Act 1 Key events Flashcards
Act 1, Scene 1
The play opens in the palace of the Duke of Vienna. The duke announces privately to Lord Escalus that he is leaving the city and is handing power to Angelo, a younger man with less experience than Escalus. He asks Escalus how he thinks Angelo will handle ‘all the organs?’ of his power. Escalus seems to have no doubts about Angelo. When Angelo arrives and hears the duke’s wishes and praise, he is unsure and asks for ‘more test’ to be made of his character before he is given such responsibility. However, the duke insists and leaves the city quietly and without telling the public why. Escalus and Angelo leave to examine their new roles.
Act 1, Scene 2
On the streets of Vienna, the immediate effects of Angelo’s new power are felt. We meet characters from the seedier? life of the city, the pubs and brothels?. Lucio, a colourful bachelor?, is joking with some other men, when Mistress Overdone, a brothel-keeper, appears. She has news that Lucio’s friend, Claudio, has been arrested for getting his fiancée pregnant. Lucio is shocked to learn that Claudio now faces the death penalty for such a minor crime. Pompey, who works for Mistress Overdone, arrives with further news that all the brothels are to be torn down. Overdone exclaims that there’s ‘a change indeed in the commonwealth?’ and despairs at her future. Pompey tells her not to worry: she’s so good at her job, she’ll ‘lack no clients?’.
Act 1, Scene 3
The Provost leads Claudio through the streets to jail. Claudio complains that he is being displayed in public but the Provost says it’s Angelo’s orders. Lucio spots Claudio and questions him further about his ‘crime’. Claudio tells Lucio that he intends to marry the pregnant Juliet; they were just waiting for a bigger dowry?. He says that Angelo is using ‘drowsy and neglected’ laws to make a name for himself. Lucio tells him to appeal to the duke but Claudio says the duke can’t be found. He asks Lucio to visit his sister, Isabella, who is about to enter a convent?, and persuade her to visit Angelo. Claudio hopes that her youth, which has a ‘prone? and speechless dialect?, / Such as move men’, and her gift for ‘reason and discourse?’ will move Angelo. Lucio agrees.
Act 1, Scene 4
The duke visits Friar Thomas and asks him to hide him in the monastery? . He explains that his love of a reclusive? life has let the ‘strict statutes? and most biting laws’ slip and Vienna has become corrupt. The duke feels the people would think he was a tyrant if he suddenly started punishing them for things he’s been allowing them to do so he’s leaving it to Angelo. He intends to disguise himself as a friar and return to the city to see if the ‘precise’? Angelo is changed by the power he’s been given.
What do we learn?
The duke has not left Vienna but is hiding nearby.
The duke has neglected his responsibilities and Vienna has become corrupt.
The duke is using Angelo to bring order back to the city.
The duke will disguise himself as a friar and spy on Angelo to see if power changes him.
