Measure for Measure · Chapter
Scene III explained
The Duke, disguised as a friar, visits the prison and speaks with the Provost.
What happens
The Duke, disguised as a friar, visits the prison and speaks with the Provost. He encounters Juliet, who is pregnant by Claudio and repentant for her sin. The Duke counsels her on true repentance and learns that Claudio is to die tomorrow.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This scene is the dramatic climax because the Duke, now in his own habit, shifts from passive observer to acti…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Forgiveness and Redemption
The Duke guides Juliet toward genuine repentance, emphasizing contrition for the sin itself rather than merely its worldly consequences.
- Sexuality and Morality
Juliet's pregnancy out of wedlock and her shame highlight the moral and social consequences of sexual transgression in Vienna.
Characters to notice
- Duke Vincentio
Disguised as a friar, he visits the prison to minister to the afflicted and counsels Juliet on repentance.
- Provost
He greets the disguised Duke and informs him of Juliet's situation and Claudio's impending execution.
- Juliet
She is pregnant and repentant, confessing her sin to the Duke and expressing sorrow for Claudio's fate.
Key passages
“Who, falling in the flaws of her own youth, Hath blister’d her report: she is with child;”
She made mistakes in her youth that damaged her reputation, and now she is pregnant.
The Provost explains Juliet's situation to the Duke.
“Then was your sin of heavier kind than his.”
Your sin was more serious than his.
The Duke suggests that Juliet's willing participation makes her offense graver than Claudio's.
