The Shakespeare Book

234

D

uke Vincentio hands

power to his deputy

Angelo and announces

that he is leaving the country on

business. During the 14 years the

Duke has been in government,

Vienna has become a lawless city,

where pimps and prostitutes thrive.

The Duke secretly plans to observe

how the puritanical Angelo governs

in his absence. He assumes the

disguise of a friar in order to move

around the city unrecognized.

Once in power, Angelo enforces

forgotten laws. Claudio is arrested

for getting his wife-to-be Juliet

MEASURE FOR MEASURE

pregnant, and the pimps and

bawds fear that they too will soon

suffer. On hearing of Claudio’s

death sentence, his sister Isabella

leaves the nunnery she was about

to join to plead with Angelo to

spare her brother’s life.

Isabella is escorted by Lucio

who encourages her to argue her

brother’s case. Angelo remains

unmoved by Isabella’s argument,

but he asks her to return the next

day. She comes unaccompanied

and Angelo presents her with a

chilling ultimatum: he will spare

her brother’s life on the condition

DRAMATIS

PERSONAE

Duke Vincentio Governor

of Vienna who disguises

himself as a friar to observe

how Angelo governs in his

absence. He later proposes

marriage to Isabella.

Angelo Duke Vincentio’s

deputy, who is given the

opportunity to govern Vienna.

He suggests that Claudio’s

death sentence could be

overturned should his sister

Isabella give up her chastity.

Escalus The Duke’s aide,

who oversees and criticizes

Angelo’s puritanical approach

to government.

Claudio Isabella’s brother,

who is arrested and given a

death sentence for getting his

betrothed, Juliet, pregnant.

Isabella A novice nun who is

called to plead for her brother’s

life. She is determined to save

Claudio, as well as preserve

her chastity.

Lucio A brash busy-body

who delights in the scandals

plaguing Vienna. He provokes

the Duke’s displeasure with

his defamatory gossip, and is

forced to marry a prostitute.

Mistress Overdone The

keeper of the brothel who

discovers that Angelo intends

to close down her business.

Mariana Once betrothed to

Angelo, but he refused to

marry her. She takes Isabella’s

place in Angelo’s bed, and so

tricks him into marriage.

Act 1 Act 2

1.4

2.2

1.1

1.3

2.4

Claudio faces

execution for getting

his betrothed, Juliet,

pregnant.

Angelo accepts

responsibility for the

government of Vienna

while the Duke travels

to Poland.

The Duke asks Friar

Peter to lend him a

friar’s habit so that he

can disguise himself.

Angelo in return

asks Isabella to

sleep with him.

Isabella asks Angelo

to spare her brother

Claudio’s life.