duke quotes Flashcards
Duke as a manipulator.
- Feminist would argue that this is extremely degrading towards women, especially the women of the play.
- Shows the Duke’s sexist nature - doesn’t value the women of his society - ‘The Duke is vain, interested in image mongering.’
‘Are you a wife? Are you a widow? Then you are nothing.’ (To Mariana
Like doth quit like, and measure still for measure
Duke as manipulator again being extremely sexist towards women in the play.
- This would be seen as insulting - he is a puppeteer of the play who likes to take advantage of the women within the play - leaves the men to make their own mistakes.
- ‘The Duke is in a personal crisis, just as the state is in a public crisis
‘Fond wretch’
Imperative, demanding nature as a manipulator but again puppeteer in the events of the play.
- Feminist would argue that he is forcing the women of the play to submit to his orders.
- ‘he should treat his subjects as puppets’
‘Give him the promise of satisfaction.’
Though he can see that Vienna is corrupted and the people are living in state of mistrust and ‘the disgusting, stinking world of Vienna’, the Duke is in a state of ‘personal crisis’ and therefore has to do something ‘drastic’
- He is the puppeteer within the play and enjoys meddling with the characters.
- Why did he leave though? Perhaps looked for a get-out clause but couldn’t find one so left Angelo in charge.
‘Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble till it o’eran the stew’
Meddling nature of the Duke comes through during this quote as he meddles with the female characters in the play.
- Plays with Isabella’s emotions which feminist would suggest are unfair and sexist.
- ‘nothing less than the fantastic nature of the Duke could have kept the play from becoming a tragedy’
- He messes with the heads and the views of the characters throughout the plot.
‘I will keep her ignorant of her good to make her heavenly comforts of despair.’
Feminist would say that this is unfair treatment of women throughout the play - the women are made to marry which completely strips them of their ideologies at the start of the play.
- Isabella loses her powerful and empowering nature at the end as she submits to the Duke’s orders and marries him - she is silent and completely changes character.
Give me your hand and say you will be mine.’
Quote from Lucio which basically sums up the Duke as a dark and mysterious character.
- Likes to meddle with the characters of the play and ‘is more absorbed in his own plots than anxious for the welfare of the state’
- Likes to play games with the characters and so we question whether he is actually a better ruler than Angelo after all?
The old fantastical Duke of dark corners.’
Cunning as he listens into conversations and meddles with his people and their secrets which makes him seem caniving and untrustworthy.
- Some have said that the ‘play was written partly to flatter James 1 as the Duke is based on many of his attributes.’
‘Son I have overheard what hath been passed between you and your sister.’
I love the people, but do not like to stage me to their eyes.’
Presents the Duke as an unfaithful ruler and also someone that is extremely mysterious throughout the plot.
- He doesn’t like to accept responsibility and therefore when he is brought up to measure justice, he backs out and uses the disguise of the Duke.
- He uses his disguise as a get-out clause and realises that he ‘has to do something drastic before he has a complete breakdown, so he runs away.’
Act 1 Scene 1
- Tongue and heart physical imagery which implies the theme of justice from the start of the play.
- Speaking towards Angelo about the role of authority in Vienna.
- Places a burden on Angelo in ruling over Vienna whilst he is absent, implying that he should live and breathe justice and morality.
Mortality and Mercy in Vienna / Live in thy tongue and heart.’
Act 1 Scene
- Said by the Duke
- Reversed iambic pentameter.
- Metaphor of clothing Angelo with his love suggests that the Duke wants to relieve the burden of ruler from him and place his ‘terror’ on someone else which implies his selfishness.
‘For you must know, we have with special soul / Elected him our absence to supply, / Lent him our terror, / dressed him with our love.’
