The act starts with Mariana and a little boy (her & angelo's little boy?! probably....) and the young boy is singing this super depressing but potentially perfectly beautiful song:
Take, O, take those lips away,
That so sweetly were forsworn;
And those eyes, the break of day,
Lights that do mislead the morn:
But my kisses bring again, bring again;
Seals of love, but sealed in vain, sealed in vain.
Gorgeous. The talks about kisses and seals reminds me of the Song of Songs and the musical piece that was written as an adaptation of a section from that biblical passage (A song that I happened to use at my wedding... of course that is like the alternative happy proper marriage version of what the song in this passage is... )
Mariana stops the sad singing when she sees the duke entering
Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice
Hath often still'd my brawling discontent.
[Enter DUKE VINCENTIO disguised as before]
I think it is worth noting that stage direction- Mariana recognizes him in his disguise as a priest so we know this is not the first time the duke has pulled some of these shenanigans...hmmmmm.
Isabella shows up shortly thereafter and they talk about the bedtrick they plan to pull. I think it's interesting that we don't get to see the scene where she consents to Angelo. Probably b/c it is far more uncomfortable in imagination than it could ever be onstage? also because it seems that part of this scene included walking her through exactly where she should meet him, etc.
ISABELLA
In action all of precept, he did show me The way twice o'er.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Are there no other tokens Between you 'greed concerning her observance?
SMART of the duke to check on this point. we don't want any ring mix ups getting in the way of their plan (oh... i'm getting ahead of myself again, have I mentioned that I.CAN'T. WAIT. to talk about All's Well and how badly I want to do that play again?!?!?!?) Isabella fills in Mariana on the situation- mostly reminding her to be quick and quiet in the whole thing:
Little have you to say
When you depart from him, but, soft and low,'
'Remember now my brother.'
Mariana is on board with all of this, not needing much convincing at all, again, just pointing this out so I can contrast it later... just this one last passage to bring up:
MARIANA Fear me not.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Nor, gentle daughter, fear you not at all.
He is your husband on a pre-contract:
To bring you thus together, 'tis no sin,
Wait... WHAT?! isn't that exactly what Claudio is in jail for?! or if not the same but for a technicality of a witness which I'm sure lucio could have provided? Or is it only no sin as long as no one is notably pregnant before the actual official marriage is recognized? ok, you know what let's just move on...
4.2
We are back to the prison and the bawd is offered an exchange for his time in prison/expected punishment:
Here is in our prison a common executioner, who in his office lacks a helper: if you will take it on you to assist him, it shall redeem you from your gyves; if not, you shall have your full time of imprisonment and your deliverance with an unpitied whipping, for you have been a notorious bawd.
Yeah... unsurprisingly he's on board with this switch and becomes very verbal about the life of an executioner.... and the provost moves onward to his other business.
Provost
Where's Barnardine?
CLAUDIO
As fast lock'd up in sleep as guiltless labour
When it lies starkly in the traveller's bones:
He will not wake.
Note the pregnancy term. also- sleeping seems like a very useful prison activity, especially the drunk sleeping in which Barnadine engages. The duke enters and asks if there's been any word from angelo and shortly thereafter they get their answer:
Messenger
[Giving a paper]
My lord hath sent you this note; and by me this further charge, that you swerve not from the smallest article of it, neither in time, matter, or other circumstance. Good morrow; for, as I take it, it is almost day.
Provost
I shall obey him.
So... it seems Angelo did not keep his promise about saving claudio. surprise. surprise. The duke tries to fix the situation and asks about Barnadine. The provost answers:
A man that apprehends death no more dreadfully but as a drunken sleep; careless, reckless, and fearless of what's past, present, or to come; insensible of mortality, and desperately mortal.
feerless of what's past, present, or to come... that sounds hardcore. The duke then comes up with this crazy idea:
Call your executioner, and off with Barnardine's head: I will give him a present shrift and advise him for a better place. Yet you are amazed; but this shall absolutely resolve you. Come away; it is almost clear dawn.
So the plan is to pull a huntsman from the Snow White story and instead of substituting hearts they will just substitute heads...
4.3
The executioner comes for Barnadine. (It's worth noting the executioner's name. say it out loud a time or two...)
ABHORSON
Truly, sir, I would desire you to clap into your prayers; for, look you, the warrant's come.
BARNARDINE
You rogue, I have been drinking all night; I am not fitted for 't.
Again, Barnadine seems to have a sound strategy- drink your way through prison. Not only that, but he won't participate in the show of execution:
BARNARDINE
Friar, not I I have been drinking hard all night, and I will have more time to prepare me, or they shall beat out my brains with billets: I will not consent to die this day, that's certain.
DUKE VINCENTIO
O, sir, you must: and therefore I beseech you Look forward on the journey you shall go.
BARNARDINE
I swear I will not die to-day for any man's persuasion.
I loved this whole exchange from the first time I read it. I loved it even more in my gateway class for grad school when professor cohen talked of his love for it. and now that I've read game of thrones, I love it EVEN. MORE. Because let's face it:
Seriously.
So once Barnadine makes his stand on not dying the Provost comes up with another option:
Here in the prison, father,
There died this morning of a cruel fever
One Ragozine, a most notorious pirate,
A man of Claudio's years; his beard and head
Just of his colour.
WHAT PROVIDENCE. this dude even looks more like Claudio, plus, how do you get a better lin/random character than RAGOZINE A MOST NOTORIOUS PIRATE. LOVE IT. FYI: ragozine is a potential name for if dan and I ever get a dog. I love that it's obvious what the provost is going to do, but in case the audience was disappointed that they didn't get to see any heads roll we get this moment:
[Re-enter Provost]
Provost
Here is the head; I'll carry it myself.
Perfect. because why not add a bloody head to your play?! beheadings and sheep seem to be a key go to...
Isabella comes in shortly after this and this line is what makes the Duke truly twisted and despicable in my eyes:
The tongue of Isabel. She's come to know If yet her brother's pardon be come hither: But I will keep her ignorant of her good, To make her heavenly comforts of despair, When it is least expected.
WHY?! why does the duke want to go through this whole charade in the first place when he could call angelo out fairly easily and when he could call him out with the note about condemning claudio without putting isabella through the hell of believing her brother is dead? it's just cruel. The only upside, we are reminded of how fierce this would-be nun is:
O, I will to him and pluck out his eyes!
there's something so disturbing/disconcerting about messing with people's eyes and shakespere uses his eyes moments so well...
ISABELLA
Unhappy Claudio! wretched Isabel!
Injurious world! most damned Angelo!
DUKE VINCENTIO
This nor hurts him nor profits you a jot; Forbear it therefore; give your cause to heaven.
I'd have some choice words to say to the duke at that moment. Can we give the woman a few minutes to grieve please? Instead the duke continues:
Command these fretting waters from your eyes With a light heart; trust not my holy order, If I pervert your course.
Except, of course, that he has never taken holy orders... but whatever...
Lucio then comes in and tries to comfort Isabella as well:
O pretty Isabella, I am pale at mine heart to see thine eyes so red: thou must be patient
Then seals his fate by confessing this to the disguised duke:
LUCIO
I was once before him for getting a wench with child.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Did you such a thing? LUCIO
Yes, marry, did I but I was fain to forswear it; they would else have married me to the rotten medlar.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Sir, your company is fairer than honest. Rest you well. LUCIO
By my troth, I'll go with thee to the lane's end: if bawdy talk offend you, we'll have very little of it. Nay, friar, I am a kind of burr; I shall stick.
I love that description of being a burr and sticking to people so they can't shake him off.
4.4
The duke and escalus get conflicting letters/information about the duke's return:
His actions show much like to madness: pray heaven his wisdom be not tainted!
Angelo, I think the duke was a bit mad to begin with. but I understand why you are particularly concerned with his coming back... GUILT.
This deed unshapes me quite, makes me unpregnant
And dull to all proceedings. A deflower'd maid!
And by an eminent body that enforced
The law against it! But that her tender shame
Will not proclaim against her maiden loss,
How might she tongue me!
This whole speech is also fantastic, but i particularly want to not the phrases "makes me unpregnant" and "how might she tongue me". the first just continues our look at pregnancy language throughout/as a major theme and the second is just one of the best uses of anthimeria ever. The best part of this speech though? The regret he has about claudio/confession of doing wrong/potential change that could happen in the next act.
Would yet he had lived!
A lack, when once our grace we have forgot,
Nothing goes right: we would, and we would not.
The final line makes me want to tell all of you to go read everything Stephen Booth ever wrote on what is and is not all at once.
4.5
Every time I read this random short scene, which basically lets us know of more letters the duke is sending about is arrival/sowing more confusion I wonder what the point of this scene is... and who the heck is varrius?!
4.6
the final scene in this act primarily between isabella and Mariana. Isabella is a bit concerned about this whole plan and what he's been excpected to do, but what other choice does she really have at this poitn?
Besides, he tells me that, if peradventure
He speak against me on the adverse side,
I should not think it strange; for 'tis a physic
That's bitter to sweet end.
the other priest-francis enters and ushers them on to the final single scene act of the play:
Come, I have found you out a stand most fit, Where you may have such vantage on the duke,
Back with the final act tomorrow or Sunday. In the meantime- remember Barnadine's advice. and have a super weekend.
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