At the opening of the play, after Lord Angelo’s establishment as temporary ruler, we find Claudio wants to marry Juliet but due to the new laws enacted by Lord Angelo, his impregnation of her is punished by death, and he is thrown in jail. The obstacle here for Claudio is the new law which revokes the previously lenient moral standards imposed by the Duke.
We learn more about the happenings from Mistress Overdone, a prostitute who runs a brothel in Vienna who intends to have a successful business but is also in conflict with the laws forbidding sex in Vienna City. The effect of Lord Angelo’s moral code is far reaching in this society, affecting the Mistress’ business operations, given the business is sex.
While being taken to jail, Claudio reveals that he and Juliet had intended to be engaged to be marries but were opposed by Juliet’s family, a very conservative family who, like Angelo, do not support the morally lesser pursuits of pleasure. He, under the enouragement of Lucio, hopes to appeal Angelo’s warrant for his death, but cannot because the Duke is nowhere to be found.
At the monestary, the Duke explains that he wants to create a more perfect society free of corruption and low moral standards, but is personally in conflict with himself out of fear that be resinding his legislation, he will be frowned upon. Here, Isabella is shown with her commitment to becoming a good nun, but is stopped by her desire to protect her brother Claudio by using her feminine charm on Lord Angelo
by Paul Kappel