Measure for Measure · Character

Provost

The prison official who must carry out Angelo's harsh decrees while quietly bending them, a man of conscience caught between orders and mercy.

supporting

Also known as Exit Provost, Provost This, Provost Angelo, Provost . Duke, Provost Reads, Provost Aside, Provost Sirrah, Provost God, Provost Alack, Enter Provost

First appearance: Scene II

As a supporting figure in Measure for Measure, Provost is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Escorts Claudio to prison under Lord Angelo's orders.

In the storyScene IIOpen this moment free

See Provost in Scene II Book page

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The Provost runs Vienna's prison at the moment its dormant laws wake up hungry, and he is the one who must lead Claudio to a death he privately doubts is just. His tension is professional obedience against evident compassion: he questions Angelo, shelters the Duke's schemes, and negotiates the awkward business of a reprieved head with a pirate's. He matters because the play's machinery of mercy runs through his hands, and because his willingness to be complicit in secret good is what keeps the story's darker plans from becoming merely cruel.

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The fuller portrait of Provost sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Provost in Scene II

Character Web

18 connections

A slice of how Provost sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Professional
Social
Other

Character groups

Central characters
Duke's attendants
Protagonist

+13 more in the full Character Web

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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.

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Relationships

Duke Vincentio
professional · positive
The Duke relies on the Provost as a loyal subordinate and confidant in his secret scheme… How this plays out →
Isabella
professional · positive
Lord Angelo
professional · negative
Lucio
social · negative
Lucio
social · negative
Isabella
professional · positive
Duke Vincentio
professional · positive
The Duke relies on the Provost as a loyal subordinate and confidant in his secret scheme… How this plays out →
Lord Angelo
professional · negative
Duke Vincentio
professional · positive
The Duke relies on the Provost as a loyal subordinate and confidant in his secret scheme… How this plays out →
Isabella
professional · positive

Duke Vincentio
The Duke relies on the Provost as a loyal subordinate and confidant in his secret scheme to restore order.
Isabella
The Provost assists Isabella in the Duke's plan to save her brother, acting as a cooperative official.
Lord Angelo
Angelo commands the Provost as his subordinate, ordering executions and enforcing strict justice.
Lucio
Lucio interacts with the Provost mainly in the context of Claudio's imprisonment, with Lucio being insolent.
Lucio
Lucio interacts with the Provost mainly in the context of Claudio's imprisonment, with Lucio being insolent.
Isabella
The Provost assists Isabella in the Duke's plan to save her brother, acting as a cooperative official.
Duke Vincentio
The Duke relies on the Provost as a loyal subordinate and confidant in his secret scheme to restore order.
Lord Angelo
Angelo commands the Provost as his subordinate, ordering executions and enforcing strict justice.
Duke Vincentio
The Duke relies on the Provost as a loyal subordinate and confidant in his secret scheme to restore order.
Isabella
The Provost assists Isabella in the Duke's plan to save her brother, acting as a cooperative official.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Provost in Scene II

In the story

Provost appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Scene II
Escorts Claudio to prison under Lord Angelo's orders.
Scene II
Seeks clarification on Claudio's execution and reports Juliet's condition; silently hopes Isabella succeeds.
Scene III
He greets the disguised Duke and informs him of Juliet's situation and Claudio's impending execution.
Scene I
Present in the prison, facilitates the Duke's concealment and later leaves the Duke alone with Isabella.
Scene II
The Provost accompanies Escalus and confirms Mistress Overdone's long career as a bawd. He also notes that the friar (the Duke) has visited Claudio.
Scene II
Reluctant to defy Angelo's orders but eventually agrees to the Duke's plan after seeing the Duke's seal and hearing of his return.
Scene III
Reports Ragozine's death and collaborates with the Duke to substitute the head.
Scene I
Sent by the Duke to fetch Friar Lodowick, and later thanked for his care and secrecy.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Provost unlock in the free preview.

See Provost in Scene II