He's coming: I perceiv't

Professor Little framed the discourse between Isabella, Angelo, and Lucio in 2.2 of Measure for Measure in terms of the devil/angel qualities of Lucio, who seems like he could take both cartoon roles, sitting on Isabella's shoulders with pitchfork in one hand and halo in the other.

However, I'd like to argue that this scene is not just a seduction scene, but instead is a sex scene between Isabella and Angelo that foreshadows the garden sex scene (which we don't see) and attempts to corrupt the play and turn it into something other than comedy.

The interaction is infused with sexual language, notably from Isabella ("thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt/ Splits the unwedgeable and gnarled oak,") and of course Lucio ("O, to him, to him, wench! He will relent;/ He's coming: I perceive't").

In this interpretation, Lucio stands out as the third wheel. He is both the voyeur, and the catalyst, watching the scene ("I perceiv't") and egging it on. The garden sex scene is a direct result of this scene, which comes about because of Lucio; therefore Lucio is the corrupting influence that turns the genre away from comedy. When the virgin gets laid by Act III, the plays don't end in marriage.

Following this reading, the Duke takes the role of savior, preserving Isabella's chastity by his subterfuge and allowing the play to end in marriage, thus establishing it as comedy. And of course, the Duke has Lucio killed at the end, thus getting rid of the corruption.

Derek (Yang) Liu
Discussion 1D