Passage I (Shakespeare, Measure for Measure, II.ii — Angelo alone)
What's this, what's this? Is this her fault or mine?
The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?
Ha! Not she; nor doth she tempt; but it is I
That, lying by the violet in the sun,
Do as the carrion does, not as the flower,
Corrupt with virtuous season. Can it be
That modesty may more betray our sense
Than woman's lightness? Having waste ground enough,
Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary
And pitch our evils there? O, fie, fie, fie!
What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo?
Dost thou desire her foully for those things
That make her good? O, let her brother live!
Thieves for their robbery have authority
When judges steal themselves. What, do I love her,
That I desire to hear her speak again,
And feast upon her eyes? What is't I dream on?
O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint,
With saints dost bait thy hook! Most dangerous
Is that temptation that doth goad us on
To sin in loving virtue. Never could the strumpet,
With all her double vigour, art and nature,
Once stir my temper; but this virtuous maid
Subdues me quite. Ever till now,
When men were fond, I smiled and wondered how.
'Thieves for their robbery have authority / When judges steal themselves' implies:
Pick an option to check yourself, or open the answer below.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Corruption among judges is hypocritical.
Explanation
If the judge himself 'steals' — commits the very sin he punishes — then thieves have as much licence as he does. Angelo sees the hypocrisy of condemning Claudio while he himself lusts after Isabella. The circulated key gives option 2, but that contradicts the line's meaning.
Note: KEY CORRECTED: the source data gave option 2; the correct answer is option 3.
More Reading Comprehension questions
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- What kind of temptation does the speaker say is most dangerous?
- What emotion is the speaker feeling at the end of the passage?
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- What does the phrase 'possesses more power of delighting the sense, while it speaks to the intellect' imply about visual art?