Thematic Analysis
Justice and Judgement
General Points
• Social – leaders know of laws but don’t implement, Duke too lax, Angelo too harsh
• Duke – acts as an arbiter of justice (condemns and helps), but is a sinner himself
• Angelo – sees mercy and justice as sone – harsher consequences, blackmails Isabella and
commits sin, Angelo escapes true justice
• Lucio and Pompey – bawdy language, justice, daunted by institutions
• Structure – parallels between plot and sub-plot reflect fluctuation in society between
justice and mercy
• Human justice – fornication punished by death, Claudio first offender, audience reaction,
Lucio and Pompey avoid the law
• Conclusion – no such thing as true justice, law only as strong/successful as enforcer,
fairness for all is unachievable
Quotes
Themes/Analysis Quote
Those who have power must use it Isabella – ‘O, it is excellent to have a giant’s strength, but it is
responsibly to get justice tyrannous to use it like a giant’
Danger or enforcing laws with
Angelo – ‘We must not make a scarecrow of the law’
understanding - injustice
Hope as an essential element of Escalus – ‘The miserable have no other medicine, but only
justice hope’
Justice rests on Angelo – Justice as a Duke – ‘So to enforce of qualify the laws as to your soul seems
human power good’
Liberty and justice are imbalanced Duke – ‘Liberty plucks justice by the nose’
Isabella begs for Angelo’s life – is Isabella – ‘Let him not die. My brother had but justice in that
this just? Is his pardon fair? he did the think for which he died’
System of justice – equality but Duke – ‘An Angelo for a Claudio, death for death… Measure
unfair still for measure’
Justice system, seems unfair on Angelo – ‘Be you content, fair maid. It is the law, not I,
Claudio’s life condemn your brother… he must die tomorrow’
22
, Religion
General Points
• Play dramatizes Christian doctrine – criticism of Puritanism
• Isabella – religious but does not always stick to her beliefs
• Friar disguise – deception, comical, mockery of religion, Duke is given automatic power
(e.g. playing with Claudio’s life), behaviour more sacrilegious than holistic
• Measure for measure – law of retaliation, Bible, ‘eye for an eye’
Quotes
Themes/Analysis Quote
Duke – ‘An Angelo for Claudio, death for death… measure still
Biblical system of justice – cyclical
for measure’
Isabella wants to maintain her Isabella – ‘Better it were a brother died at once, than that a
religious purity sister, by redeeming him, should die for ever’
Angelo sees his sexual desires as Angelo ‘God in my mouth… his name and in my heart the
sinful and corrupt but confesses strong and swelling evil’
Isabella offers to pray for Angelo Isabella – ‘Good my lord, turn back… but with true prayers
rather than sleep with him that shall be up at heaven and enter there’
Biblical justice replaced with
Duke – ‘Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well’
Christian mercy at the end
Puritanical nature of punishment Angelo – ‘He’s sentenced. ‘Tis too late’
Lucio – ‘I hold you as a thing… by your renouncement as
Lucio sees Isabella as a saint
immortal spirit… as a saint’
23
Justice and Judgement
General Points
• Social – leaders know of laws but don’t implement, Duke too lax, Angelo too harsh
• Duke – acts as an arbiter of justice (condemns and helps), but is a sinner himself
• Angelo – sees mercy and justice as sone – harsher consequences, blackmails Isabella and
commits sin, Angelo escapes true justice
• Lucio and Pompey – bawdy language, justice, daunted by institutions
• Structure – parallels between plot and sub-plot reflect fluctuation in society between
justice and mercy
• Human justice – fornication punished by death, Claudio first offender, audience reaction,
Lucio and Pompey avoid the law
• Conclusion – no such thing as true justice, law only as strong/successful as enforcer,
fairness for all is unachievable
Quotes
Themes/Analysis Quote
Those who have power must use it Isabella – ‘O, it is excellent to have a giant’s strength, but it is
responsibly to get justice tyrannous to use it like a giant’
Danger or enforcing laws with
Angelo – ‘We must not make a scarecrow of the law’
understanding - injustice
Hope as an essential element of Escalus – ‘The miserable have no other medicine, but only
justice hope’
Justice rests on Angelo – Justice as a Duke – ‘So to enforce of qualify the laws as to your soul seems
human power good’
Liberty and justice are imbalanced Duke – ‘Liberty plucks justice by the nose’
Isabella begs for Angelo’s life – is Isabella – ‘Let him not die. My brother had but justice in that
this just? Is his pardon fair? he did the think for which he died’
System of justice – equality but Duke – ‘An Angelo for a Claudio, death for death… Measure
unfair still for measure’
Justice system, seems unfair on Angelo – ‘Be you content, fair maid. It is the law, not I,
Claudio’s life condemn your brother… he must die tomorrow’
22
, Religion
General Points
• Play dramatizes Christian doctrine – criticism of Puritanism
• Isabella – religious but does not always stick to her beliefs
• Friar disguise – deception, comical, mockery of religion, Duke is given automatic power
(e.g. playing with Claudio’s life), behaviour more sacrilegious than holistic
• Measure for measure – law of retaliation, Bible, ‘eye for an eye’
Quotes
Themes/Analysis Quote
Duke – ‘An Angelo for Claudio, death for death… measure still
Biblical system of justice – cyclical
for measure’
Isabella wants to maintain her Isabella – ‘Better it were a brother died at once, than that a
religious purity sister, by redeeming him, should die for ever’
Angelo sees his sexual desires as Angelo ‘God in my mouth… his name and in my heart the
sinful and corrupt but confesses strong and swelling evil’
Isabella offers to pray for Angelo Isabella – ‘Good my lord, turn back… but with true prayers
rather than sleep with him that shall be up at heaven and enter there’
Biblical justice replaced with
Duke – ‘Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well’
Christian mercy at the end
Puritanical nature of punishment Angelo – ‘He’s sentenced. ‘Tis too late’
Lucio – ‘I hold you as a thing… by your renouncement as
Lucio sees Isabella as a saint
immortal spirit… as a saint’
23
