Quotations 2 Flashcards
(20 cards)
Sin and Virtue- “Some rise..”
“Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.”- 2.1- Escalus
Context: Escalus reflects on the nature of justice and power, highlighting the moral ambiguity in the play. It suggests that people often gain power through sinful acts, while virtuous individuals suffer undeserved misfortune.
the tension between sin and virtue, and how justice is often imperfect or arbitrary.
Justice- (hint- scarecrow)
“We must not make a scarecrow of the law.”- 2.1- Angelo
Context: Angelo argues that the law must be enforced consistently and should not be treated as something easily disregarded, like a scarecrow in a field.
Significance: Shows Angelo’s initial strict view of justice and his belief in harsh punishment. It foreshadows his later hypocrisy when he fails to abide by his own moral standards.
Justice- (Clue- law and slept)
“The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept.” 2.2- Angelo
Context: Angelo is explaining to Isabella why Claudio must be punished. He argues that although the law has not been strictly enforced in Vienna, it still holds authority.
Significance: Angelo uses this to justify his rigid enforcement of outdated laws. His rigid stance on justice contrasts with the Duke’s more lenient approach.
Power/Abuse- “O it is excellent..”
“O, it is excellent / To have a giant’s strength, but it is tyrannous / To use it like a giant.”- Isabella 2.2
Context: Isabella pleads with Angelo for her brother’s life, using this metaphor to criticise the abuse of power.
Significance: Highlights the play’s theme of power and its potential for abuse. Isabella suggests that while authority is necessary, it must be used with restraint.
Power/Abuse and Gender- “Proud..”
“Man, proud man, / Drest in a little brief authority.” Isabella- 2.2
Context: Continuing her plea to Angelo, Isabella reflects on the arrogance of men in power, who wield their authority carelessly.
Significance: Criticises the temporary nature of power and the tendency for those in power to act tyrannically. It applies directly to Angelo, who is abusing his temporary authority.
Sexual Desire/ Virtue- (Hint- tempted)
“The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?”- Angelo 2.2
Context: Angelo, after hearing Isabella’s impassioned plea, begins to realise his lust for her and reflects on the nature of sin.
Significance: Crucial moment for Angelo, marking the beginning of his moral decline.
Appearance vs Reality/Mercy- (Hint- bosom)
“Go to your bosom; / Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know.”- Isabella 2.2
Context: Isabella appeals to Angelo’s conscience, urging him to reflect inwardly and consider the mercy that he himself might one day need.
Significance: One of the key contrasts with justice in the play. Isabella is asking Angelo to act with compassion rather than strict adherence to the law.
Sexuality/ Virtue- (Hint- ignorant..”
“Let me be ignorant, and in nothing good, / But graciously to know I am no better.” Isabella- 2.4
Context: Isabella expresses a desire for ignorance and self-awareness in the face of the moral and ethical dilemmas she faces.
Significance- She wants to remain innocent and untainted by the corruption around her, even if that means being ignorant of her own faults or flaws. Line suggests humility, as she acknowledges that she is no better than anyone else, implying that, while she may strive for purity, she recognizes her own human limitations.
Virtue and Religion- (Hint- bride.. arms..)
“I will encounter darkness as a bride, / And hug it in mine arms.” - Claudio- 3.1
Context: Believing that he is about to die, Claudio resigns himself to his fate and personifies death as a bride he is about to embrace.
Significance: Shows Claudio’s acceptance of death and the play’s exploration of mortality. It also contrasts with his earlier desperation, reflecting his inner turmoil.
Appearance vs Reality- (Hint- miserable… medicine)
“The miserable have no other medicine / But only hope.” - Claudio- 3.1
Context: As Claudio prepares for his execution, he reflects on the power of hope as the only comfort for those in despair.
Significance: Highlights the theme of hope and human suffering. Reveals Claudio’s vulnerability and the limited options available to those condemned by the law.
Religion and Virtue- (Hint- charity.. sin)
“Might there not be a charity in sin / To save this brother’s life?”- Angelo-2.4
Context: Angelo is essentially asking if there could be a justification for sin when it leads to a greater good—in this case, Claudio’s life.
Significance: It represents his internal struggle between the law and mercy. He is attempting to rationalize his sinful offer to Isabella, who has been demanding her brother’s life be spared.
Religion and Virtue/ Justice vs Mercy- (Hint.. Sword of heaven..)
He who the sword of heaven will bear / Should be as holy as severe. 3.2- Duke
Context: The Duke reflects on the qualities a ruler should possess, balancing severity with holiness or morality.
Significance: Reflects the Duke’s own philosophy of governance and highlights the theme of justice versus mercy. It criticises Angelo’s imbalance of justice without compassion.
Morality and Justice- (Hint- Truth is truth..)
“Truth is truth to the end of reckoning.”- 5.1 Isabella
Context: Isabella, in the final act, insists that her accusations against Angelo are true, even if it seems no one believes her.
Significance: Highlights Isabella’s steadfast belief in morality and justice. It reinforces her integrity and the idea that truth will prevail in the end.
Justice and Mercy- (Hint- Angelo for Claudio…)
“An Angelo for Claudio, death for death!”- 5.1 Duke
Context: The Duke declares that Angelo will be punished in the same way Claudio was, suggesting an eye-for-an-eye form of justice.
Significance: Mirrors the strict justice that Angelo enforced, but the Duke’s ultimate decision to show mercy highlights the play’s exploration of forgiveness and the need for balance in justice.
Justice- (Hint- Crave death)
“I crave death more willingly than mercy.”- Angelo- 5.1
Context: After his hypocrisy is exposed, Angelo begs for death, overwhelmed by guilt.
Significance: Angelo’s request for death illustrates his remorse and recognition of his wrongdoing. It contrasts with the Duke’s decision to show him mercy, furthering the theme of justice versus forgiveness.
Mercy- (Hint- best men are moulded..)
“They say, best men are moulded out of faults.”- Mariana- 5.1
Context: Mariana pleads with the Duke to forgive Angelo, arguing that people become better through their mistakes.
Significance: Reinforces the theme of mercy and the idea that even those who sin can be redeemed. Highlights the play’s complex moral landscape, where characters are not wholly good or evil.
Mercy and Justice- “Mercy is not itself… the nurse”
“Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so; / Pardon is still the nurse of second woe.”- 2.1 Escalus
Context: Escalus warns Angelo that showing too much mercy can lead to further wrongdoing, as criminals may take advantage of leniency.
Significance: Addresses the dangers of excessive mercy, presenting the need for a balance between leniency and punishment, a key tension in the play.
Hypocrisy/Power/Gender- (Hint- But man, proud…)
“But man, proud man, / Most ignorant of what he’s most assured.”- Isabella- 2.2
Context: Isabella criticises men’s arrogance, suggesting that those in power are often blind to their own moral failings.
Significance: Reflects the play’s focus on the corrupting influence of power and the theme of hypocrisy, particularly in figures like Angelo.
Justice/Virtue- “Law hath not been..”
“The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept.” - 2.2 Angelo
Context: Angelo justifies his strict enforcement of Vienna’s laws, which had been ignored for some time.
Significance: Underscores Angelo’s rigid application of justice and foreshadows the consequences of his inflexible moral stance.
Justice/Virtue/ Appearance vs Reality (Hint- doubleness of the…)
“The doubleness of the benefit defends the deceit from reproof.”- 3.1 Duke
Context: Duke rationalises his plan to deceive Angelo, claiming that because it results in good outcomes, it justifies the use of deception.
Significance: Encapsulates the Duke’s pragmatic approach to justice and highlights the moral ambiguity in the play, where ends sometimes justify means
