M4M Characterisation

Question 1

The Duke

Answer 1

1. Selfish and overly mindful of his appearance to the public (reputation)

E: Avoidance of his responsibilities and shirks himself from any blame, wants to present himself in a favourable manner

“I love the people, but do not like to stage me to their eyes”

D: Irony: Leaders are subjected to fixated attention from the public yet he does not enjoy public attention. Defeats his purpose as a leader which the public observes as a role model. Reflection of his escapist nature, avoiding his responsibilities as a leader.

“Which for 14 years we have let slip”

D: Inclusive pronoun, his critique of the law- allocating the disintegration of justice to an imaginary group of people instead of himself (despite him being in charge)

“‘Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them / For what I bid them do”

D: Violent visual imagery to reinforce the notion that it is wrong of the Duke to punish the public for what he gave them liberty in doing (Hypocrisy)

2. Deceitful (Motif of clothing
   HELP

Question 2

Angelo

Answer 2

1. Morally upright, unempathetic
   E: He is perceived as cold and uncompassionate, and his lack of human passions mar him from possibly indulging in sin.

“Whose blood is very snow broth”

D: Metaphor, diction
“Snow” connotes cold an lack of warmth, compassion

“Begot between two stock-fishes/his urine is congealed ice”

D1: Hyperbole
:highlights Angelo’s superlative, superhuman discipline and uprightness through equating it with the impossibility of one passing solid urine.

D2: Metaphor “stock fishes”
-being dead, cold and bloodless highlighting the equally passionless nature of Angelo which gives rise to his superhuman discipline.

2. His legalistic and morally upright character is a constructed identity which conceals his moral inequities.

E: It is a perception of Angelo which the audience and the Duke know to be false further on into the play.

“Begot between two stock-fishes”

D: dramatic irony
Claudio mentions this after the Duke discovers Angelo’s immoral lust which had been threatened upon Isabella- reinforces Angelo’s failings at a time where the Duke is already plotting to bring Angelo to justice for his transgressions.