Previous
Act 4, Scene 5
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Measure for Measure, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Virtue
Appearance versus Reality
Liberty and Justice
Agency and Society
The Role of Women
Summary
Analysis
Near the city gates, Isabella and Mariana wait. Isabella says she is reluctant to speak her complaint against Angelo, but Mariana urges her to follow the disguised Duke’s instructions. Isabella says that the disguised Duke warned her that the Duke might initially side against her, but that this would eventually lead to a just outcome. Friar Peter enters and announces that the Duke has arrived. The three of them go off to the meeting.
This scene, too, works to build the suspense before the meeting. By focusing now on Isabella’s and Mariana’s perspectives, Shakespeare uses the past several scenes to provide the audience with a personal look at each of the different points of view and individual motivations that will clash in the imminent confrontation.
Themes
