Editing Measure for Measure (section)

===Analysis===
The play's main themes include justice, "morality and mercy in Vienna", and the dichotomy between corruption and purity: "some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall". Mercy and virtue prevail, as the play does not end tragically, with virtues such as compassion and forgiveness exercised at its end. While the play focuses on justice overall, the final scene illustrates that Shakespeare intended for moral justice to temper strict civil justice: several of the characters receive understanding and leniency instead of the harsh punishment to which they, according to the law, could have been sentenced.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Whitlow |first=Roger |date=1978|title=''Measure for Measure'': Shakespearean Morality and the Christian Ethic |journal=Encounter |volume=39 |issue=2 |pages=165–173 |via=EBSCOhost}}</ref> Vincentio's reappearance is considered an early use of the [[deus ex machina]] in English literature.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Brantley|first=Ben|date=2014-03-02|title=In a Decadent Vienna, Constancy Is Shown the Doors|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/theater/measure-for-measure-full-of-dual-natures-and-hard-choices.html|access-date=2021-06-19|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>