Measure For Measure's Isabella

A detailed Summary of Measure For Measure's Isabella

In Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, one of his latest 'problem plays'; the character of Isabella is a focal point of arguments. In the play she is faced with a decision: either to lose her virginity and save her brother's life, or to stay chaste, get admitted to the convent, but sealing her brother's fate. Isabella's choice was obviously the latter, not only did she distinctly make that choice, but she also harshly reprimanded her brother in the famous scene when he suggested that she reconsider and maybe save his life. "O you beast, O faithless coward, O dishonest wretch, wilt thou be made a man out of my vice?" (Act 3 Sc. 1 137-139). Many critics have argued the subject of Isabella, whether she was right or wrong in her decision to choose her virginity over her brother's life. "On the one hand Isabella has been idealized as the paragon of feminine virtue, on the other hand she has been denigrated as an example of frigidity"

To determine whether or not Isabella's character in this play is chaste or self-righteous, and to determine whether or not her decision was sound, we must put it up against certain criteria. The first of which is obviously religion. R.W Chambers argues that "whatever we think of

J. Dover Wilson put it best when he described her as "the sainted Isabella, wrapt in her selfish chastity" (Wilson 108). Ernest Schanzer describes her chastity as "rancid", and goes on to say that she is "not by any means such a saint as she looks". U.M. Ellis-Fermor says that her humanity is pitiless; her virtue is self-indulgent, unimaginative, and self-absorbent. All these critics read the play and immediately saw Isabella for what she is, a self-righteous hypocrite. What is the point in being chaste, and virtuous, and religious, if no good can come out of it. I am sure that no religious person would deny the fact that whatever god asks us to become; it is for our self-betterment, and to help us become better, more productive human beings. But like in coins, there are two sides to every virtue. Isabella unfortunately tends to expose the sides of her virtues that are destructive and harmful.

The impression of keen whips I'ld wear as rubies,

that instant decision, it is certainly not un-Christian" (Chambers 107). He goes on to prove his point by quoting verses from the bible, such as "If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother... and brethren and sisters,... he cannot be my disciple." (Mathew x, 36). I completely disagree with Chambers's point, because this quote from the bible could be interpreted in many different ways. And even regardless of interpretation, it is referring to a different point, this quote was aimed at the people who's families were against Christianity, and that the only way they could have been true Christians was to defy their families. This message was not aimed at situations even similar to that of!

That longing has been sick for, ere I'ld yield

comed death with open arms, and then a few minutes later begged his sister to give up her virginity to save his life. I would not be inclined to believe any average character if they make such a claim, therefore I would definitely not believe Isabella, who when paired up with Angelo, with whom she has so much in common, can only be described "as two pendant portraits or studies in the ugliness of puritan hypocrisy" (Quiller-Couch 109).

Isabella's. A more appropriate quote would be the one used by G. Wilson Knight in his essay, Measure for Measure and the Gospels, when he quoted the bible from a situation where Jesus was talking to a woman taken in adultery: "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." (John 8:11). Knight brings up a very important point that I wish to stress on, which is that Christianity's main message as opposed that of Judaism is mercy and not justice. Jesus Christ in his teachings put me

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Approximate Word count = 1781
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Arts