Measure For Measure - Staging Act II, Scene IV
MEASURE FOR MEASURE - Staging Act II, Scene iv Prior to Act II Scene iv, we have been finding out about the characters and their views of how life should be lived. These initial impressions will help us to understand how the characters would act in this scene. We first hear of Isabella from her brother Claudio. From him we discover Isabella's desire to be a nun, which tells us a little about her character and attitudes towards life and society. We can foresee that Isabella will have a spiritual and chaste character. When we first encounter her in Act I, she is arguing for stricter rules in her convent, giving the impression that she may be too severe and harsh towards herself. Also, the fact that she wants to spend her life enclosed in a convent could show us that perhaps she wishes to escape from the reality of life in the outside world. Her purity and piety should be reflected in her costume. The actress should wear a very simple long white concealing dress or a similar nuns habit to show her innocence and morality. Lord Angelo is presented to us as a ruthless self-important character. He appears to be the villain of the play, ruling Vienna harshly and without mercy. His confident arrogance makes him an unlikeable character and especially now that we see him to be hypocritical as well. In his last scene we saw him change from being stilted and unaffected by emotion to
How does Shakespeare portray Women throughout the play "Measure for Measure"? In what different ways might the audience respond to this?
How does Shakespeare portray Women throughout the play "Measure for Measure"? In what different ways might the audience respond to this? By Suzanne Coxhill "Measure for Measure" is in some ways a modern play in the issues it deals with. Women's issues are explored throughout the play in many different ways. Sexuality and the independence of women are seen through both the eyes of men and women in this play. Women are portrayed with many strengths and weaknesses in "Measure for Measure". The job roles portrayed in this play as prostitutes, nuns and housewives make our responses to these women alter. Women got married very young and often died in childbirth, thus family life being all they knew. Isabella is seen as a very strong character who is not afraid to voice her own opinions about things. Mistress overdone brings much of the humour to the play with her small role that she plays. She runs a brothel and therefore with Angelo's plans to abolish fornication in Vienna, her career is under threat. Mariana is seen as a more submissive character. When asked to sleep with Angelo, which is seen as a bad by the eyes of others, she obliges for fear that she will be seen as a bad person if she does not. However, she does not see it as wrong that she should sleep with Angelo as the couple were once betrothed to be married and she is desperately in love with him. Because Mariana is
What are the moral debates in Measure for Measure? How does Shakespeare make them interesting to an audience in the theatre?
What are the moral debates in Measure for Measure? How does Shakespeare make them interesting to an audience in the theatre? Measure for Measure, like the period in which it was written, is marked by the juxtaposition of two mismatched ideologies and their related dramatic forms. The play begins as a romantic comedy, but at the end of the second act, both its ideological perspective and its formal structure undergo a 'metamorphosis' and from this point on the play proceeds to its conclusion according to the form and ideas of the 'disguised monarch play'- where the Duke starts to take control of the situation. There are many different moral debates within the play, which are explored in different ways. 'Is fornication a bigger crime than killing?' - is the 'sexual debate', which also links in with the 'hypocrisy debate' of the play. It is an important one because the play evolves around the question - whether or not Isabella should sleep with Angelo. Shakespeare presents us with this overwhelming situation between her and Angelo - Isabella faces a moral uncertainty, where religion stands against fornication: - "Better it were a brother died at once than that a sister, by redeeming him, should die forever." Shakespeare makes this debate interesting to an audience by doing something he has often done before: he does not provide any kind of descriptions of Isabella.
The Modern Eye Views Isabella
Andrea Justice November 11, 2002 Survey of Shakespeare The Modern Eye Views Isabella Isabella is a character that modern audiences would have a hard time connecting to. Though her role in Measure for Measure is critical, a modern audience may wonder that she is simply a weak, selfish woman. Isabella strives to present herself as a godly woman but in the end can only be seen as a self righteous pawn used to further the Duke's plans. Isabella believes she is a virtuous woman. She is not only about to enter a convent in which she will be restricted for interaction with men she obviously has no issue with. Isabella longs to uphold Christian morality and religion. At the time this play was written the virtues that Isabella possessed seemed ideal. A virtuous woman was to uphold the rules of decency, remain a virgin, either remain a maid or become a wife. Modern audiences might read these virtues as prudishness or even possibly see her religion as a crutch, a loss of her own personality in exchange for a life of celibacy and protection from the outside world. Isabella wants to avoid the pressure that the world would require of her. She would be expected to get married, have children, run a household, and submit her will to that of her husband, who may or may not be a virtuous person himself. If she once had any property it would become the property of her husband as soon as
How far does Shakespeare make his characters represent his themes?
Hannah Dagnall 13P English Literature How far does Shakespeare make his characters represent his themes? Shakespeare's characters have been named and moulded carefully to represent different themes in the play. The character of the Duke holds the overall power in the play and his name Vincentio is only mentioned in the 'dramatis personae' at the beginning of the play. By calling him 'Duke' the audience is also continuously aware of this power. A Duke is supposed to have a divine right from God, when the Duke disguises himself as a Friar, he also has the right of confession which he abuses when other characters confess to him. One of the themes of 'Measure of Measure' is the abuse of power which many characters do in different circumstances. The Duke however does appear weak and somewhat cowardly by leaving Angelo to reinforce all of the laws and to do the so-called dirty work, while the Duke goes into hiding to see what the town's people think about him. Angelo abuses the power given to him by the Duke while he is in hiding, by first pulling back a fourteen year old rule that has not been in existence without any announcement, and then by bribing Isabella to save her condemned brother who was arrested for breaking the law Angelo wants to commit. Angelo actually wants to go against the law he brought back for the sake of lust. Angelo is an immoral and unjust
How does Shakespeare represent corruption on a political, social and religious level in the play?
How does Shakespeare represent corruption on a political, social and religious level in the play? Shakespeare represents corruption in a number of aspects in the play Measure for Measure. The play itself tends to revolve around corruption, and Shakespeare portrays the setting, Vienna, as being rife with it. As the play continues Shakespeare reveals how his play is riddled with corruption of all forms. All of the characters of the play are involved, in some way or another, with corruption. The audience is first introduced to the Duke, Escalus and then Angelo. Shakespeare gives no reason to believe that the audience is being deceived in anyway, but as the play continues we find out that the purpose for the Duke giving Angelo power was not as we first thought. We at first believed that the Duke merely thought Angelo was the best man for the job but we then find out in Act 1, Scene 3 that the Duke is testing Angelo. Duke: 'Hence shall we see if power change purpose, what our seemers be' lines 53 & 54. The Duke is displaying corruption on a political level. The duke also creates religious corruption in that in order to test Angelo he plans to disguise himself as a religious figure - a Friar. Society is also shown to be corrupt. Madame Overdone is the owner of a hot house. The existence of these exposes some of the moral flaws in society. Shakespeare shows how the hot houses can
How does the balance of power change in pages 42-51? Trace the arguments, and look at the cliquey at the end of the scene.
Amy Kilman English Literature How does the balance of power change in pages 42-51? Trace the arguments, and look at the cliquey at the end of the scene. Within Measure for Measure, upon their first meeting Isabella goes to Angelo pleading for her brother's life to be spared. Lucio who is aiding Isabella tells her that she is 'too cold'. However, during their argument Isabella holds her position of authority and shows herself to be a figure of power. Instead of lowering herself she relies on her faith in god to help her argument along. Angelo's argument however, is that it is too late for her brother as he has already been sentenced. His job is to uphold the laws of society, and he therefore goes only by the rules, not compassion. Angelo divorces himself from the law; he is emotionless and just enforces the law, without passion. In his own eyes Angelo thinks of himself as a personification of the law itself. Isabella's key speech throughout this section explains in terms her feeling towards Angelo's actions. "I would to heaven I had your potency, And you were Isabel! Should it then be thus? No; I would tell what' twere to be a judge, And what a prisoner." Isabella realises that Angelo is a figure of power but feels that justice should be done. She uses her Christianity to try help save her brother, and here, voices her opinion that if she were in his position
Measure for Measure - Pg 121-127 script analysis.
Measure for Measure - Pg 121-127 script analysis By Parit Patel Angelo - Hello, beautiful maid, how may I help you? Isabella - I have come to see what conclusion you have arrived upon. Angelo - I must tell you that your brother cannot live. Isabella- Well if that is yours and Gods will, I feel I must depart. Angelo - However there might be the slightest chance for his survival... Isabella - Under your jurisdiction? Angelo - Yes Isabella - Well then I beg you, that how can he be officially pardoned? Angelo - For him to be pardoned, the person who decides if he is to be pardoned, is to be able to indulge in a certain lascivious pleasure. It is as easy as taking away a life, or faking the practice of the law. Isabella - This power, I have only heard spoken of in heaven, but never on earth Angelo - Well if that is what you believe then I must tell you how quickly. Would you give your brothers life or give up your body to redeem his sin. Isabella - I would definitely throw away my body, just as long I could keep my soul! Angelo - I would not want your soul. How we sin matters more than how many times we sin. Isabella- What do you mean by that? Angelo - I will tell you from the highest authority which is me that I can change any of my decisions. I can save your brothers life, but don't you think sin can be used as charity
Discuss the context in which Shakespeare(TM)s play Measure for Measure was written in.
Discuss the context in which Shakespeare's play Measure for Measure was written in. It is evidently clear that the events which occur in Measure for Measure were heavily influenced by the society of Shakespeare at the time. Even though the play is set in Vienna, the audience of that time would undoubtedly have seen many parallels between their society in England, in particular London, and Vienna in the play. James' ascension was incredulous; after Mary Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate in 1567 he was crowned as King James VI of Scotland at the age of only thirteen months. In 1603, approximately the same year Measure for Measure was written; he became King James I of England succeeding Queen Elizabeth I as Monarch. The appointment of a Monarch as inexperienced as King James VI can be compared to appointment of Angelo at the beginning of the play. Angelo, who is young, and unproven, is placed in a position in which he has no option to decline. Furthermore the two appointments of King James, one as King of Scotland, and the other as King of England can be seen to be parallel to the two appointments of the Duke. It has been said that James considered his rule of Scotland too lenient, and this can be collated against the previous 'fourteen year' rule of the Duke in Vienna, before his delegation of power to Angelo. His return to power analogises the ascension of King James I
Measure For Measure - Character List.
Measure For Measure Character List: Vincentio, The Duke: The ruler of Vienna, he decides at the beginning of the play to pretend to leave town, and pass his power along to Angelo, a man who is very strict. The Duke stays in Vienna, disguised as a friar, to observe the goings-on. He is a man who knows that human nature is weak and can be corrupted, and accepts this to some extent. He knows that being a ruler requires that a person be fair and not punish people for their faults when they are faults that the ruler has too. Angelo: The Duke's deputy, he comes to power suddenly and unexpectedly when the Duke leaves Vienna in his power. It seems to be some kind of test for the cold, seemingly perfect Angelo, who soon discovers that he too is capable of being tempted, and of falling to this temptation. Although he is aware that he should resist sin, he gives in with abandon. Escalus: Another in government service to the Duke. Escalus pledges to uphold the law and support whomever leads Vienna, though he disagrees with Angelo's punishment of Claudio especially. He is a generally good man who seeks to support the state, while at the same time ensuring that the state acts fairly. Claudio: A young gentleman who gets into trouble when he gets his fiancée, Juliet, pregnant before their wedding. Angelo imprisons him and sentences him to death; no one agrees that this