Measure for Measure was a play written by William Shakespeare in the
             early 17th century. Shadows and Fog was a movie written and directed by
             Woody Allen in the late 20th century. Considering that the two works were
             written in very different time periods, it would be expected that the role
             of women would be very different in each work. This is exactly what is
             observed when the two works are compared in regards to their female
             characters and the roles of women that are suggested by these characters,
             their actions, and their qualities. Measure for Measure presents a view
             where women are pure and not expected to be promiscuous, where women are
             dependant on men, and where women have few options or choices. In
             contrast, Shadows and Fog presents a view where women are promiscuous
             rather than pure, where woman are independent from men, and where women
             have almost unlimited freedom. These three major differences will now be
             considered by comparing the female characters in the two works, including
             their actions, their qualities, and what is expected of them.
             The first difference observed with the role of women is related to
             whether women are expected to be pure or promiscuous. In Measure for
             Measure, the major female character is Isabella. She represents a very
             pure female character. This is first seen at the start of the play by the
             fact that she is training to become a nun and by the strong Christian
             values she appears to have. This is then emphasized later when she is told
             her brother's life will be saved if she agrees to sleep with Angelo. She
             refuses this offer, placing her chastity and her Christian values above her
             own life. This illustrates that a woman's purity is highly valued, while a
             woman being promiscuous is not accepted. Mariana is another female
             character in the play and she is quite different to Isabella. Unlike
             Isabella, she does not value her chast...