Measure for Measure: Act 4

A real duke would not say these words because he has the power to get things done. But the Duke wants to give people time to hate Angelo and wish for his return. He also needs the time to plan. While he is running around disguised as a friar, Angelo's lack of forbearance ("a delay in enforcing rights or claims or privileges") forces many to forbear ("refrain from doing") from becoming unwed forebears ("a person from whom you are descended").

Angelo is known for his diligence in studying and controlling himself. This would normally be seen as a positive trait. But after meeting Isabella, Angelo connects more to the Latin root diligere, which means "single out, value highly, prize, love." Since he is now trying to accomplish what he is killing others for doing, his diligence can be described as guilty ("showing a sense of wrongness").

The noun also means "communication intended to induce belief or action." That is not how Isabella uses it: her supposed servant will accompany her because she already believes what she has been told. But Isabella was supposed to use persuasion to save Claudio's life. Unfortunately, her attempts at persuading Angelo only served to persuade him that he loves her.

Nowadays, the noun has a positive sense suggesting a brave spirit for adventure, challenge, or profit. During Shakespeare's time, an enterprise was sometimes negatively seen as a scheme. This is the case here, since Isabella and Mariana, upon the advice of the Duke/Friar, are agreeing to trick Angelo. Especially since the Duke could resolve the situation in other ways, this enterprise is morally questionable. What's worse is that it involves a supposed holy man and a would-be nun.

The noun also means "an approximate calculation of quantity or degree or worth." Both definitions fit. The Provost is telling Abhorson that he is giving him an assistant for tomorrow's executions. If he likes how Pompey works, he can hire him. But because Pompey is a bawd (who's also supposed to die for his crime), he cannot negotiate the terms of his contract.

The Provost feels put-upon (treated unfairly) because he has never been remiss. Thus, he thinks that Angelo's unusual reminder is a put-on ("a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement"). But Angelo actually sent it to keep up his put-on ("something intended to deceive"); despite the proposal, he had no intention of letting Claudio live to avenge his own and Isabella's honor.

The Old French guile means "deceit, wile, fraud, ruse, trickery" and might come from a root that suggests witchcraft. But the ancient skill the Duke refers to sounds like phrenology ("study of the shape of the skull to determine character"), which was not popularized until the 19th century. Although the Duke is right about the Provost, his judgment is based less on people-reading skills and due more to what the Provost says about him while he's disguised as a friar.

The noun comes from the Latin adjective integer which means "intact, whole." One can literally have physical integrity, but the Duke focuses on moral integrity. Of all the characters whose integrity is tested, the Provost is the most moral; even though he agrees to deceive Angelo, he does so to save Claudio because he believes it's the right thing to do. This act does not benefit him and could cost him his job or life (he doesn't know that the Friar is the Duke).

The Latin prefix re means "opposite of," the verb probare means "to test, prove," and the adjective probus means "worthy, good." According to these roots, Barnardine was not a reprobate until Angelo took over. While Barnardine never denied his crime, the Duke was unable to prove it. He tries to justify his inability to punish a murderer with the belief that executing a drunken man is a sin, but the reprobate just uses this belief to avoid execution.

The adjective loath and the verb loathe come from an Old English word that means "hateful, repulsive." Isabella should be loath to speak against Angelo, because she would be breaking the 9th commandment: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." But she would loathe breaking the 7th commandment more: "Thou shalt not commit adultery." How willing Isabella is to take on different sins for herself or others reveals her level of morality.