Thanks for the PL, Tomas
WiltedScribe wrote: ↑April 25th, 2019, 4:21 pmI found Mariana sympathetic, so I imagine there'll be a contrast with Isabella, who I'm sure you gave a harder edge to.
I fear I made Isabella a bit of a bitch
I didn't really totally like her because she values her virginity more than her brother's life. So I made her very tough, the sort that would fit in well with Sister Francisca in that strict convent (but she would be the mother superior then !).
Also in this first "plea" for her brother's life, she is not really PC and doesn't really grovel as much as she could with Angelo. The things she says are more proving her point what she thinks of him (fair enough) but it doesn't really help her brother's cause. She seems to want to help him, but he character is too hard-edged to give in and do something that goes against her convictions.
Not sure if Shakespeare wanted to make her the victim we have to empathize with, but it didn't work in my case LOL Throughout the plot
she always got what she wanted. Mariana did the "dirty part" and the Provost and Duke plotted so her brother wouldn't get killed. She didn't really do anything to help this along, except for lying or keeping mum about her involvement, and even that she almost refused to do.
Am I too hard on her ? Well, it may be a novel interpretation I do of her, so that will be interesting.
I saw many pictures online of stage productions and she was always this very young girl with the sad or pleading expression....that's not how I picture her with the things she says and does. My Isabella is straight out pissed at Angelo and she shows her contempt.
Sonia