Measure for Measure

(to Angelo) My fellow nobleman, welcome! (to Escalus) My faithful old friend, I’m glad to see you.

Welcome home, your royal grace!

Many hearty thanks to you both. I’ve been asking about you, and I’ve heard such good things about your rule that I just had to thank you publicly, as a preview of more rewards to come.

You make my debt to you even greater.

Oh, you’re extremely worthy, and it’d be wrong of me to hide it in my heart, when it deserves to be written in brass letters, as on a monument, where time can’t erase it. Give me your hand, and let the people see, so they’ll know how proud I am to display my high regard for you. Come, Escalus, you must walk with me on my other side. You make a fine supporter.

Now’s the time: speak up and kneel before him.

Justice, royal duke! Look down here, at a girl—I wish I could say a virgin—who has been wronged. Oh, worthy prince, don’t consider anything else until you’ve heard my valid case and given me justice, justice, justice, justice!

Describe how you’ve been wronged—in what way? By whom? Be brief. Lord Angelo here will give you justice. Tell him your complaint.

Oh, worthy duke, you’re urging me to ask the devil for help. Listen to me yourself. What I have to say will result either in you not believing and punishing me, or you feeling compelled to right the wrong. Hear me, oh hear me, here!

My lord, I’m afraid she’s not in her right mind. She’s appeared before me, begging for her brother, who was executed by the justice system—

By the justice system!

And she will speak in a very bitter, strange way.

I’ll speak strangely, but truthfully. That Angelo’s a liar, isn’t that strange? That Angelo’s a murderer, isn’t that strange? That Angelo’s an adulterous thief, a hypocrite, a man who rapes virgins, isn’t that extremely strange?

That’s strange to the tenth degree.

It’s just as true as the fact that he’s Angelo, and this is all as true as it is strange. No, it’s true to the tenth degree, for the truth is the truth, no matter how much you multiply it.

Take her away! Poor soul, she’s insane.

Oh, prince, I beg you, as you believe in a better world than this one, don’t dismiss me by thinking I’m mad! Don’t assume something’s impossible because it’s unlikely. It’s not impossible that the wickedest wretch on the face of the earth may look just as cautious, as dignified, as fair, as perfect as Angelo—even as Angelo, for all his official finery, badges, titles, and ceremonies, can be an arch-villain. Believe it, royal prince. If he’s less than a wretch, he’s nothing. But he’s more, if only I had more names for badness.

I declare, if she’s mad—as I believe she is—her madness has an oddly rational sound. I’ve rarely heard such coherent logic from someone insane.

Oh, gracious duke, don’t harp on that. But don’t dismiss rational statements because they don’t jibe with appearances. Use your intelligence to uncover the hidden truth, which is obscured by lies that seem like truth.

A lot of sane people make a lot less sense. What would you like to say?

I am the sister of one Claudio, sentenced to die by the decree against fornication—sentenced by Angelo. I was about to enter a convent, when my brother contacted me. He sent me a message through a man named Lucio—

That’s me, if it please your grace: I came to her from Claudio, and asked her to try her good luck in asking Lord Angelo for her poor brother’s pardon.

Yes, that’s the man.

No one asked you to speak.

No, my good lord, but no one asked me to be quiet, either.

I’m asking you now, then. Remember it. And when you have your own business before me, pray heaven you behave yourself.

I’ll take notice, your honor.

The notice is for yourself. Pay attention to it.

This gentleman has told some of my story—

Right.

It may be right, but you’re wrong to interrupt. Proceed.

I went to this wicked, evil deputy—

You’re sounding crazy.

Excuse me—the choice of words is appropriate.

That’s better. Continue.

To make a long story short—because it took a while, how I begged, how I prayed and kneeled, how he refused me, and how I replied—I’ll sadly and shamefully get to the awful ending. He wouldn’t release my brother unless I gave my chaste body over to his yearning lust. And after much internal debate, my sisterly pity overcame my honor, and I gave in to him. But having got what he wanted, early the next morning he sent an order for my poor brother’s head.

(sarcastically) This is very believable!

Oh, I wish it were as believable as it is true!

Heavens above, you poor fool, you don’t know what you’re saying, or else you’ve been bribed to falsely accuse him. First of all, his integrity is beyond reproach. Next, it makes no sense that he should so vigorously prosecute crimes he himself commits. If he had committed such a crime, he would’ve judged your brother against himself, and not executed him. Someone has put you up to this. Confess the truth, and tell us who urged you to come here with this accusation.

That’s it? Then, oh, you blessed angels above, help me be patient, and let time reveal the evil hiding here behind appearances! Heaven protect your grace from harm. Since you don’t believe me, I have to go.

I bet you’d like to go. Officer, take her to prison! Should I permit such destructive, scandalous rumors about someone so close to me? This must be a conspiracy. Who knew about your plan, and that you were coming here?

Someone I wish were here now, Friar Lodowick.

A holy ghost, probably. Who knows this Lodowick?

My lord, I know him. He’s the sort of friar who’s always meddling in people’s business. I don’t like the man. If he hadn’t been a member of the clergy, I would have punched him out for certain words he spoke against your grace while you were away.

Words against me? Some holy friar this is! And to set this wretched woman here against my replacement! Someone locate this friar.

Just yesterday, my lord, I saw her and this friar at the prison. He’s a smart-aleck, a very nasty piece of work.

God bless your royal grace! I’ve stood by, my lord, and I’ve heard your royal ears deceived. First, this woman has wrongfully accused your replacement, who is as far from any sexual or moral misbehavior with her as she is from a virgin birth.

I never believed anything else. Do you know this Friar Lodowick she’s talking about?

I know him for a divine and holy man, not lowdown, and not someone who meddles in earthly pleasures, as this gentleman reports. And, trust me, he’s a man that never slandered your grace.

My lord, he did, and very maliciously too. Believe it.

Well, in time he may come to clear himself, but at this instant he’s sick, my lord, suffering a rare fever. Learning there was an accusation planned against Lord Angelo, he personally asked me to come here and speak, as he would have, about what he knows is true and false. And when he’s summoned, he’ll give his oath and furnish proof that will clear everything up. This worthy nobleman, who’s been so publicly and personally accused, will be vindicated, and this woman will be discredited to her face, to such an extent that she herself will have to admit it.

Good friar, let’s hear it.

Isn’t this funny, Lord Angelo? Oh, heaven, the nerve of these wretched fools! Give us some seats. Come, Angelo, my friend. I won’t take any part in this. You be the judge of your own case. Is this the witness, friar? First, let her show her face, and then speak.

Pardon me, my lord. I will not show my face until my husband bids me to.

What, are you married?

No, my lord.

Are you single?

No, my lord.

A widow, then?

Neither, my lord.

So, you are neither single, widow, nor wife?

My lord, she may be a prostitute. Many of them are neither virgin, widow, nor wife.

Keep that fellow quiet. I wish he were up on some charge of his own.

OK, my lord.

My lord, I do admit I’ve never been married, and I also admit I’m not a virgin. I’ve slept with my husband, but my husband doesn’t know he’s slept with me.

He was drunk then, my lord. That’s the best explanation.

For silence’s sake, be silent yourself!

OK, my lord.

This is hardly a witness for Lord Angelo.

I’m coming to it now, my lord. The woman who’s accusing him of fornication is actually accusing my husband. And she charges it was at the very time when, as I’ll swear, he was in my arms, making love to me.

Is she accusing more men besides me?

Not that I know of.

No? You say your husband.

Why, exactly, my lord. He’s Angelo, who believes he never slept with me, and who believes he slept with Isabel.

This is a strange deception. Let’s see your face.

My husband bids me to, so I’ll lift my veil.

This is the face, you cruel Angelo, that you once swore was well worth looking at. This is the hand that was locked in yours with a signed contract. This is the body that kept your appointment with Isabel, and satisfied you in your garden-house, pretending to be her.

Do you know this woman?

Sexually, she says.

Quiet, you!

Right, my lord.

My lord, I must confess I know this woman. Five years ago, there was some talk of marriage between she and I. It was broken off, partly because her dowry fell short of the agreed amount, but mainly because she had a reputation for promiscuity. For the last five years, I haven’t spoken with her, seen her, or heard from her, I swear.

Noble prince, as light comes from heaven and words from breath, as there is meaning in truth and truth in virtue, I am engaged to this man as strongly as words can make vows. And, my good lord, last Tuesday night in a garden house, he treated me as a wife. This being the truth, let me safely rise from my knees, or else let me be fixed here forever, like a marble monument!

I was amused up until now, but now my patience is exhausted. My good lord, let me apply the full force of the law. I believe these poor, demented women are just tools of some more powerful person who has put them up to this. Give me the chance, my lord, to unravel this plot.

Yes, with all my heart, and punish them as much as you like. You foolish friar and you wicked woman, in collusion with that one we just took away—even if you swore by every single saint, do you think your oaths would mean anything against his worthiness and reputation, which are proven beyond a doubt? You, Lord Escalus, sit with my colleague. Do all you can to help him unravel this conspiracy and discover where it came from. There’s another friar who put them up to this. Send for him.

I wish he were here, my lord! Because he did encourage the women to make this accusation. Your provost knows where he lives and can go get him.

Go do it, immediately.

(to Angelo) And you, my noble and respected friend, who have a stake in seeing this matter to the end, deal with the crimes against you as you think best, with any form of punishment. I’ll leave you for a while, but don’t move until you have fully decided the fate of these slanderers.

My lord, we’ll do it thoroughly.

Signor Lucio, didn’t you say you knew this Friar Lodowick to be a dishonest person?

“A hood does not make a monk”—his friar’s clothes are the only holy thing about him. And he’s said very evil things about the duke.

We’ll ask you to stay here until he comes and we lay those charges against him. We think this friar’s a notorious character.

As much as anyone in Vienna, on my word.

Call that Isabel here once again. I want to speak with her.

Please, my lord, let me do the questioning. You’ll see how I’ll handle her.

Not better than he, according to her.

What did you say?

Frankly, sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she’d be more likely to confess. She might be ashamed to do it in public.

I’ll keep the matter out of the spotlight.

That’s the way. Women are easiest in the dark.

(to Isabella) Listen, mi this woman contradicts everything you’ve said.

My lord, here comes the rascal I was talking about, with the provost.

All in good time. Don’t speak to him until we summon you.

Mum’s the word.

Now, sir, did you egg these women on to slander Lord Angelo? They have confessed you did.

It’s a lie.

What! Do you know where you are?

All due respect to your great office—even the devil gets some respect for being the king of Hell. Where’s the duke? He’s the one who should hear me speak.

We represent the duke, and we will hear you speak. See that you speak honestly.

Boldly, at least. But, oh, you poor souls, did you come to find your lambs in the fox’s den? Say goodnight to any justice, then. Is the duke gone? Then your case is gone too. The duke’s unjust, rejecting your accusation and turning your case over to the very villain you came here to accuse.

This is the rascal I was talking about.

Why, you disrespectful and unholy friar, it’s not enough that you’ve enlisted these women to accuse this worthy man, but with your foul mouth you call him a villain within his earshot? And then to shift your attack from him to the duke himself, to accuse the duke of being unjust? Take him away, to the rack with him! We’ll tear you limb from limb, until we discover your motive. To call the duke “unjust”!

Don’t get so excited. The duke doesn’t dare to hurt my little finger any more than he’d torture his own. I’m not his subject, or a native of this province. My business in this state has made me an on-looker here in Vienna, where I’ve seen corruption boil and bubble until it overflows out of the brothels. You’ve got laws for all the crimes, but the crimes are so tolerated that the strong statutes are like those joke lists of “house rules” in stores —people look at them just to laugh.

Slandering the state! Take him away to prison!

What evidence do you have against him, Signor Lucio? Is this the man you told us about?

He’s the one, my lord. Come here, baldy. Do you know me?

I remember you, sir, by the sound of your voice. I met you at the prison, back when the duke was away.

Oh, you did? And do you remember what you said about the duke?

Definitely, sir.

Do you, sir? And was the duke a pimp, a fool, and a coward, as you then reported him to be?

You must, sir, switch identities with me, before you claim those were my words. You were the one who said that about him, and much more, much worse.

Damn you, fellow! Didn’t I smack you in the nose for your comments?

I swear I love the duke like I love myself.

Look, how the villain would appease us now, after his treasonable slanders!

You can’t talk to this type of fellow. Take him away to prison! Where is the provost? Take him to prison! Put him in chains, gag him. Away with those loose women, too, and their co-conspirator.

(to the Provost) Wait, sir, stay a minute.

Is he resisting arrest? Help the provost, Lucio.

Come on, sir. Come on, sir. Come on, sir. Ugh! So, you bald, lying rascal, you want to keep your hood on, do you? Show your lowlife face, damn you! Show your thieving face, and be hanged in an hour! Won’t it come off?

You’re the first lowlife to ever turn someone into a duke. First, provost, let me free these three gentle people. (to LUCIO) Don’t you sneak away, sir. The friar and you will have a chat later on. Hold him.

This may turn out worse than hanging.

(to ESCALUS) I forgive the things you said to me. Sit down. We’ll take Angelo’s seat. (to ANGELO) Sir, if I may. Do you have any words, either intelligent or impudent, that can help you? If so, keep them until I tell my story. Don’t hold the truth back any longer.

Oh my dreaded lord, I’d be even more guilty to think I could go undiscovered, now that I realize your grace, like some divine power, has seen my sins. So, good prince, stop inquiring about my shame. Let my confession count as my trial. I beg only for the mercy of an immediate sentence and then death.

Come here, Mariana. (to Angelo) Were you ever engaged to this woman?

I was, my lord.

Take her and marry her at once. You perform the ceremony, friar, and when it’s done, bring him back here. Go with him, provost.

My lord, I’m more amazed by Angelo’s dishonesty than by the strangeness of this situation.

Come here, Isabel. Your friar is now your prince, but my heart hasn’t changed with my clothes. I guided and devoted myself to your affairs then, and I’m still acting for you now.

Oh, forgive me! To think that I, your servant, unknowingly used and created problems for your royal person!

You’re forgiven, Isabel. And now, dear girl, be as generous to me. I know your brother’s death hurts you deeply. And you may be wondering why I disguised myself, working behind the scenes to save his life, and didn’t just use my authority rather than let him die. Sweet girl, it was the speed of his execution, which I thought would take longer, that ruined my plan. But, peace be with him! The afterlife is a better life, since you don’t have to fear death anymore. Try to take comfort in the fact that your brother has that happiness.

I do, my lord.

For Mariana’s sake, you must forgive this newly married man, whose lecherous imagination wronged your well-defended honor. But after he condemned your brother, he committed two crimes, violating your virginity and breaking his promise about the pardon that your brother’s life depended on. Even the merciful part of the law cries out, “an Angelo for Claudio, death for death!” Haste always results in hasty decisions, and deliberation comes from slowness. One thing is rewarded by a similar thing, and the measure of justice you use will be the measure used against you. So, Angelo, your crime is clear for all to see, and it denies you the right to any preferential treatment, even if you yourself feel otherwise. I sentence you to be executed on the very block where Claudio knelt to die, and just as quickly. Take him away!

Oh, my most gracious lord, please don’t make a mockery of my marriage!

It’s your husband who’s made a mockery of your marriage. I thought it appropriate that you be married, to protect your honor. Otherwise, revealing that he’d slept with you would haunt your life and destroy your future prospects. As for his possessions, technically they belong to the state, but we are giving you a widow’s rights and bequeathing them to you, to buy you a better husband.

Oh my dear lord, I don’t want any other man or any better man.

You shouldn’t want him. My decision is final.

My gentle lord—

You’re just wasting your time. Take him to his death!

Now, sir, about you.

Oh, my good lord! Sweet Isabel, take my side. Kneel with me, and for the rest of my life I’ll be at your service.

It makes no sense to beg her. If she were to kneel and plead for mercy, her brother’s horrified ghost would break through his stone-covered grave and drag her away with him.

Isabel, sweet Isabel, just kneel beside me, and hold out your hands. Don’t say anything, I’ll do all the talking. They say the best men are formed out of their faults, and most of them become much better for being a little bad. That might happen with my husband. Oh, Isabel, won’t you kneel?

He dies for Claudio’s death.

(kneeling) Generous sir, please look on this condemned man as if my brother were still alive. To some extent, I think his behavior was sincere, until he laid eyes on me. So, don’t let him die. My brother was justly treated, in the sense that he did the thing he was executed for. But Angelo didn’t actually fulfill his bad intentions, and his behavior should be considered with that fact in mind. Intentions are merely thoughts, and thoughts aren’t subject to our control.

Merely, my lord.

Your pleading’s no use. Stand up, I say. Another crime has just occurred to me. Provost, why was Claudio beheaded at such an unusual hour?

It was so ordered.

Did you have a special warrant?

No, my good lord, it was a private message.

You’re fired for this. Turn in your keys.

Forgive me, noble lord. I thought it might be wrong, but wasn’t sure. After further consideration, I did change my mind, and to prove I did, I kept alive another prisoner who was to be executed by a private order.

Who’s he?

His name is Barnardine.

I wish you had done the same with Claudio. Go get him. Let me see him.

Lord Angelo, I am sorry that someone so educated and wise, as you always appeared to be, should slip so badly, both in the heat of desire and the lack of judgment afterward.

I am sorry that I cause such sorrow, and it sticks so deeply in my penitent heart that it makes me crave death more than mercy. I deserve death, and beg for it.

Which one is this Barnardine?

This one, my lord.

A certain friar told me about this man. (to BARNARDINE) Fellow, you’re said to have a stubborn soul, one that can’t imagine an existence beyond this one, and shapes your life accordingly. You’re doomed. But I pardon you for all your crimes here on earth, and hope you’ll take advantage of this mercy to prepare for the better world to come. Friar, counsel him. I leave him in your hands. Who’s that covered-up fellow?

This is another prisoner I saved, who should have died when Claudio lost his head. He looks almost exactly like Claudio.

(to ISABELLA) If he resembles your brother, then for his sake, he’s pardoned. And for your own lovely sake, give me your hand and say you’ll be mine. He’s my brother, too, but there’ll be a more appropriate time for that. By the way Angelo is behaving, I think he realizes this means he’s safe. Well, Angelo, your evil has repaid you well. Make sure you love your wife since her worth is equal to yours. I’m feeling merciful, and yet here’s someone I can’t forgive. (to LUCIO) You, who called me a fool, a coward, a lecher, an ass, a madman. What did I ever do to you that you call me these things?

I swear, my lord, I only spoke according to what people say of you. You can hang me for it, if you want, but I wouldn’t mind if you preferred to whip me.

Whipping first, sir, and hanging afterward. Proclaim it, provost, around the city, that if this lecher wronged any woman, as I heard him swear himself he got someone pregnant, let her appear, and he’ll marry her. After the wedding, let him be whipped and hanged.

I beg your highness, don’t marry me to a whore. Your highness just said I made you a duke. My good lord, don’t pay me back by making me husband of a cheating wife.

By my honor, you will marry her. I forgive your slurs, and in so doing, lift your other punishments. Take him to prison, and see that my wishes are carried out.

Marrying a whore, my lord, is like being pressed to death, whipped, and hanged.

You deserve it for slandering a prince.

Claudio, the girl you wronged, make sure you marry her. Joy to you, Mariana! Love her, Angelo. I’ve heard her confession, and I know her virtue. Thanks, good friend Escalus, for being so good. A greater expression of my gratitude is yet to come. Thanks, provost, for your care and ability to keep secrets. I’m going to give you a better position. Forgive him, Angelo, for bringing you Ragozine’s head in place of Claudio’s. The crime redeems itself. Dear Isabel, I have a proposal that’s greatly to your benefit, if you’ll lend a willing ear. It’s along the lines of what’s mine is yours, and what’s yours is mine. So, accompany me to my palace, where I’ll show and tell you everything you ought to know.