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Summary: Act 2, Scene 1
Angelo opens the second act by addressing Escalus, insisting to him that they must remain firm with the letter of the law, lest criminals grow too comfortable. Escalus responds by comparing the practice of law enforcement to the pruning of a tree, arguing that they should “cut a little” rather than “fall and bruise to death” (2.1.6–7). He also brings up Claudio’s specific case, asking Angelo to consider whether he could have erred in the same way at some point in his life.
Angelo responds, “’Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, / Another thing to fall” (2.1.18–19). He argues that, despite the ever-changing line between lawmaker and criminal, the law must still stand firm. He admits that he himself is capable of transgression, but he adds that he hopes to be treated with the same strictness should he do wrong. Angelo calls in the Provost and tells him to ensure that Claudio is executed before nine o’clock the next morning.
Elbow enters, bringing Pompey and Froth with him. Angelo asks him what he is doing, and he replies that he is the Duke’s constable, and that he has brought two “notorious benefactors” to Angelo. Angelo asks if they are not “malefactors” instead, and the constable replies that he does not know. Angelo asks Pompey what he is, and Elbow calls him a “parcel bawd,” or a partial bawd (2.1.68). It becomes clear that Elbow confuses words a lot, and so Angelo has difficulty questioning him. He does say that he found Pompey and Froth at a brothel. Froth confesses to working for Mistress Overdone, and Escalus tells him that prostitution is an illegal and punishable occupation, warning him not to be seen at the brothel again.
Escalus questions Elbow about other constables, telling him to bring the names of other worthy people. He then mourns the fate of Claudio while lamenting that there is no remedy for it.
Read a translation of Act 2, Scene 1.
Analysis: Act 2, Scene 1
This is the first scene where Angelo has appeared since the Duke invested him with authority. It is thus also the first scene where we have witnessed Angelo in the role of a leader. From the very beginning of the scene, it is abundantly clear that he is a narrow-minded and stern man. It’s also clear that Angelo is serving the purpose that the Duke intended. Back in act 1, scene 3, the Duke described to Friar Thomas how he’d empowered Angelo to enforce the laws that he, the Duke, had long let slide. Here, Angelo echoes the Duke’s speech, telling Escalus, “We must not make a scarecrow of the law, / Setting it up to fear the birds of prey, / And let it keep one shape till custom make it / Their perch and not their terror” (2.1.1–4). In other words, the only way to eradicate crime is to be consistent—and relentless—in its punishment.
Although Angelo’s advisors do push back against the severity of his decrees, they find their temporary ruler aggressive and immovable. As such, they quickly come to accept his decisions, even if they lament the consequences. Even the justice of the peace, known only as “Justice,” reflects on the harshness of the new ruler’s vision of law and order. Near the end of the scene he declares plainly to Escalus, “Lord Angelo is severe” (2.1.290). Escalus agrees with him, but by this point he already seems to have accepted the necessity of Angelo’s aggressive approach. He indicates as much in a pair of proverbial phrases that he addresses to the Justice, as if to convince him that Angelo’s vision is indeed just: “Mercy is not itself that oft looks so. / Pardon is still the nurse of second woe” (2.1.292–93). In other words, although pardoning someone for their wrongdoing may look merciful, it’s unmerciful in the sense that leniency often leads to further wrongdoing. Thus, even as he laments Claudio’s fate, Escalus has been converted to Angelo’s way of seeing things.
Aside from further developing the play’s thematic interest in matters of law and order, this scene also serves the purpose of comic relief, momentarily distracting the audience from the gravity of Claudio’s imminent execution. Throughout the scene’s long middle section, Escalus is made to act as a foil to the dim-witted constable and the foolish clown. Elbow is a frivolous addition to the cast of characters, amusing because of his use of malapropisms (i.e., his misspoken phrases and words). Escalus tasks Elbow to go off and retrieve more of Vienna’s criminals, and the constable will continue to appear at intervals throughout the play to provide more comic relief.
Yet as so often happens in Shakespeare, even in the play’s comic digressions there appear important critiques of the main action. In this case, Pompey, whom Escalus interrogates at length, makes an important point about Angelo’s logic of crime and punishment. As he points out to Escalus: “If you head and hang all that offend that way but for ten year together, you’ll be glad to give out a commission for more heads” (2.1.246–48). In other words, if the government executes every fornicator in the city, they’ll be lucky if anyone’s left alive.
