In Measure for Measure, Shakespeare forces questions to be asked about a wide range of issues, all of which are brought together throughout the play by one character: Lucio.

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The dramatic impact of Lucio cannot be underestimated. Not only does he entertain, stimulate and provoke, but he also informs us of contextual issues relevant to both Jacobean and contemporary audiences. Provide a detailed analysis of how this is achieved in Act 1.

In Measure for Measure, Shakespeare forces questions to be asked about a wide range of issues, all of which are brought together throughout the play by one character: Lucio. As the most vibrant and intriguing character in the play, Lucio moves between scenes and situations, and is apparently agreeable to all, regardless of status or social class. Despite the character only appearing in six scenes, and rarely speaking more than a few lines, Shakespeare utilises this tool to full advantage, employing Lucio as a device with which to illuminate the stage, whilst carrying the weight of Measure for Measure's contextual load, introducing it throughout Act 1 and maintaining and highlighting it throughout the play.

We first meet Lucio in the second scene, whilst at his most typically jovial. After the whimsical musings of the Duke in the previous scene, dramatic impact is achieved instantly as the sharp, choppy retorts of Lucio and 'the