Synopsis:
Isabella pleads with Angelo for Claudio’s life. Angelo refuses to relent but, overcome by desire for Isabella, tells her that he will consider her plea and instructs her to return the following morning.
Measure for MeasureMeasure for Measure
Contents
Characters in the Play
Entire Play
Human nature and the law often collide in Measure for Measure. As the play begins, the Duke of Vienna announces he…
Act 1, scene 1
The Duke of Vienna announces that he has been called away from the city, and that he is leaving Lord…
Act 1, scene 2
Angelo enforces Vienna’s law against fornication, ordering the brothels torn down and having Claudio arrested because his fiancée’s pregnancy exposes…
Act 1, scene 3
The duke obtains the clothing of a friar in order to disguise himself and secretly observe the conduct of Angelo…
Act 1, scene 4
Lucio persuades Isabella to intercede with Angelo.
Act 2, scene 1
Escalus tries to persuade Angelo to be less harsh to Claudio. Angelo instead gives orders that Claudio be executed the…
Act 2, scene 2
Isabella pleads with Angelo for Claudio’s life. Angelo refuses to relent but, overcome by desire for Isabella, tells her that…
Act 2, scene 3
The duke (in the role of a friar) visits the prison and there meets Juliet, who expresses both her love…
Act 2, scene 4
Angelo tells Isabella that only if she sleeps with him will he set Claudio free; if she refuses, Claudio will…
Act 3, scene 1
The duke, in his guise of “Friar,” persuades Claudio that death is preferable to life. When Isabella tells Claudio that…
Act 3, scene 2
Pompey is carried off to prison. Lucio refuses to provide bail money for him, and slanders the absent duke to…
Act 4, scene 1
Isabella reports to the “Friar” about the arrangements made with Angelo for that night’s assignation; Mariana agrees to sleep with…
Act 4, scene 2
At the prison, Pompey agrees to serve as the assistant to Abhorson, the public executioner. The duke, in his role…
Act 4, scene 3
Barnardine declares himself not ready to die. The provost and the “Friar” agree to spare him temporarily and to send…
Act 4, scene 4
Angelo learns of the duke’s return. Alone, he expresses his anguish that he has raped Isabella and had Claudio killed.
Act 4, scene 5
The duke makes plans with Friar Peter, whom he sends away on errands, and then greets Varrius.
Act 4, scene 6
Isabella and Mariana discuss the roles they are to play when they meet the duke, who is about to enter…
Act 5, scene 1
The duke, on his entry, is met by Isabella, who accuses Angelo of violating her chastity. She is arrested for…
Scene 2
Enter Provost ⌜and a⌝ Servant.SERVANT
He’s hearing of a cause. He will come straight.
I’ll tell him of you.
PROVOST Pray you do.
⌜Servant exits.⌝
I’ll know
5 His pleasure. Maybe he will relent. Alas,
He hath but as offended in a dream.
All sects, all ages smack of this vice, and he
To die for ’t?
Enter Angelo.
ANGELO Now, what’s the matter, provost?
PROVOST
10 Is it your will Claudio shall die tomorrow?
ANGELO
Did not I tell thee yea? Hadst thou not order?
Why dost thou ask again?
PROVOST Lest I might be too rash.
Under your good correction, I have seen
15 When, after execution, judgment hath
Repented o’er his doom.
ANGELO Go to. Let that be mine.
Do you your office, or give up your place
And you shall well be spared.
PROVOST 20I crave your Honor’s pardon.
59
Measure for Measure
ACT 2. SC. 2
She’s very near her hour.
ANGELO Dispose of her
To some more fitter place, and that with speed.
⌜Enter Servant.⌝
SERVANT
25 Here is the sister of the man condemned
Desires access to you.
ANGELO Hath he a sister?
PROVOST
Ay, my good lord, a very virtuous maid,
And to be shortly of a sisterhood,
30 If not already.
ANGELO, ⌜to Servant⌝ Well, let her be admitted.
⌜Servant exits.⌝
See you the fornicatress be removed.
Let her have needful but not lavish means.
There shall be order for ’t.
Enter Lucio and Isabella.
PROVOST, ⌜beginning to exit⌝ 35Save your Honor.
ANGELO
Stay a little while. ⌜To Isabella.⌝ You’re welcome.
What’s your will?
ISABELLA
I am a woeful suitor to your Honor,
Please but your Honor hear me.
ANGELO 40 Well, what’s your
suit?
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;
61
Measure for Measure
ACT 2. SC. 2
At war ’twixt will and will not.
ANGELO Well, the matter?
ISABELLA
I have a brother is condemned to die.
I do beseech you let it be his fault
50 And not my brother.
PROVOST, ⌜aside⌝ Heaven give thee moving
graces.
ANGELO
Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it?
Why, every fault’s condemned ere it be done.
55 Mine were the very cipher of a function
To fine the faults whose fine stands in record
And let go by the actor.
ISABELLA O just but severe law!
I had a brother, then. Heaven keep your Honor.
LUCIO, ⌜aside to Isabella⌝
60 Give ’t not o’er so. To him again, entreat him,
Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown.
You are too cold. If you should need a pin,
You could not with more tame a tongue desire it.
To him, I say.
ISABELLA, ⌜to Angelo⌝
65 Must he needs die?
ANGELO Maiden, no remedy.
ISABELLA
Yes, I do think that you might pardon him,
And neither heaven nor man grieve at the mercy.
ANGELO
I will not do ’t.
ISABELLA 70 But can you if you would?
ANGELO
Look what I will not, that I cannot do.
ISABELLA
But might you do ’t and do the world no wrong
63
Measure for Measure
ACT 2. SC. 2
As mine is to him?
ANGELO 75He’s sentenced. ’Tis too late.
LUCIO, ⌜aside to Isabella⌝ You are too cold.
ISABELLA
Too late? Why, no. I that do speak a word
May call it ⌜back⌝ again. Well believe this:
No ceremony that to great ones longs,
80 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.
If he had been as you, and you as he,
85 You would have slipped like him, but he like you
Would not have been so stern.
ANGELO Pray you begone.
ISABELLA
I would to heaven I had your potency,
And you were Isabel. Should it then be thus?
90 No. I would tell what ’twere to be a judge
And what a prisoner.
LUCIO, ⌜aside to Isabella⌝ Ay, touch him; there’s the
vein.
ANGELO
Your brother is a forfeit of the law,
95 And you but waste your words.
ISABELLA Alas, alas!
Why all the souls that were were forfeit once,
And He that might the vantage best have took
Found out the remedy. How would you be
100 If He which is the top of judgment should
But judge you as you are? O, think on that,
And mercy then will breathe within your lips
Like man new-made.
ANGELO Be you content, fair maid.
105 It is the law, not I, condemn your brother.
65
Measure for Measure
ACT 2. SC. 2
It should be thus with him. He must die tomorrow.
ISABELLA
Tomorrow? O, that’s sudden! Spare him, spare him.
He’s not prepared for death. Even for our kitchens
110 We kill the fowl of season. Shall we serve heaven
With less respect than we do minister
To our gross selves? Good, good my lord, bethink
you.
Who is it that hath died for this offense?
115 There’s many have committed it.
LUCIO, ⌜aside to Isabella⌝ Ay, well said.
ANGELO
The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept.
Those many had not dared to do that evil
If the first that did th’ edict infringe
120 Had answered for his deed. Now ’tis awake,
Takes note of what is done, and, like a prophet,
Looks in a glass that shows what future evils—
Either now, or by remissness new-conceived,
And so in progress to be hatched and born—
125 Are now to have no successive degrees
But, ⌜ere⌝ they live, to end.
ISABELLA Yet show some pity.
ANGELO
I show it most of all when I show justice,
For then I pity those I do not know,
130 Which a dismissed offense would after gall,
And do him right that, answering one foul wrong,
Lives not to act another. Be satisfied;
Your brother dies tomorrow; be content.
ISABELLA
So you must be the first that gives this sentence,
135 And he that suffers. O, it is excellent
To have a giant’s strength, but it is tyrannous
To use it like a giant.
67
Measure for Measure
ACT 2. SC. 2
ISABELLA Could great men thunder
140 As Jove himself does, Jove would never be quiet,
For every pelting, petty officer
Would use his heaven for thunder,
Nothing but thunder. Merciful heaven,
Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt
145 Splits the unwedgeable and gnarlèd oak,
Than the soft myrtle. But man, proud man,
Dressed in a little brief authority,
Most ignorant of what he’s most assured,
His glassy essence, like an angry ape
150 Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven
As makes the angels weep, who with our spleens
Would all themselves laugh mortal.
LUCIO, ⌜aside to Isabella⌝
O, to him, to him, wench. He will relent.
He’s coming. I perceive ’t.
PROVOST, ⌜aside⌝ 155 Pray heaven she win him.
ISABELLA
We cannot weigh our brother with ourself.
Great men may jest with saints; ’tis wit in them,
But in the less, foul profanation.
LUCIO, ⌜aside to Isabella⌝
Thou ’rt i’ th’ right, girl. More o’ that.
ISABELLA
160 That in the captain’s but a choleric word
Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy.
LUCIO, ⌜aside to Isabella⌝
Art avised o’ that? More on ’t.
ANGELO
Why do you put these sayings upon me?
ISABELLA
Because authority, though it err like others,
165 Hath yet a kind of medicine in itself
69
Measure for Measure
ACT 2. SC. 2
Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know
That’s like my brother’s fault. If it confess
A natural guiltiness such as is his,
170 Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue
Against my brother’s life.
ANGELO, ⌜aside⌝ She speaks, and ’tis such sense
That my sense breeds with it.⌜He begins to exit.⌝
Fare you well.
ISABELLA 175Gentle my lord, turn back.
ANGELO
I will bethink me. Come again tomorrow.
ISABELLA
Hark how I’ll bribe you. Good my lord, turn back.
ANGELO How? Bribe me?
ISABELLA
Ay, with such gifts that heaven shall share with you.
LUCIO, ⌜aside to Isabella⌝ 180You had marred all else.
ISABELLA
Not with fond sicles of the tested gold,
Or stones whose rate are either rich or poor
As fancy values them, but with true prayers
That shall be up at heaven and enter there
185 Ere sunrise, prayers from preservèd souls,
From fasting maids whose minds are dedicate
To nothing temporal.
ANGELO Well, come to me tomorrow.
LUCIO, ⌜aside to Isabella⌝ Go to, ’tis well; away.
ISABELLA
190 Heaven keep your Honor safe.
ANGELO, ⌜aside⌝ Amen.
For I am that way going to temptation
Where prayers cross.
ISABELLA At what hour tomorrow
195 Shall I attend your Lordship?
ANGELO At any time ’fore noon.
71
Measure for Measure
ACT 2. SC. 2
⌜She exits, with Lucio and Provost.⌝
ANGELO From thee, even from thy virtue.
What’s this? What’s this? Is this her fault or mine?
200 The tempter or the tempted, who sins most, ha?
Not she, nor doth she tempt; but it is I
That, lying by the violet in the sun,
Do as the carrion does, not as the flower,
Corrupt with virtuous season. Can it be
205 That modesty may more betray our sense
Than woman’s lightness? Having waste ground
enough,
Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary
And pitch our evils there? O fie, fie, fie!
210 What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo?
Dost thou desire her foully for those things
That make her good? O, let her brother live.
Thieves for their robbery have authority
When judges steal themselves. What, do I love her
215 That I desire to hear her speak again
And feast upon her eyes? What is ’t I dream on?
O cunning enemy that, to catch a saint,
With saints dost bait thy hook. Most dangerous
Is that temptation that doth goad us on
220 To sin in loving virtue. Never could the strumpet
With all her double vigor, art and nature,
Once stir my temper, but this virtuous maid
Subdues me quite. Ever till now
When men were fond, I smiled and wondered how.
He exits.
