In the 17th Century the audience then would of reacted very differently to an audience of today. Back then a audience would think that it was a terrible thing that the duke had done as he is the only one who can do the job as he has the divine right. For them the duke leaving would be a very dramatic story line. However an audience of today would not be as shocked because they are used to a society of so many leaders that if the Priminister went off, yes it would be shocking but there are plenty of people that can take his place. Today’s audience would probably have more sympathy as they understand stress more and would just think he needs a bit of a break.
The laws in Vienna have not been used for a long time and now are useless at protecting the people and the city, much like a rusty set of armour that has been “hung by th’wall” as Claudio describes them.. They normally protect people but they have been discarded and now are useless. Now the city is full of crime depravity and all the suburbs are full of Brothels. The Duke has discarded the laws so that the people of the city like him. He no longer likes his job as he has a lot of responsibility and is depended on. He feels isolated because of all the pressure of people behind him trying to get his power. He is loved by the public for something he isn’t and he knows this. All these factors make him very uncomfortable.
The duke has two choices for who he could chose to stand in for him – Angelo or Esculus.
Esculas’s name sounds like the word scales implying that he would be balanced and would bring balance to the city. He has a lot of knowledge of the city and is old and wise.
Angelo’s name sounds like the word angels who are virtuous. He chooses Angelo as he wants to test his virtues. The duke quotes “Angelo is a man of stricture and firm abstinence.”
When Angelo is told that he will stand in for the duke he sounds modest but could be pretending. He is probable pretending to be modest and really being obsequious.
He tells the Friar that he is going back to the city to see how it is going without him and to see if Angelo is really as virtuous as he seems.
In Scene one the duke decides to leave because he can’t take the pressure. Whereas in scene two he says he is leaving because he can’t control the people. This shows that he is either not sure why he is leaving; he just doesn’t want to be the duke any more or he wants to check up on people when he’s not there.
When the duke is in disguise Lucio says how the duke had been so slack with the laws and how terrible he was.
In act one the speech is very rushed and shows us how much of a rush the Duke is in.
