Later the Duke pardons Angelo and Lucio So the play leaves the question who is truly just Should the law punish or forgive Shakespeare does not answer clearly Problem of Morality and Hypocrisy Another moral issue is the hypocrisy of men in power Angelo appears holy but acts wickedly The Duke says O what may man within him hide Though angel on the outward side This shows that outward goodness can cover inner sin Angelo condemns Claudio for lust but desires Isabella himself His fall illustrates how human virtue can be weakened by temptation Problem of Chastity and Love The conflict between chastity and affection creates another problem Angelo asks Isabella to surrender her virginity to save Claudio She replies firmly Sir believe this I had rather give my body than my soul Her words show her deep faith in purity But her decision leaves another question is she right to let her brother die Mariana s bed trick saves both but the moral problem stays unsolved The play raises the issue of whether virtue can survive in a corrupt world Problem of Punishment and Forgiveness The Duke s final actions bring further questions He punishes no one with death Instead he orders Angelo and Lucio to marry the women they wronged He says Haste still pays haste and leisure answers leisure Like doth quit like and measure still for measure These lines illustrate his concept of a fair return But forced marriages cannot be called true justice The end feels incomplete Wrongdoers live and victims remain silent The audience feels uneasy about such easy forgiveness Problem of Genre and Ending The play s form adds to its problem It is neither a full comedy nor a pure tragedy It ends with marriages but without joy The Duke s proposal to Isabella remains unanswered There is no laughter or harmony like other comedies The play begins with sin and ends with silence Its dark prisons corrupt judges and moral doubt make it a serious matter So the play mixes tragic tension with comic close creating a problem play of human confusion In summary Measure for Measure is a true problem play because it poses questions about justice mercy and morality without providing definitive answers The characters are neither saints nor sinners The law is strict but mercy is uncertain Love purity and power clash in every scene Shakespeare shows that life is full of contradictions Thus the play remains a powerful study of human weakness and moral conflict