What do you find dramatically interesting about Shakespeare's presentation of the Duke in the play Measure for Measure?

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What do you find dramatically interesting about Shakespeare’s presentation of the Duke in the play Measure for Measure?

        In Measure for Measure, Shakespeare presents Duke Vincentio in the opening scene as an authoritive figure; he is highly respected and he is referred to as “My Lord”. The audience immediately understands that the Duke is the central character in the play. In the very first instance the Duke’s choice of words, his use of pronouns such as “we, our, government, justice and unfolds” reflects his presence and control. The Duke emerges as a problematic character for this is suggested by his searching questions regarding Angelo; “for what figure of us you think he will bear?” which raises uncertainties and questions in the mind of the audience as we speculate why he is leaving so rapidly and secretly as he will:

                “privy away. I love the people

                 But do not like to stage me to their eyes”

(Act I Scene ii)

        The play opens with the Duke deciding to appoint Angelo to govern Vienna in his absence:

                “For you must know, we have with a special soul

                 Elected him our absence to supply”

(Act I Scene I)

 The Duke makes it clear that Angelo’s qualities are very obvious for all see. He thinks, “There is a kind of character in they life” which Angelo should use to the utmost. At this point the Duke seems very decisive, his authoritive role certainly takes motion here, it seems at this point that the Duke has everything well planned and organised. Shakespeare moves the play on rapidly and as the Duke leaves Vienna, the audience gradually realises the state that the city is left in. in scene two the conversation between the gentlemen emphasizes this vividly, they accuse each other of gaining sexual transmitted diseases. We learn that people like Lucio, also utilizes the services of “Mistress Mitigation”:

        “I have purchased as many diseases under her roof as to come”

(Act I Scene ii)

The fact that these men are comparing amount of diseases they have gained gives impression of the City of Vienna as being in total moral decay. Later it is believed that “the strict deputy” has ordered for the arrest of young Claudio for it IS “for getting madam Juliet with child”. They later learn that Angelo has ordered for the brothels to be shut “as there is a change indeed in the common wealth” the new governor comes across to people as one who has strict moral values. However they are still not concerned about the fact that the brothel is to be shut but “though you change your place you need not to change your trade” at this point the people do not realise how very wrong they are. The incidents following the conversation between the gentlemen and Mistress Overdone as well as the arrests of Claudio and Juliet reflects appallingly on the Duke’s rein over the City. The Duke’s hasty departure makes the audience feel uneasy about him. It makes them realise how weak the Duke is even though he has infinite power to do absolute anything in the City. In scene three, Shakespeare using the Duke’s character to portray the whole notion, we get this impression by the “dribbling dart of love”. This suggests that the Duke has an association with a romantic past regardless of this he assures the friar that his problems are nothing to do with love but infact more serious matters. The Duke confides in the friar and gives him an explanation as to why he wishes to go into disguise. He also informs the friar that he has handed over his authority to

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                “A man of stricture and firm abstinence,

                 My absolute power and place here in Vienna”

(Act 1 Scene 3)

The Duke’s disguise from Duke to friar is very surprising to the audience we see the way the Dukes deceitful mind operates as he has planned this whole charade.

This scene reveals a private side to the Duke’s character; we see that the Duke acknowledges his flaw and weakness in his governing of Vienna. We also see a more devious and manipulative side to him, his testing of Angelo’s character gives this impression and evidently the audience gradually begins to see ...

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