Bizarrely, I loved Measure for Measure, even though I'd never heard of it, it seems unpopular for a Shakespeare play, and for some reason what I glean of the criticial opinion surrounding it is something like "distasteful problem play, not a masterpiece."

If I could revive and bring back into popularity any of Shakespeare's works this would be it. I found it far better than the surprisingly terrible Twelvth Night, which everyone goes on and on about yet is so clearly slapped together muck for cheap laughs with a lot of classist undertones.

Measure for Measure reminds me much of Merchant of Venice with the racism, and some of the worst of the sexism, removed. If only the excellent character of Portia could be rescued from the pages of Merchant and revived here, alas.

I found the moral serious and applicable to today, I like the ambition, I found it far more readable with better plot twists and surprises and better coherent logical progression than a lot of Shakespeare, and the "clown/commoner" characters weren't as blatantly obnoxious here and actually tied into the larger plot in a way that made them not useless. Also, the dilemma of Isabella in a sexist society rang true, was portrayed with empathy, and is relevant and uplifting even if she's a "damsel in distress" - the play makes the point that it's not right for her to have to be, so I found it surprisingly in tune with modern culture it that way.

It also had something which is a bit old-fashioned lit nerd of me, but I'm a real sucker and stickler for- tying up lose ends in a nice package. I love me some neatly logical and completely anti post-modern resolved-puzzle literature. Only Midsummer Night's Dream approaches this level of firm resolution by an authority figure. Refreshing amongst the modern "unfinished finished" novel.

I dug it. Sleeper Shakespeare hit.