Measure For Measure Textual Analysis Essay

, Research Paper

Measure for Measure : Textual Analysis of

(1.3.19-54) and study of the motives behind the Duke?s imminent absence. ????????? In this part of the play the Duke meets Friar Thomas and

explains the reasons for his temporary retirement from office and also speaks

about the laxity into which the laws of the city have fallen in the past. The

Duke makes it clear that Vienna needs a new figure of authority to implement

the reinforcement of the long forgotten rules regarding sex before marriage and

other moral issues. This is also a key passage because the audience find out

that the Duke intends to remain in Vienna disguised as a Friar giving some

glimpse of the intricate plot lying ahead. ????????? The

main purpose of this scene is to add to our knowledge about the Duke and to expose

the reasons why he is entrusting all of his power in Angelo. Friar Thomas

merely seems to be in the scene to prevent it from being an extremely long

monologue and because it seems his interjections serve only to prompt the Duke

to speak. The Friar leads the Duke into telling the audience more about his

complicated decision and to answer some of the questions posed by his conduct

at the very beginning of the play. ????????? At the begging of his speech the Duke paints a picture of a

world turned upside down because of the current looseness in the enforcement of

the laws of the state. He uses a combination of animal and social imagery to

convey this disturbed state of the city and his first image is of a mixed

metaphor, which could also imply that he is not fully convinced about his

decision to leave Angelo in charge. ?The

needful bits and curbs to headstrong weeds?????????? This line begins with the imagery of riding and controlling

a horse and turns to the visual picture of an un-weeded garden as a symbol of

political disorder. This is very effective because Vienna is like a garden that

was once flourishing because the laws were strict but now it has fallen into

disarray therefore the weeds symbolise the sexual immorality of the cities

inhabitants. The garden is in a repairable state but the weeds merely need to

be removed which so far seems to be the task that awaits Angelo. The law has

become ?like an o?ergrown lion in a cave? which does not even bother to go and

hunt. This simile properly conveys the picture of a once terrible and

peacekeeping beast run down to indulgence and indifference. ????????? The Duke then goes on to explain how a cane can be a simple

preventative measure to dissuade a child from misbehaviour, if it is never

implemented it becomes merely mocked and no longer fulfils its role. Just as

the cane, the law once stood tall above the population of Vienna but through

indifference it was never used to its full extent and now it is mocked because

people know they can get away with anything. The people ?pluck justice by the

nose? implying that because they are seemingly free to do what they want they

can laugh at the principles of law and order. ????????? The image of the baby beating the nurse makes another

comparison with an unnatural situation as an indication of how far out of hand

the situation in Vienna really is. Instead of receiving discipline from the

nurse the infant himself dispenses the punishment and seems that the Duke

believes that this role reversal is unacceptable. The Dukes language seems to

be quite violent probably because he feels strongly about the situation or

maybe he feels guilty for letting the city arrive at this state. His view of

the law in this scene seems to be as solely a punitive instrument of the state

rather than a protector of the populace, which contrasts with his mercy for

Angelo at the end of the play. ????????? Friar Thomas?s intervention in line 32 is very significant

because the Friar wants to know why the Duke didn?t ?unloose this tied up

justice? himself, instead of expecting Angelo to do it. This image of justice

being tied up is also very unnatural because it should be justice doing the

imprisoning rather than being imprisoned itself. The Dukes response is that he

is scared to unleash ?tyranny? on the people without warning, the laws have gone

unchecked for so long that for the Duke to suddenly enforce them now would be

extremely unnatural and shocking for the people.?twas

my fault to give the people scope?????????? This

line is very significant because the audience can see that the Duke is acknowledging

that this gradual descent into lawlessness is his own fault and he lays the

blame only on himself. ?Scope? is also important because it shows that the Duke

was attempting to give his people a degree of liberty without realising what

the long-term consequences could be. From this part of the speech we can see

that the Duke?s reason for leaving office is psychological and that leaving

Angelo in charge is his first step towards freeing himself from his public role

and from the blame of the cities gradual degradation. ????????? This extract is critical for the audience because they are

made aware of the Duke?s decision to remain in Vienna in disguise. All the

other characters are later taken in by the disguise yet the audience has this

superior knowledge that somehow makes the play more enjoyable. In a way the

audience are held in suspense because they want to find out whether any of the

other characters will see through the disguise and the audience almost want to

give the Duke away later on in the play. ????????? The Duke?s reasons for leaving almost turn on their own

head at the end of his speech,?Hence

we shall see, / If power change purpose, what our seemers be? ????????? The positioning of these lines at the end of the

scene both add emphasis to this pronouncement which suggests that the Duke?s

primary reason is to test his suspicions about Angelo?s virtue and honour. The

Duke has a plan at this early stage in the play and ?hence we shall see? seems

to imply that he is inviting the audience to watch this intricate story unfold.