Measure for Measure characters

Question 1

Isabella

Answer 1

• Principles young women in the process of becoming a nun
• Forced to choose between her religious commitment and her familial love.
• chooses religious comiitment, testement to her purity.
• conspires with the Duke, to rescue her brother

Question 2

‘Better it were a brother died at once, Than that a sister, by redeeming him’

Answer 2

• According to christian beliefs, the life of one’s soul is more important then of one’s physical body’
• Brother dying, condemning herself to enternity in Hell
• Themes of virtue/liberty and the role of women.

Question 2

‘O, were it but my life, I’d throw it down’

Answer 2

• Act 3 Scene 1
• Speaks to Claudio in prison
• hesistancy, layers of privacy + secrecy which surround female sexuality

Question 2

‘How would you be if He is the top of judgment’ (I)

Answer 2

• Act 2 Scene 2
• Similiar to Christ’s Sermon on the Mount
• Not judge others too harshly.

Question 3

‘A very virtuous maid.’ ‘shortly of a sisterhood’

Answer 3

• Provost, Act 1 Scene 2
• Describing her

Question 3

‘There is a vice that most I do abhor’ (I)

Answer 3

-Act 1 Scene 2
- disgusting by Claudio’s behaviour’

Question 4

‘Thus can the demigod Authority Make us pay’ ‘On whome it will not, so; yet still ‘tis just - C
‘The word of heaven’

Answer 4

• Act 1 Scene 2
• The government can make us pay for our crimes as if it were God.
• Decisions of heaven only partially fulfilled.
• Claudio can see the flaws from his position outside the system

Question 5

‘but to die, and go we know not where; To lie in cold obstruction and to rot’ - C

Answer 5

• Act 3 Scene 1
• To go somewhere and not know
• escape worldly nature of this play which focuses on the competing interests of human passions and reasons, dwell on death.
• No analogy Claudio can use to describe death.

Question 6

‘Becomes more mock’d than fear’s’ - D

Answer 6

• Becomes disguised as his rules has become more leniant,
• restore order to his city

Question 7

‘like an o’ergrown lion in a cave’ - D

Answer 7

• unruly citizins slip in the last nineteen years

Question 8

‘Very superficial, ignorant, unweighing fellow’ - Lucio about Duke

Answer 8

• Act 3 Scene 2

Question 9

‘Rather rejoicing to see another merry that merry at anything’ - Escalus about the dUKE

Answer 9

• Act 3 Scene 2

Question 10

‘Sure it is no sin, Or of the deadly seven’ - C

Answer 10

• Act 3 Scene 1
• Seven deadly sins, pride, anger, greed, laziness.

Question 11

‘If thou art rich, thou’rt poor, like an ass whose back with ingots bows’ - D

Answer 11

• Act 3 Scene 1
• like a donkey carrying heavy gold on his back

Question 12

‘Yet in this life Lie hid more thousand deaths;yet death we fear’ - D

Answer 12

• Act 3 scene 1
• whats good in life, thousand things to suffer from.
• darker nature of this comedy.
• lifes many hidden deaths recalls plays tension. Appearance vs Reality.
• Lifes hidden deaths, different identities throughout someones life.

Question 13

‘I will keep her ignorant of her good, to make her heavenly comforts of despair’ - D

Answer 13

• Act 4 Scene 3
• God might keep an individual away of a lucky twist of fate.
• concerned Isabella, draw out suspense of her ignorance.

Question 14

Duke

Answer 14

• Ruler of Vienna,
• Disguised as a friar
• uses deception to counteract the injustices he discovers.

Question 15

Angelo

Answer 15

• Antagonist
• Draconian regime, hope of restoring morality.

Question 16

‘we must not make a scarecrow of the law’ - A

Answer 16

• Act 2 scene 1
• echoes Dukes reason
• enforcing the law

Question 17

‘let mine own judgment pattern out my death’ - A

Answer 17

Act 2 scene 1
- prevailing concern, equality, justice.
- Humans cannot punish all sinners.

Question 18

‘Anchors on Isabel;heaven in my mouth’ - A

Answer 18

• act 2 scene 4
• Just seen isabel, soliloque,
• A prayers do not work

Question 19

‘Say what you can, my false overweighs your true’

Answer 19

• act 2 scene 4
• women in society,
• appearance v reality
• A solid reputation
• Intimidates Isabel

Question 20

‘Why, what a ruthless thing is this in him, for the rebellion of a codpiece to take away the life of a man’ - L

Answer 20

• Act 3 Scene 2
• Lucio details how Angelo has been acting in the Dukes presence.
• indulges in speculation Angelo is not an ordinary mortal, thus not susceptible of lust.
• ‘ruthless thing’. lack mercy
• ‘rebellion of a codpiece’ . joking, male genitalie, tendency male into trouble. (something usually unpunished). But not being punished, too harsh, against sexuality in genral.

Question 21

‘As I love the women that wronged him’ - J

Answer 21

• Act 2 Scene 3
• Juliette to Duke (friar)

Question 22

‘Great men thunder, As Jove himself does, Jove would never be quiet’ - I

Answer 22

• Act 2 scene 2
  -if powerful men could thunder like jove does, jove would never be quiet!
• Jove ; chief ancient roman god, weild thinder and lighting.
• men are ignorant of the power, no grace
• Want power, dont know how to control it.