ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE ENDING TO MEAURE FOR MEASURE—PRESERVING THE NUN’S HONOR. I have posted several times on alternative endings to Measure for Measure. Mary Jane recently told me she had come across another changed ending. In this production, when the Duke proposed to Isabella, Isabella embraced her brother, gave the Duke a dismissive look, and walked away.
I could construct an argument for this new ending on the basis that the play creates high stakes for the brother and sister, Claudio and Isabella. Early in the play Isabella the nun, is presented with the choice of surrendering her virtue to save her brother’s life. She refuses to surrender. The traditional ending of the play finishes with four weddings, one of which is indicated by a proposal from the duke that Isabella become his wife. Isabella has no speech in reply. One problem with this ending is that the marriage wbetween the duke and the nun would dramatically lower the stakes in the play—it’s a comedy so issues of life, love and death are dealt with by a shrug of the shoulders.