Measure for Measure Lies and Deceit Quotes Page 2
(Act.Scene.Line). Line numbers correspond to the Riverside edition.
| Quote #4 we shall advise this wronged maid to stead up |
As the Duke describes how they will trick Angelo into sleeping with Mariana, we can't help but notice that he acts a lot like a playwright who is directing the cast of a stage play. This isn't the last time Shakespeare will fashion a character after himself. In The Tempest, Prospero acts a lot like a director as well.
| Quote #5 Some report a sea-maid spawned him; some, that he |
Lucio has serious penchant for telling outrageous lies. Here, he spreads a rumor that Angelo is an impotent spawn of a mermaid and urinates ice. Elsewhere, he spreads a rumor that Duke Vincentio likes hanging out in brothels. As ridiculous as this behavior is, we're not sure Lucio's deception is much different than the kind of deceit we see in other characters, like the Duke and Angelo.
| Quote #6 O, death's a great disguiser; and you may add to it. |
When Angelo demands that Claudio's head be delivered to him, the Duke convinces the Provost to execute another prisoner, Barnardine, in Claudio's place. If they shave Barnardine's head and trim his beard, nobody will know it's not Claudio because "death's a great disguiser." Gee. Are we supposed to notice that this substitution plan sounds a lot like the Duke's bed trick? See what we have to say about this in "Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory" if you want to know more about this.
