
With all her double vigour, art and nature,
Once stir my temper; but this virtuous maid
Subdues me quite. Even till now,
When men were fond, I smiled and wonder'd how.

-- Measure for Measure, II, ii ~ William Shakespeare

If you can't measure it, you can't fix it. ~ DJ Patil

I've only auditioned for one non-culturally specific role. I went through drama school and studied classic texts and played lead roles in 'Measure for Measure' and 'The Importance of Being Earnest' alongside a very culturally diverse group of acting students. But as soon as we graduate and enter the industry, all of those roles fall away. ~ Shari Sebbens

I mean to explore you thoroughly this time."

"Take heed, Captain. I'm prepared to answer all threats measure for measure. ~ Sherri Browning

I was probably 14 or 15 when I was first on stage at school doing 'Measure for Measure.' I immediately felt it was a great way of expressing oneself at a moment when I didn't think I could express myself, really. I suddenly had access to this range of emotions and thoughts and feelings that were there in me. I was surprised by that. ~ Chiwetel Ejiofor

The jury passing on the prisoner's life may in the sworn twelve have a thief or two guiltier than him they try. ~ William Shakespeare

By the Lord, Horatio, these three years I have taken note of it; the age has grown so picked, that the toe of the peasant comes so near the heel of the courtier, he galls his kibe." There can easily be too much liberty, according to Shakespeare - "too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty" (Measure for Measure, Act 1, Sc. 3), but the idea of too much authority is foreign to him. Claudio, himself under arrest, sings its praises: "Thus can the demi-god, Authority, Make us pay down for our offense by weight, - The words of Heaven; - on whom it will, it will; On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just. ~ William Shakespeare

I have a background in theater. At the time I read 'The Loved Ones' script, I was playing Catherine the Great of Russia onstage. Straight after that, I played Stella in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and Isabella in 'Measure for Measure.' ~ Robin McLeavy

If you can't measure it, you can't change it. ~ Peter Drucker

Alack, when once our grace we have forgot,
Nothing goes right; we would and we would not. ~ William Shakespeare

If thou art rich, thou art poor; for, like an ass, whose back with ingots bows, thou bearest thy heavy riches but a journey, and death unloads thee. ~ William Shakespeare

When once our grace we have forgot, Nothing goes right. ~ William Shakespeare

Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall. ~ William Shakespeare

Truth is truth to the end of reckoning. What was that from? Measure for Measure? But perhaps, truth was asleep until the end of reckoning. There was going to be an awful lot of reckoning when the time came. ~ Kate Atkinson

Condemn the fault and not the actor of it? ~ William Shakespeare

My first acting lessons were Shakespeare. The first time I ever started working with a coach was doing scenes from 'Measure for Measure,' which were tough dramatic scenes. And then 'Taming of the Shrew,' which required comedic timing. And that's the kind of stuff I love. ~ Dave Bautista

Now in giving honor to one's parents or to the gods, as indeed the Philosopher says, it is impossible to repay them measure for measure; but it suffices that man repay as much as he can, for friendship does not demand measure for measure, but what is possible. ~ Peter Kreeft

The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept. ~ William Shakespeare

Liberty plucks justice by the nose; The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart Goes all decorum. ~ William Shakespeare

Playing Isabella in 'Measure for Measure' pushed me to my limits. Janet Suzman was directing, and she was very hard on me. I went through phases of not liking her at the time, but I loved her for it in the end. ~ Michelle Dockery

To sue to live, I find I seek to die;
And, seeking death, find life. ~ William Shakespeare

The tempter or the tempted, who sins most? ~ William Shakespeare

The plays he had liked were the one called Measure for Measure, and another one called Macbeth. They were easy to follow, and what happened in them was kind of like what happened in junior high school. ~ Jane Smiley

Most dangerous is that temptation that doth goad us on to sin in loving virtue. ~ William Shakespeare

From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty
As surfeit is the father of much fast,
So every scope of the immoderate use
Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue, -
Like rats that ravin down their proper bane, -
A thirsty evil; and when we drink we die. ~ William Shakespeare

And the poor beetle, that we tread upon,
In corporal sufferance finds a pang as great
As when a giant dies. ~ William Shakespeare

Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus,
Another thing to fall."
- Angelo, Act 2 Scene 1 ~ William Shakespeare

Life... is a paradise to what we fear of death. ~ William Shakespeare

If you can not measure it, you can not improve it. ~ Lord Kelvin

Ay, but to die, and go we know not where. ~ William Shakespeare