shakespeare
... mistake. Isabella is used throughout the play for her persuading skills. Claudio also feels like he has been unjust. In scene 2, Claudio has a speech in which he explains why he feels there has been no justice and why Angelo is enforcing this law. ‘Unhappily, even so. And the new deputy now for the duke – Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness, Or whether that the body public be A horse whereon the governor doth ride, Who, newly in the seat, that it may know He can command, lets it straight feel the spur; Whether the tyranny be in his place, Or in his eminence that fills it up, I stagger in …………..’ In this speech Claudio says that all the power Angelo has been given has gone to his head. He uses the image of a horse so he can give the impression that he is taking the people for a ride. This is taken further in the next image of a spur, which implies that Angelo is a new rider and is enforcing lots of new laws and is kicking the spurs into the horse to show them whose boss. In Angelo’s favour you could argue that Angelo isn’t at all a cold hearted man. He may be harsh because he has to, as it comes with the role of being Duke. Claudio feels that he has been wronged and that Angelo is being too harsh. Another part in act one that shows us injustice is the small part of Mistress Overdone. Mistress Overdone is a brothel owner, and loses her livelihood when Angelo closes all brothels to rid the city of dirt. Shakespeare makes us sympathise with her as she is used as a joke by Lucio in 1.2. ‘Thy bones are hollow. Impiety has made a feast of thee’ This quote is said by Lucio in which he is referring to sexually transmitted diseases that wear away the bones. He is showing off that he has been in there many times. Some people believe that Shakespeare is mocking Mistress Overdone, but I feel that Shakespeare is asking us to be allies with her and feel for her. Mistress Overdone has no power and is a victim to Angelo’s powers. Angelo showed Mistres...