The Role of Christianity in Measure for Measure

Through the first three acts of this play, the religious aspect of this play struck me as most interesting. Especially with adding the elements of Christianity from Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare shows the flexibility in interpreting the certain religion.

In class we discussed the difference in moods between the Old and New Testament. Angelo, if he were to sync up with one of the two, would certainly be associated with the Old Testament. Strict, harsh, very law-abiding, merciless -- these are traits he exploits. However, the twist in the plot as well as the other characters present a religious analysis, exploring the different realms of Christianity, as opposed to a contrast between Christianity and Judaism.

When Angelo first comes down on Claudio, he justifies his ruling by the law, stating that his crime was inexcusable and his condemnation irreversible. Isabella, a practicing nun, deems Claudio's penalty as excusable, begging for mercy, justifying her point by saying that God would grant the same mercy. To me, it seems as if both characters are representing two different interpretations of Christianity, the strict one, and the merciful one. The more likable one to me is Isabella's case, to put God's law (mercy, forgiveness), and to view a dilemma sympatretical instead of Angelo's philosophy, which is to rule by the book, without questioning.

Of course, the plot twist with Angelo blackmailing Isabella for sex, may provide more implications for the topic of Christianity, but at this point it is hard to conclude exactly what.

The Facets of Angelo's Character

At the end of Act II, I’m left with an impression of Angelo as an extraordinarily complex character, yet also in many ways, a very predictable one. Our first dealings with Angelo come from the Duke’s descriptions of his character, and as we discussed on Friday, his virtuous nature. Angelo is renowned for his morals, and a strict interpretation of Vienna’s often unenforced laws regarding sexual conduct.

As his first decree as acting ruler, Angelo condemns Claudio for having sex with his betrothed and thus impregnating her, though most would consider this violation not nearly on the same level as acts committed by the men and women who run and frequent the brothels and sex trading industry. It would seem that Angelo is trying to make an example of Claudio, a man whose only real offense isn’t a very weighty one. Nevertheless, Claudio is sentenced to death for sleeping with the woman he loves, and Angelo’s reputation as an extremely righteous individual is strengthened. Though we are unsure of how Angelo came to be placed on this moral pedestal, we certainly know he’s there.

The turning point for Angelo’s personality occurs in the second act, in which Isabella, pleading for her brother’s life, makes quite an impression on the acting Duke. We’re given a very interesting scene in which Lucio pushes Isabella to be “warmer” in her interaction with Angelo. She begins her argument by agreeing with the Angelo’s actions and the strictness of the law (“O just but severe law!”), as Isabella as a character is also known for being pious. Though she’s begging for her brother’s life, she can’t help but feel disgust over his actions. Lucio, however, recognizes the fact that her coldness might not get anywhere with Angelo, and so he urges her to move closer and touch him while she pleads her case. She even goes as far as to bribe Angelo with prayer. Angelo, at first disinterested in Isabella, is intrigued, and it’s here that we can recognize his transformation. He listens to Isabella and tells her that he needs time to make a decision, and that she should return before noon tomorrow. After Isabella and Lucio leave, Angelo’s soliloquy confirms this change of opinion (“but it is I / That, lying by the violet of the sun, / Do, as the carrion does, not as the flower, / Corrupt with virtuous season”). Angelo goes on to admit his attraction to Isabella; that it is brought on not by any advance that she’s made, but by her own virtuous nature. In the face of true integrity, Angelo wants nothing more than to assert his dominance and destroy it. Though he considers himself above the common law-breakers, his humanity and sexual desire paint a much different picture.

Why Won't Isabella Just Sleep With Angelo?

While reading the first three acts of Measure for Measure what really jumped out at me was the character of Isabella. I found her to be a very intriguing and interesting character for many reasons. What really stood out to me was Isabella's blatant refusal of Angelo’s “suggestion”, which ultimately condemned her brother to death for a second time in this play. This refusal really got me wondering about to what extent was Isabella’s decision completely justified?

I think the question of whether or not Isabella’s decision is justified is quite a complicated question and I’m not sure I’ve figured it out for myself yet. The thought came across my mind at first, that maybe Isabella doesn’t really care so much for Claudio and that she (being a virtuous follower of god) thinks he deserves this punishment for this “sin”. But then I remembered that Isabella tries very hard to persuade Angelo to spare her brother, she says, “If he had been as you and you as he, / You would have slipped like him, but he, like you, / Would not have been so stern” (2.2 : 66-68). Here we see an example of Isabella trying to persuade Angelo by saying that if he committed the same offense, Claudio, if put in Angelo’s position, would have been merciful. Isabella’s constant plea for mercy for her brother is evidence that she indeed cares for her brother, but yet will not give “herself” to Angelo to save him. Isabella is so against giving her body to Angelo that she also says she would rather die instead of “… yield/ My body up to shame” (2.4: 103-104). Here is where I came to the realization that it wasn’t really a question of if Isabella cared for her brother, because she obviously does care for him to offer to die for him, but it’s the question of if Isabella cares about herself more. I think that by refusing to sleep with Angelo it is Isabella’s way of protecting her eternal soul. Isabella even says, “Better it were a brother died at once/ Than that a sister, by redeeming him, Should die for ever” (2.4 106-109). Here I think Isabella is placing a higher value on herself, or maybe just her eternal soul, than that of her brother’s life. So I guess based on this it comes down to the fact that Isabella is protecting her “soul” from eternal damnation, and I’m not sure if I can argue against this being wrong or selfish…especially considering the time period during which this takes place. I can see that in Isabella’s eyes a damned eternal soul is a fate worse than death so I therefore see her decision not to sleep with Angelo as somewhat justifiable. Finally, by contemplating the justification of Isabella’s decision it led me to think about whether or not her decision would have been different if this play was set during present day, where pre-marital sex is rampant if not the “norm”, and whether or not the setting/time period of the play is what solely allowed me to somewhat claim that her actions were justifiable?