The Duke, who left Vienna in secret and who has always shied away from the limelight, returns very much in public and in the open to bring judgement and justice – hence the trumpets, symbolic perhaps of the Last Judgement? This act is one very long scene and must obviously be studied in some depth by A level students. In contrast to the revelation of the Duke’s fallibility in Act 4, here he does take on something of the role of divine ruler.
He appears at first to disbelieve totally Isabella’s charge against Angelo, sharing with Angelo the comment ‘the vanity of wretched fools’ and suggesting that Angelo be ‘judge’ of his own ‘cause’ (line 168)
Mariana’s testimony prompts a similar dismissive response from the Duke at which point he exits in order to be able to re-enter later as Friar. His exit also allows Lucio the opportunity to slander the ‘Friar’ as he earlier slandered the Duke, an attack he continues when the Friar/Duke re-enters the stage ensuring, of course, his own comic downfall, ‘This may prove worse than hanging.’ (line 356).
Some points to note in the rest of the scene:
Lines 365-371 Angelo’s reaction. He wants the full punishment of the law once he has been found out. He wants ‘measure for measure’, the exact punishment he has given to Claudio.
The Duke orders marriage for Mariana’s...
