Shakespeare, William. Measure for Measure. From Shakespeare's Second Folio

SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM

MEASURE FOR MEASURE. LONDON: PRINTED BY THO. COTES, 1632

Folio (12 1/8 x 8 1/2 in.; 308 x 216 mm). 61-84pp. Expertly bound to style in paneled calf, covers tooled in blind, upper cover gilt lettered.

From Shakespeare's second folio

Shakespeare's famed four folios comprise the first four editions of his collected plays, all printed in the 17th century. The second folio of 1632, like the first folio of 1623, contains 36 plays. It is estimated that fewer than 1,000 copies of the second folio were printed and fewer than 200 copies are in existence today.

In "Measure for Measure," the Duke of Vienna takes leave of his post in order to avoid cleaning up the increasingly morally bankrupt city of Vienna, and puts his deputy, Angelo, in charge. Angelo begins his rule by installing a law criminalizing sex outside of marriage, and sentences to death a man named Claudio, who has impregnated his fiancée, Juliet. As Claudio's sister, Isabella, tries to save Claudio from his imminent death, the Duke of Vienna, Angelo, and Angelo's fiancée, Mariana, become caught in a web of love, lies, and desperation.

(See lots 123-127)

REFERENCE:

STC 22274a; Greg III:1113-1116; Jaggard, 496; Pforzheimer 906