Angelo and Claudio are the two characters who are really getting under my skin! I'll start with Angelo, why does he feel that it is okay to have sex with Isabella? Does he not know that she's in the process of becoming a nun? Better yet..why would he even use her for sex to free her brother? I wish I could understand Angelo's thought process. If your supposed to be someone with so much authority and power, why lower your standards? However, he realizes that it's hard to break Isabella. She is not putting up with his shenanigans (Go Isabella)!! Isabella is a very intelligent young woman, and she uses her intelligence against Angelo and his stupidity. Angelo realizes that she is a strong woman who stands up for what she believes in. I guess he is used to dealing with "easy" women with no "sense". In addition, it also shows that Angelo is abusing his power with negative aspects. He is a very cocky and prideful character--I really don't like him!
Now, it's time to talk about the good ole Claudio. I absolutely hate the fact that he agreed with Isabella having sex with Angelo. Dude...THIS IS YOUR SISTER! He also knows that she's in the process of becoming a nun. Where is your respect? That's the question that popped in my mind. I feel that he is very selfish for this and was only thinking about himself. Again, Isabella stands up for herself and puts her foot down! I applaud her for this. I am glad Shakespeare included a woman in his play with wisdom and respect for herself.
So right now I guess you can say, I am definitely #TeamIsabella! Well for now of course! Claudio and Angelo...not so much! I can't wait until the Friar reveals himself to Angelo. In my mind, this part of the play will be epic!
#TEAMISABELLA
I completely see where you are coming from, and I agree that there is a definite lack of respect for Isabelle. However, I have had the opposite dilemma. Angelo does not get under my skin very much. I think that is just because the way he speaks and the way he acted in the scene we watched shows what type of man he is. I was not surprised by his attempt to get Isabelle. In fact, I think the chase for her is what motivates him more than the sex itself. As for Claudio, I think I see where he is coming from. He is about to be murdered for something ridiculous and I think expecting a sibling to sacrifice something for you, isn't too surprising. I mean, she is extremely strong and Angelo is extremely gross. But, as someone devoted to being selfless, shouldn't she consider this sacrifice to be nothing compared to the safety of her brother's life. I just can't help but see her as a little bit selfish for her refusal of the option right away.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more! I've read Measure for Measure once before this and was hoping that I would feel differently about him the second time around. Instead, my feelings toward him have worsened. Great post!
ReplyDelete