Theme Of Justice, Crime And Punishment Flashcards
How does Shakespeare present the theme of justice?
The title is taken from the bible, making it the only play in Shakespeare’s corpus to do this. The play explores the concept embedded from that line from every direction and dramatises a just application of the law.
The duke- ideas on justice
I do fear, too dreadful
‘Twas my fault to give the the people scope
Twould be my tryanny to strike and gall them
For what I bid them do
Escalus- ideas on justice
Let us be keen and rather cut a little than fall and bruise to death
Angelo reflects on the laws of Vienna with Escalus.
“We must not make a scarecrow of the law,
setting it up to fear the birds of prey..
Till custom make it their perch and not their terror”
Isabella discusses divine law vs human law
“If He, who is the top of judgment,
Should judge you as you are? O think on that.
And mercy then will breath within your lips like man new made.
Elbow discusses the law
“I know no law”
Symbolism of the courtroom
The play has a preponderance of courtrooms scenes. In which all demonstrations of the legal system at work are unsatisfactory.
Pompey’s filibustering techniques
Draw away from the charges of bawding and pimping.
Lucio contemplates religion and justice
“Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate that went to sea with the 10 commandments but scraped one out of the table”
Claudio reflects on the political landscape of the country in the midst of Angelo’s sovereignty
“Thus can the Demi-God authority make us pay down our offence, by weight. The words of heaven/ on whom it will it will. “
“Let us be keen and rather cut a little than fall and bruise to death.”
Escalus affirms the states right to use violence suggested through the violent verb “cut but advocates for strategy rather than mindless violence which is suggested through the contrast between the methodical, monosyllabic cut (heal) vs death (finality). Escalus as a foil. Highlights the culture of extremism inside and outside the play.
“We must not make a scarecrow of the law, setting it up to fear the birds of prey… too custom make it their perch and not their terror”
En media res- catapults audiences into the scene mirroring the disorientation of the citizens under the shifting political landscape of Vienna.
Noun “scarecrow” symbolises the growing impotency of the law.
Suggests the laws function is to deter crime and inspire trepidation.
“Custom” familiarity have naturalised fear of criminality suggesting the laws are redundant.
Comparing man to birds of prey. Man is savage and must be domesticated to serve a purpose beyond himself
“If He, which is at the top
Of judgment
Expresses the New Testament ethos of “judge not lest ye be judged”. Isabella suggest we should emulate Christ and his sacrifice. “Man new made”
“You” person address, rapport. Looks beyond the trappings of power. Universality of sin “for everyone has sinned”
Mercy is more than conceptual or abstract it is as real as breathing and thus as essential as breathing.
“Top of judgment” divine supremacy vs limited jurisdiction of man
“Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate”
Moral relativism explored here
Individual morality is relative to the individual and people will follow their own interests over religious or legal guidelines.
“Sanctimonious” man is fallible and those who act pious are similarly hiding sins.
“Scraped” vs “sanctimonious” discrepancy between inner reality of sin and violence and outer reality of virtue.
Crude bantering, appearance aligns with reality contrart with moral masquerading of the duke and Angelo.
“This can the demigod authority make us pay down for our offence”
“Demi-god authority” inflated self image/ narcissism.
Part- human and part divine offspring. Pagan image suggests that Claudio is attacking the Christian righteousness if Angelo.
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy” biblical allusion to book of Romans
