Grace Thompson
In Shakespeare's 'Measure for Measure', Angelo is a complex character who rules as a religious tyrant in the Duke's absence. Critics disagree on whether Angelo is inherently malicious or a good man who succumbs to power and sexual temptation. He is often interpreted as a hypocrite, condemning Claudio to death for having sex out of wedlock while attempting to coerce Claudio's sister, Isabella, into sleeping with him. Angelo's character is a major reason why 'Measure for Measure' is considered one of Shakespeare's 'problem plays', as he embodies tragic qualities within a comedic framework.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main antagonist | Angelo |
| Complex character | Yes |
| Represents | Justice, hypocrisy, repressive moral authority, puritanism |
| Relationship with Isabella | Attempts to coerce her into having sex with him |
| Sentence | Death sentence, later changed to marrying Mariana |
| Inspiration | Claude Frollo, the villain of Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame |
| Portrayed by | Gervais Rentoul, Maud Hoffman, Oscar Asche, Lily Brayton, William Poel, Charles Laughton, Josephine Rogers, Daniel Roberts, Simon Phillips, John Gielgud, Leon Quartermaine, Harry Andrews, Barbara Jefford, Robert Hardy, Stephen Murray, Dennis Arundell, Laidman Browne, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
- Angelo's character is a critique of Puritanism, embodying puritanical hypocrisy
- Angelo's complex character struggles with his own internal desires, questioning his identity
- Angelo's actions highlight the relationship between justice and mercy
- Angelo's strict adherence to the law leads to his tyrannical overreach of authority
- Angelo's punishment at the end of the play is a forced marriage, revealing his character's tragic qualities
Angelo's character is a critique of Puritanism, embodying puritanical hypocrisy
William Shakespeare's play "Measure for Measure" is often regarded as an anti-Puritan satire. Many believe that Shakespeare was a secret Catholic, living during the rise of the Puritans—those who wished to reform the Church of England and create a greater focus on Protestant teachings. It was often difficult for Catholics to practice their faith during this time.
Angelo, the play's chief antagonist, is believed to embody Puritanism through his excessive piety. Shakespeare reveals Angelo to be a devil, despite his angelic outward appearance, critiquing Puritans as hypocritical and even inhuman. Angelo is described as a despotic and puritanical figure, entrusted to rule the city of Vienna in the absence of Duke Vincentio. He is a man with very rigid ideas about moral purity, holding himself to the highest standards of both religion and the law.
However, Angelo's zeal to establish a reputation reveals his tyrannical nature. He decides to rid Vienna of all unlawful sexual activity, including shutting down brothels. He sentences Claudio to death for having sex out of wedlock, yet he himself attempts to force Claudio's sister, Isabella, a chaste and innocent nun, to have sex with him. This action embodies puritanical hypocrisy, as Angelo does not adhere to the strict justice he enforces. He is aware of and conflicted by his wrongdoings, caught off guard by his desires, and struggles with his internal experience.
Despite maintaining a cold and heartless exterior, Angelo's inner life reflects that he is motivated by deeply human desires. By the end of the play, he is publicly chastened for his hypocrisy and sentenced to marry Mariana, his former fiancée. Although he is justly punished, it is hard not to pity him, as he struggles to reconcile his morals with his desires.
Through Angelo's character, Shakespeare critiques Puritanism by exposing the hypocrisy that can arise from excessively repressive moral authority. The character's complexity adds depth to the play, contributing to its classification as one of Shakespeare's problem plays.
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Angelo's complex character struggles with his own internal desires, questioning his identity
In William Shakespeare's play "Measure for Measure", Angelo is a complex character with a strict and unwavering dedication to following the rules. He is described as a "man whose blood / Is very snow-broth; one who never feels / The wanton stings and motions of the sense". However, despite his cold and heartless exterior, Angelo struggles with his own internal desires, which lead him to question his identity.
When Isabella, a chaste and innocent nun, pleads for her brother Claudio's life, Angelo becomes obsessed with her beauty and orders her to sleep with him in exchange for her brother's life. In this moment, Angelo is caught off guard by his own desire and is led to question his identity: "What does thou, or what art thou, Angelo?" (2.2.210). He is surprised by his own lust and is forced to consider himself in a different light, acknowledging his shortcomings.
Throughout the play, Angelo acts heartlessly and is frequently shown to be a misogynist. He is aware of, and deeply conflicted by, his wrongdoings. He struggles to reconcile his morals with his desires before ultimately succumbing to hypocrisy. Despite his rigid ideas about moral purity and his claim to moral exemplarity, Angelo is very susceptible to passion. He falls in love with Isabella almost immediately and intensely desires her, leading him to attempt to coerce her into having sex with him.
Critics disagree about whether Angelo is a good man who has fallen due to power and sexual temptation or a malicious man from the start. However, it is generally accepted that he is one of the play's more three-dimensional characters, and his internal struggles add depth to his character. By the end of the play, Angelo is publicly chastened for his hypocrisy and sentenced to marry Mariana, his ex-fiancée.
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Angelo's actions highlight the relationship between justice and mercy
In William Shakespeare's play "Measure for Measure", the character of Angelo is often seen as a controversial figure, embodying the complex relationship between justice and mercy. As the temporary leader of Vienna, he is strict and unwavering in his dedication to the law, particularly in his zeal to rid the city of unlawful sexual activity. This is in contrast to the Duke, who is disguised as a friar and observes Angelo's regency.
Angelo's actions in the play highlight the tension between justice and mercy. On the one hand, he is depicted as a despotic and puritanical figure, persecuting Claudio for the crime of fornication and sentencing him to death. He is described as a "man whose blood / Is very snow-broth; one who never feels / The wanton stings and motions of the sense". This suggests that Angelo is seen as cold and unfeeling, lacking in mercy and compassion.
However, Angelo's character is more nuanced than a simple embodiment of justice. He is also susceptible to passion and desire, as evidenced by his immediate attraction to Isabella, Claudio's sister, who pleads for her brother's life. Angelo's inner conflict is revealed in his soliloquies, where he questions his own identity and motivations. Despite his rigid ideas about moral purity, he struggles with his own desires, which leads to his attempt to coerce Isabella into having sex with him. This hypocrisy is ultimately exposed and he is punished by being forced to marry Mariana, his former fiancée.
Angelo's actions, therefore, highlight the complex interplay between justice and mercy. While he initially represents strict adherence to the law, his own human desires and weaknesses lead him to act in ways that contradict his public persona. This internal conflict reflects the broader theme of the play, which explores the ethical implications of power and the moral corruption that can arise from its misuse.
In conclusion, Angelo's character in "Measure for Measure" serves as a vehicle to explore the complex relationship between justice and mercy. His actions and inner turmoil demonstrate that the exercise of power is not simply a matter of strict justice, but is inevitably influenced by human desires, weaknesses, and the potential for mercy and compassion.
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Angelo's strict adherence to the law leads to his tyrannical overreach of authority
In Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure", Angelo is the chief antagonist and the deputy entrusted to rule the city of Vienna in the Duke's absence. Angelo is often regarded as a controversial character, embodying puritanism and excessive piety. His strict adherence to the law and his zeal to establish a reputation lead to his tyrannical overreach of authority.
Angelo is described as a man with very rigid ideas about moral purity and religion. He is tasked with ridding Vienna of unlawful sexual activity, including shutting down brothels. He prosecutes Claudio for having sex out of wedlock and sentences him to death. However, Angelo's own moral standards are called into question when he becomes obsessed with Claudio's sister, Isabella, and attempts to coerce her into having sex with him. This contradiction between his strict public persona and his private desires highlights his hypocrisy and the overreach of his authority.
Isabella, a chaste and innocent nun, points out Angelo's tyrannical behaviour, calling him a "man, proud man,/ Dressed in a little brief authority,/ Most ignorant of what he’s most assured" (2.2.146–48). Despite his claim to moral exemplarity, Angelo is susceptible to passion and desire, which leads him to act unjustly and without mercy. He falls in love with Isabella and desires her so intensely that he is willing to compromise his own moral standards to attain her.
Angelo's strict adherence to the law and his pursuit of honour through religion and punishment contribute to his tyrannical behaviour. He justifies his harsh judgements and sentences by hiding behind the law, believing that his authority protects him from scrutiny: "For my authority bears of a credent bulk,/ That no particular scandal once can touch/ But it confounds the breather" (1.2.136–139). This sense of infallibility granted by his position leads him to act without compassion or mercy, as he believes that his power places him above reproach.
However, it is important to note that Angelo is a complex character, and critics disagree about whether he is inherently malicious or a good man who falls due to power and sexual temptation. While he is aware of and conflicted by his wrongdoings, he struggles to reconcile his morals with his desires, ultimately succumbing to hypocrisy. By juxtaposing Angelo against Isabella, who represents mercy, Shakespeare creates a character that embodies the tension between justice and mercy, inviting readers to consider this complex relationship.
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Angelo's punishment at the end of the play is a forced marriage, revealing his character's tragic qualities
In Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure", Angelo's punishment at the end of the play is a forced marriage, revealing his character's tragic qualities. Angelo, the play's chief antagonist, is a complex and controversial character, representing the hypocrisy of an excessively repressive moral authority. He is described as a "man whose blood/Is very snow-broth", suggesting his cold and unfeeling nature. However, despite his rigid ideas about moral purity and strict adherence to the law, Angelo is susceptible to passion and desire.
When Isabella, a chaste and innocent nun, pleads for her brother Claudio's life, Angelo falls in love with her and attempts to coerce her into having sex with him. This internal conflict between his morals and desires reveals a glimpse into Angelo's inner life, making him a more three-dimensional character. He struggles with his own lust, questioning his identity: "What does thou, or what art thou, Angelo?"
At the end of the play, Angelo is punished for his hypocrisy. The Duke initially sentences him to death, but instead forces him to marry Mariana, a woman he had once scorned when her dowry fell through. This punishment reveals Angelo's tragic qualities. Despite his reprehensible behaviour, it is hard not to pity him, as he is deeply conflicted and aware of his wrongdoings.
The forced marriage also serves as a form of poetic justice, as it echoes the situation between Claudio and Juliet, whom Claudio impregnated out of wedlock. Additionally, it highlights the theme of the relationship between justice and mercy, as Angelo is forced to confront his own shortcomings.
Critics disagree about whether Angelo is a good man who falls due to power and temptation or a malicious man from the start. However, his punishment of a forced marriage adds depth to his character, showcasing his internal struggles and tragic qualities within the framework of a comedy.
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Frequently asked questions
Angelo is the chief antagonist of Measure for Measure. He is a despotic and puritan deputy entrusted to rule the city of Vienna in the absence of Duke Vincentio. He is often regarded as a controversial character, making readers consider the relationship between justice and mercy.
Angelo is depicted as a heartless misogynist who is susceptible to passion. He falls in love with Isabella, a chaste and innocent nun, and attempts to coerce her into having sex with him. He is also shown to be a strict ruler, deciding to rid Vienna of all unlawful sexual activity, including shutting down brothels.
At the end of the play, Angelo is publicly chastened for his hypocrisy and sentenced to marry Mariana, his ex-fiancée. The Duke initially offers him a death sentence but decides against it.
