ISABELLA’S CHOICE
BY EMMA
Hi there, my name is Emma, and I am your story teller, this evening. Tonight’s story, is Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure” with a twist. We will look at scenes together, and analyze them, layer by layer. First, let’s get the back story.
Brothel
In a little town, called Vienna, there lived, Vincentio, the duke, Angelo, the deputy and Isabella. The Duke called Angelo, his deputy, in to chat.
Angelo, I am leaving the city for a while, I am placing you in charge. Good luck!
Moments later… The Duke always driven by his own self interest…
Attention, everyone! I have made the decision to close all brothels in town. Additionally, the punishment for sex outside marriage is a death sentence.
Brothel
Just as Angelo’s laws are put in place… Claudio is arrested for getting Juliet pregnant
Meet the First Gentleman and Bawd…
I saw him being carried away, and I think he’s going to be beheaded.
Claudio begs his friend to get his sister, Isabella, to stop this execution from happening, and save Claudio’s life.
Meanwhile, Isabella is about to enter a convent and become a nun.
Chastity is the practice to refrain from having sex outside marriage, or to not have sex at all
Chastity is the primary root of power in this play… however, this society and ruler are threatened by citizens who might want to have sex
Angelo defends the implementation of the law, that places chastity above human life, by declaring that the crime warrants a death sentence.
This nunnery is a form of freedom, because we’re not surrounded by men, and their nastiness
Isabella, you will be fully protected, once you’ve completed your vows.
Welcome, to the Order of St. Clare.
Isabella chooses a life to not have sex, in a society, whose ruler is threatened by this. This choice is a form of power. Under mother’s Superior Law, Isabella will be fully protected by the sisterhood.
However, Isabella isn’t safe in the covenant for very long… as per Claudio’s wishes, Lucio finds Isabella
Isabella, there is someone here to see you.
I’m looking for Isabella
When Isabella tries to escape to a secluded life, the events of the play seem to yank her back to reality, to Vienna.
Isabella! Claudio is in prison and is being sentenced to death. You have to save him! You have to lift the death sentence off Claudio.
Lucio?
He is being punished by Angelo for getting a woman pregnant, a woman whom he isn’t married to.
The audience begins to see Isabella as a strong character, who is willing to go back to Vienna, to save her brother.
Where is the Duke?
The Duke is gone. Angelo is now the ruler of Vienna. And as a new leader, he wants to make a statement by executing Claudio.
You said Claudio has a child with Juliet?
Yes.
ACT II
Isabella is determined to attempt to persuade Angelo to spare Claudio’s life.
Please, I beg of you, do not kill my brother.
You’re too late. He is already sentenced to death.
Please. No. I’ll do anything. How can I bribe you?
Come back tomorrow
She is very pretty
Tomorrow…
If you let me sleep with you… your brother’s life will be saved
How dare you? I’m going to tell everyone in Vienna what you just said.
When confronted by Angelo when she is forced to decide between her chastity and saving her brother, she defends her chastity. Angelo attempting to rob Isabella of her chastity was an attempt to regain his power. Isabella refusing means that she wants to remain loyal to her chastity.
You could do that, but nobody will believe you.. save your brother by sleeping with me.
I will remain a chaste woman and my brother will die. How dare you disrespect my integrity.
I love you, Isabella
Let's pause, in this moment, the audience slowly begins to see how Shakespeare’s patriarchal Vienna creates an environment where women are encompassed by the potential danger of shame and humiliation about sex. Isabella’s actions are forcibly made by keeping in mind how men will react to them.
ACT III
Isabella goes to Claudio, who is in prison, to inform him of Angelo’s deal.
You’re going to tell him “yes” right?? To save my life!
Claudio I think you have to die. I can’t give up my virginity to spare your life!
Isabella remains to have a strong sense of self, who still refuses to give herself up for a man… chastity
continues to operate as a form of power. Isabella found out how to wield chastity as a powerful tool.
The Duke, disguised as a friar, overhears Isabella and Claudio… and tells them he wants to help them and has a plan.
With this plan, Isabella’s chastity is protected, which ultimately respects Isabella and her wishes.
This plan allows for you, Isabella, to remain a chaste woman. What do you think of this plan?
Angelo has an ex-fiance, Mariana. They ended up not getting married, because Mariana’s dowry was adrift at sea. Isabella, you should agree to meet Angelo in the garden, however, you and Mariana will swap places.
ACT IV
Isabella still has control over her fate and listens to the friar she meet in prison, and asks Mariana to help.
Mariana’s house
Friar, Isabella, come in, welcome to my home.
Explain the plan to me.
I promised to meet Angelo in a garden on the grounds.
In the garden, I will tell him that I can’t stay long because I have servants who wait on me, and here we will switch places. What do you think?
Okay, I will help you.
Meanwhile…
Can you cut off Claudio’s head?
If you refuse, I will sentence you to prison for life, and you will receive whippings as a punishment.
*messenger not in frame*
Okay, I will do it, if I have help from Abhorson.
Messenger: Sir, I have a letter for you.
Angelo wrote in his letter that he wants Claudio to be sentenced to death, immediately!!
When is Angelo going to let Claudio go? *impatiently waiting*
I have a plan to stall Claudio’s execution, let’s get Barnardine’s head, he is also scheduled to be executed. You will be protected and out of sight in a prison cell.
I’m here to see how Claudio is doing.
Power is operating here, the power of being in the know and not knowing.
Isabella… Claudio was executed.
Isabella… you still have a chance to get vengeance. The Duke is coming back to Vienna, you can expose Angelo and all of his heinous actions.
Meanwhile, back in Vienna
When the Duke returns, I will get my revenge on Angelo.
The Duke is back??
Peter! Come here! I am sending you on a few errands.
With the little power Isabella has left, she plans to expose Angelo to the Duke.
The Duke is back! Do you remember the plan for when we meet the Duke?
Yes! I am ready.
ACT V
The Duke returns to Vienna!
Welcome home, my lord.
Yes, welcome back. Sir, Angelo disregarded my chastity!
As we’ve seen thus far, Isabella’s behaviors are influenced by the male’s reactions. In an environment, that revolves around men and have no concern for women, she loses all power.
Nobody, it’s the truth!
Who is making you say such things?
Officer, arrest her!
*Mariana walks in frame* *Duke exits the frame*
Sir, I saw Isabella and Friar at the prison.
Angelo is my husband.
*Friar enters* Lucio takes off Friar’s hood, exposing the Duke.
Angelo, I must tell you… you never slept with Isabella. It was me, you slept with.
You guys, I know this woman
Claudio’s alive!
Please, spare Angelo’s life! Isabella, say something! I know he’s done you wrong.
I’m sorry, I now realize my mistakes, please don’t sentence me to death!
No, Barnardine, bring the prisoner in.
The Duke reunites everybody and tries to rectify the situation.
Angelo, you will no longer be sentenced to death…
Lucio, marry the lovely Kate
Claudio, marry Juliet! Raise your child together.
Isabella has no control over the plot anymore. Her character cannot resist the male’s control (i.e. nobody believes her)... and she has no choice but to comply. Thus, her character has been diminished from this strong woman who tries to save her brother to a woman who is at a loss for words. What does her silence really mean?
“Give me your hand, and say you will be mine” Isabella, marry me?
…
Scholars have been debating and interpreting the ending in various ways.
Meet Charles R. Lyons, let’s hear his thoughts:
In the last moment, is Isabella submissive? Or is her silence actually holding power
I believe Isabella’s silence is only temporary. Her silence actually evokes thought for the reader.
However…
It begs the question, does silence from female character, really mean they’re submitting, or is it a form of resistance to something else?
Isabella tries to persuade the male characters with her words… but when that isn’t effective, so is the silence more useful?
Meet Andrew Gurr, a Cambridge University graduate, and now professor
Even though, there was no verbal response…
Her silence indicated that she is saying “yes” to his proposal
Meet Barbara J. Baines, an English professor at North Carolina State University. Renaissance drama is a main theme throughout her courses.
Isabella is choosing to remain silent.
This silence is a form of power and resistance against patriarchy.
Meet Elisa Oh
HOWARD
Isabella’s silence is powerful and actually an attempt to take back her voice, and ultimately, control.
Isabella’s silence is as if she’s recognizing that she has power over her own fate in this moment.
Meet Marcia Riefer, graduate from Lake Forest College, she taught technical writing at Cornell University. Now she writes children’s books.
Isabella’s silence is realizing that she’s ultimately powerless in the end. So, she has nothing to say to the Duke.
Isabella doesn’t have any control over the plot and fails to resist the pressure of a man’s control, and has no choice but to obey, thus her character is diminished.
Isabella not responding to the Duke, is not only a loss of her personal voice, but her physical voice as well.
Which leaves Isabella powerless in the end.
Emma:
I believe Isabella’s silence is a form of power, and her choosing to remain silent is intentional, not compliance. Maybe she is saying no inside her head. But the audience just couldn’t hear that. It makes you wonder what was left unsaid? What does the reader want for Isabella? Isn’t that taking away Isabella’s agency? What does that say about the reader?
What do you think Isabella’s silence means?
The End