Measure for Measure is often referred to as what’s known as a ‘Problem Play’. And it’s understandable why that might be. It is often times confusing as to whether this play is a comedy, a tragedy, maybe even a romance play? But in reality this play, looked at through a contemporary lens is most certainly a dark play. Particularly given the themes of the monologue that we’re going to look at today. Claudios monologue from Act 3, Scene 1 of William Shakespeares Measure for Measure.
Context
We find ourselves in Vienna as Duke has just left the city, leaving Angelo in charge. Angelo is not the nicest guy in the world, and begins to enforce laws more strictly. Unfortunately that means that a young man named Claudio gets arrested for having premarital sex.
We then meet Claudios sister Isabella who is currently studying to become a nun. She goes to see Angelo to see if there is anything that can be done to free her brother from prison. Angelo says to her that all she will have to do is have sex with him. Isabella is shocked but this and without hesitation says no. She goes off to see her brother Claudio in jail and tells him that she won’t be able get him out because the only way to do it would be for Angelo and Isabella to have sex. Claudio changes his tune and tries to convince her to do it. He says…
Text
Ay, but to die, and go we know not where;
To lie in cold obstruction and to rot;
This sensible warm motion to become
A kneaded clod; and the delighted spirit
To bathe in fiery floods, or to reside
In thrilling region of thick-ribbed ice;
To be imprison’d in the viewless winds,
And blown with restless violence round about
The pendent world; or to be worse than worst
Of those that lawless and incertain thought
Imagine howling: ’tis too horrible!
The weariest and most loathed worldly life
That age, ache, penury and imprisonment
Can lay on nature is a paradise
To what we fear of death.
Unfamiliar Language
Obstruction: Grave
Clod: Dirt
Region: Kingdom
Penury: Poverty
Translation
Yes but to die and not know where we’re going
To lie in a cold grave and rot away
For this nice warm body to become a twisted up piece of dirt
And for my kind soul to either be engulfed in fire or made a prisoner in an icy kingdom
To be imprisoned in the never ending winds and blown violently all over the earth
Or for all of our most horrid thoughts to come true and suffer those things, how horrible!
The weariest and most hated life on this planet that age, pain, poverty, and imprisonment can imagine is a paradise compared to what we fear in death.
Notes on Performance
The number one thing to keep in mind with this is objective. Make it clear in your mind what it is that Claudio is trying to get Isabella to do. He wants her to throw her morals aside and sleep with Angelo to set him free. When you are performing this monologue that is what you should be pushing for.
Secondly, the relationship that you can convey here is paramount. The two are brother and sister and so will have more familiarity than your average scene pairing in Shakespeare. Keep this in mind in performance.
The last thing to consider is whether or not your Claudio really believes this to be true, or if he’s just trying to save his own skin. There’s two options there and both will be equally interesting.
