Discuss Shakespeare's Presentation of Isabella in 'Measure for Measure'.

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Discuss Shakespeare’s Presentation of Isabella in ‘Measure for Measure’

Isabella, a nun and sister of Claudio, plays a key role in Measure for Measure. All of the major events that occur in the plot are in some way linked to her. For example she is instrumental in saving Claudio's life when he is found to have made Juliet pregnant, this leads to her involvement with the other major characters. I chose to write my essay on her as in preliminary work I found her a very interesting and influential character. She seems to bring a lot to the play in the sense that she is really the only female lead character, and she seems to be the most morally upright and genuine individual in the play.

The first time Shakespeare introduces her is in the convent in Act 1 Scene 4, that she is about to enter, probably for the rest of her life. This initially shows us that her faith is very strong, as she has pledged her life to God and the church. She also displays how devout she is when talking to the head nun; she asks, “have you nuns’ no further privileges?” this is Isabella asking for the rules to be stricter. You can see right from the outset that Shakespeare presents her a very strong and single-minded character. Her character is shown to be very loyal to her brother, Claudio. She initially doubts her power to change Angelo’s mind about the execution, but Lucio skilfully persuades her by saying “our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt”. She agrees, and makes preparations to speak with Angelo. This first impression of Isabella in Act 1 Scene 4 is representative of how we see her throughout the play; a strong-willed and loyal character. It is because of this that I believe the audience would promptly warm to her, her character is such that she is instantly likeable; denoting that you can easily forgive her for any shortcomings.

Three themes that go together when looking at the character of Isabella are: blackmail, power of persuasion and her obstinacy. These can be analysed very well in the scenes where she is speaking to Angelo, namely, Act 2 Scenes 2 and 4. Isabella’s ‘mission’ is to persuade Angelo to stop Claudio’s execution; she uses her natural skills of reasoning and persuasion to attempt this. This is a quality that Shakespeare has given her to make the audience sympathise with her and perhaps be more aware of her position; because she tries so hard and does so well but it eventually gets her nowhere. Her first argument is to condemn Claudio for his fornication and simply to ask Angelo to be lenient and pardon him. “There is a vice that most I do abhor…” it seems that this is not strong enough, so her next ploy is try and surreptitiously bribe Angelo, she says that “I do think that you might pardon him, and neither heaven nor man grieve at the mercy.” Meaning no one will think badly of him for it. All through this scene she is using different means to make him amend his decision. She tries to make Angelo empathise with Claudio by making him imagine what it would be like if the situation were reversed. “How would you be if he, which is the top of judgement, should be judge you as you are?” Angelo continues to refuse her requests and even tries to pass the blame, “it is the law, not I, condemn your brother.” This is a good example of how Isabella’s raw passion and emotion about the subject compares to Angelo’s cowardly approach; all the time defending himself and making excuses for the sentence. Lucio and the Provost begin to see that Isabella is gradually wearing down Angelo, they encourage her by saying, “Thou art in the right girl; more of that.” At this time Isabella maybe needs some encouragement as she has been endeavouring to break Angelo for some time. Spurned on by this new confidence she asks Angelo to look at his conscience, she asks if his conviction of Claudio makes him feel any sort of guilt. “Go to your bosom knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know.” This definitely seems to affect Angelo, as his aside suggests, “She speaks, and ‘tis such sense.” Here you can see the beginnings of the attraction of Angelo to Isabella; he admires her linguistic skills and eloquence, also her physical beauty. Isabella says that she will return the next day to “bribe” Angelo, but he, in his impassioned state misunderstands this to mean she will give her body to him, hence the line “How! Bribe me?” Isabella is perhaps being quite naïve here, not to pick up on the fact that she was implying sex for Claudio’s salvation. But it is not important as she now has another chance to plead with Angelo and more time to realise his despicable intentions. Here the audience would be feeling sympathy towards Isabella, simply for the lack of success in her ardent attempts to save Claudio from death. Also I would assume that they are also developing a dislike for Angelo due to his hypocrisy and general unpleasantness towards Isabella and Claudio.  

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Although I shall deal with the subject of soliloquies later, now is a suitable time to include some analysis of Angelo's personal reflections. Although he is not part of my essay title, Angelo does bear some significance in examining Shakespeare’s presentation of Isabella. From his soliloquies we can see the effect that Isabella has upon him, the ways in which her attempts to sway Angelo do and do not work. At the end of Act 2 scene 2, this passage reveals a great deal about the way Angelo has reacted to Isabella, his first line “From thee: even from thy ...

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