Henry IV, Part 2 vs Measure for Measure: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: English Young adult drama, Bibliography, English drama, English literature, Drama, History
Henry IV, Part 2
More
Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Summer festival, June 27th to September 10th, 1932. "The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, containing his death, and the coronation of King Henry the Fifth," by William…
Measure for Measure
“Measure for Measure is one of the best of Shakespeare's plays, though it has not always received the appreciation it deserves.”
More
This play examines the nature of mercy and justice, proposing that a good government is one that is flexible and based on common sense.
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- Measure for Measure has the widest readership — 32174 ratings behind its score.
Scores by source
| Henry IV, Part 2 | Measure for Measure | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.8 (21790) | 3.7 (32174) |
| Hardcover | 3.6 (28) | 3.5 (58) |
| Apple Books | 4.0 (9) | 4.5 (23) |
Reception
| Henry IV, Part 2 | Measure for Measure | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 21790 | 32174 |
| Editions | 480 | 317 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 13845 | 19584 |
| Reading it now | 297 | — |
| Written reviews | 1023 | 2046 |
| Wikipedia attention | 3344 | 7583 |
| Pages | 158 | 222 |
Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Henry IV, Part 2 or Measure for Measure?
Henry IV, Part 2 has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Henry IV, Part 2 3.8/5, Measure for Measure 3.7/5).
Which is shorter to read: Henry IV, Part 2 or Measure for Measure?
Henry IV, Part 2 is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Henry IV, Part 2 (158 pages, ≈ 2 h 56 m); Measure for Measure (222 pages, ≈ 4 h 07 m).
Which is harder to read: Henry IV, Part 2 or Measure for Measure?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Henry IV, Part 2: Demanding; Measure for Measure: Demanding.
Have both books been made into films?
Henry IV, Part 2: 5 film adaptations; Measure for Measure: no film adaptation on record.