ACT 2 QUOTE ANALYSIS Flashcards
quotes and respective analyses of act 2
Escalus: “Let us be keen, and rather cut a little,
Than fall, and bruise to death.”
the first time Claudio’s sentence was argued against.
Escalus essentially warns Angelo of his excessive severity and asks him if he hadn’t a similar moment of weakness, if he had been at the right place at the right time, would he have resisted this bodily desire. this heavily foreshadows Angelo’s future actions explicating him giving into temptation.
it can be speculated he had not felt such emotions before towards any woman in the past but his interactions with Isabella and the subsequent desires he felt after should have made him empathetic to Claudio’s ‘slip’. and perhaps it momentarily did. but the fear of his actions being publicized, for the sake of his reputation Angelo decides upon Claudio’s execution anyway.
Angelo-“‘Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus,
Another thing to fall.”
incredibly ironic and in my opinion one of the most prominent dialogues of foreshadowing.
his general argument that follows is; if a crime goes unreported justice cannot attend to the matter, but if it comes to light, what justice sees, justice grabs.
Angelo- “Let mine own judgment pattern out my death,
And nothing come in partial.”
more foreshadowing, surprisingly he strives to live by this when he is exposed in Act 5 and craves absolute justice.
this may also serve as evidence that he is in fact a mostly moral man with a fatal flaw- seen in many other major characters in other Shakespeare plays such as Othello and Macbeth.
he presents a similar ideology as the one in Sermon on the mount: “with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again”
Escalus- “Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall”
important commentary on Vienna’s judicial system by Escalus. many get ahead by lying, scheming, sinning and others fall by doing good. this not only describes the inequity of the justice system it describes the inequity of how the world works.
Elbow- benefactors for malefactors; profanation of Christians instead of profanation of thieves; detest wife instead of protest wife; cardinally for carnally; varlets for escalus and angelo; respected for suspected; Hannibal (Carthaginian general) instead of cannibal)
malapropism- use of incorrect similar words in the stead of the actual words
Escalus: “Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so;
Pardon is still the nurse of second woe:”
addressing that consequences are needed and mercy is not always good.
the scales of justice represent balance, there must be balance between mercy and justice, for that is true justice.
Isabella- “There is a vice that most I do abhor,
And most desire should meet the blow of justice;
For which I would not plead, but that I must;
For which I must not plead, but that I am
At war ‘twixt will and will not.”
here we see Isabella’s feelings towards her self contradictory actions on clear display, she herself proclaims she’s at war with herself: virtue vs love, mind against heart.
a parallel to Angelo’s soliloquy(explicating similar feelings over the matter of heart and his prized virtue) which appears later in the act
in this aspect both give into their hearts, while Isabella gives in for her love for Claudio- and fights for his life, Angelo gives in to his love or rather lust.
Isabella- “No ceremony that to great ones ‘longs,
Not the king’s crown, nor the deputed sword,
The marshal’s truncheon, nor the judge’s robe,
Become them with one half so good a grace
As mercy does.”
Very akin to Portia’s speech in Merchant of Venice about the mercy as a most godly quality.
Isabella- “I would tell what ‘twere to be a judge,
And what a prisoner”
Isabella explores the power dynamics between her and Angelo. she reveals he has the power to essentially play god, decide right from wrong and implement harsh punishments as well as harness the ability to show mercy. he acts as if he has no say in the matter, he’s just a puppet of the law, his actions only reflect his responsibilities but Isabella refutes this claim and establishes he has the power to balance the severity of justice with mercy.
here is the difference between Angelo and Isabella, however blind she may be to faith she still believes that there is room to repent sin, if god is merciful then must be our rulers, her view of the law or her faith is not as black and white as Angelo’s.
Isabella- “O, it is excellent
To have a giant’s strength; but it is tyrannous
To use it like a giant.”
Further exploring power dynamics, Angelo has absolute power which he proceeds to use absolutely, devoid of mercy, consideration and emotion. this shows how he truly feels, not only does he see the law as black and white; to him people themselves are again just black and white- good or bad, to be condemned or not to be, with no in-between. in his eyes absolute power must be used absolutely.
Isabella- “Drest in a little brief authority,
Most ignorant of what he’s most assured,
His glassy essence, like an angry ape,
Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven”
she implies Angelo’s temporary absolute power has corrupted absolutely, he does not know how to use Jove’s thunder that he’s come to possess (metaphor for his power) so all he does is use it unabashedly, in hopes that the heaven’s will reward him for his acts. instead angels weep at his ruthlessness.
the quality he shows by being stern and authoritative does not sit well with the heavens or the mortals, he benefits no one except fuel his power trip.
Isabella- “That in the captain’s but a choleric word,
Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy.”
Isabella now explores other power dynamics to highlight her argument. her use of ethos explicates men in power are allowed to slip, to be crude, to be crass- if not excused they are allowed redemption. this describes the inequity not only between those with power and those who lack such, but also the inequity of justice that is to come.
Claudio remained condemned, Isabella’s chastity taken and Angelo unaffected was his ideal scenario. he proves Isabella’s arguments by attempting to fully take advantage of his position and facing no consequences.
Isabella- “if it confess
A natural guiltiness such as is his,
Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue
Against my brother’s life.”
it is ironic that while she is giving this speech to evoke empathy for Claudio, Angelo is actively starting to lust for her. the very desire for which Claudio fell, Angelo also is captivated by a similar desire.
however this does not make him empathetic rather just selfish, how this wanton attraction affects him- his soul which was previously clean now blemished.
Angelo- “From thee, even from thy virtue!…
….When men were fond, I smiled and wonder’d how.”
(lines 199-224)
Angelo’s soliloquy to me was disturbing to say the least, he concludes that Isabella has in fact not sinned by tempting him because she did not even try, it is he who has sinned by being tempted.
this is a tattle-tale sign that his first line of thought is to immediately put the blame of himself. to his credit he accepts being guilty. Uses a simile to compare himself to a rotting corpse next to a sweet flower, his odor overtakes the flower (Isabella’s) sweet smell.
although he explicates his guilt he also in this way illuminates his desire to grossly corrupt her. although he is ashamed of it, it does not make it anymore sick.
his admission to her virtue being the catalyst for his lusting shows his admission to purity culture. purity isn’t what he seeks in a partner because it shows virtue, faith, godliness, it is what arouses him.
purity culture was extremely established in the 17th Century as Shakespeare draws in this play. but Angelo’s engagement with purity culture has more to do with lust rather than an interest in finding good qualities to live happily with his wife as was the intention of most men back then.
he finally indirectly compares himself to Claudio, Angelo feels if he does the same as his prisoner then he has no right to condemn him. however the direction of his thoughts promptly change and he goes back to his own feelings unable to comprehend or deal with them. he begins to mistake his lust for love. perhaps love is a milder sin, more explainable than pure lust- one of the seven deadly sins.
Provost: “Hath blister’d her report
….a young man
More fit to do another such offence
Than die for this.”
Julietta very harshly criticized even though she has sinned the same as Claudio. Claudio is in her stead should be allowed to so again with no repercussions to his reputation. Women were held to a higher and stricter standard than men.
Patriarchal society and Purity culture.
