‘Isabella is an honourable woman who is confronted with a situational predicament.’ Do you agree?
The most influence writer in all English literature and the important playwright of the English renaissance, William Shakespeare, has written the dark comedy ‘Measure For Measure’ based on theme of power, chastity and bravely challenges through characters, the play sets against backdrop of Viennese society during the Elizabethan era. In this play Vienna is presented a society with a dysfunctional political state and unbalanced attitude to sexuality, were women are pressured into activities that satisfy men and their needs. Shakespeare deploys Isabella as honourable and chaste women and she challenges with difficult situations such as getting gender abuses and having a
…show more content…
In the central of the play, Isabella ordered Claudio to ready for death as she failed to beg Angelo for Claudio’s freedom. Isabella notify Claudio, “Yes, thou must die. Thou art too noble to conserve a life in base appliances” through this Isabella confidently says that Claudio would be respectful toward her without asking her to give up on her chastity for his life. As giving up on her chastity is the only option to save Claudio’s life. However, Claudio continues through the alliteration of “Sweet sister, let me live.” This causes Isabella to feel disappoints towards her brother as she would expect him to be better, “you are not the son of my father”, Isabella says this as she begins to express the feeling that Claudio does not deserve to be live. Since, the only opportunity for him to live was to dishonour herself. Therefore, Isabella strongly believe that it would better for Claudio to die that way she is can still pure and her future career would not be ruin. This is when Isabella selfishness comes into