Act 3 Key events Flashcards
Act 3, Scene 1
The disguised duke visits Claudio in prison to prepare him for death. Claudio thanks him and says he is ready to die. Isabella arrives and the duke hides to listen to their conversation. Isabella tells Claudio he must die. Claudio asks if there’s ‘no remedy’ and Isabella says only one that would strip away his ‘honour’. Isabella seems afraid to tell him about Angelo’s offer but when she does, Claudio is outraged, saying immediately that she must not do it. However, his thoughts quickly change. Claudio admits he is afraid to die and suggests that sleeping with Angelo is the ‘least’ of the ‘seven deadly’ sins?. Isabella curses him, calling him a “faithless coward” and that it’s best he dies quickly. The duke steps forward and, taking Claudio aside, tells him that Angelo is only testing Isabella and Claudio will die tomorrow. The duke then tells Isabella he has a plan to save her virginity and Claudio’s life. She will agree to Angelo’s demands but they will put his ex-fiancée, Mariana, in her place so that Angelo sleeps with her instead. Mariana still loves Angelo and is still engaged to him so it won’t be a sin. Angelo will think he has slept with Isabella and spare Claudio. Isabella agrees.
Act 3, Scene 2
Constable Elbow brings Pompey into the jail. Pompey sees Lucio and asks him to pay his bail?. Lucio refuses and Pompey is led away. The duke is disgusted by their bawdy conversation. Lucio, who doesn’t recognise the duke in his disguise, criticises the duke for leaving and putting the ‘ruthless’ Angelo in charge. He tells the ‘friar’ the duke is a drunk who was more forgiving of lechery? because he was guilty of it himself. The disguised duke can’t defend himself but promises to report Lucio when the duke returns. Escalus and the Provost bring Mistress Overdone into the prison for running a brothel?. She blames Lucio for giving ‘information’ against her and reveals he has a child with a woman he promised to marry but hasn’t. The disguised duke asks Escalus what kind of man the duke was. Escalus replies a ‘gentleman of all temperance?’ who ‘truly wanted to know himself’. Escalus adds that Angelo will not change his mind about Claudio. In a soliloquy, the duke criticises Angelo for being a hypocrite.
What do we learn?
Pompey has been arrested for being a bawd?.
Mistress Overdone has been arrested for running a brothel.
Lucio blames the duke for everything that’s happened.
The duke cares what the people think of him.
