Measure for Measure, Act 4 Scene 1 runs 76 lines of dialogue, spoken by 3 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 167 lines. This scene is part of Act 4 of Measure for Measure.
Full Dialogue
Mariana ♀
Break off thy song, and haste thee quick away:
Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice
Hath often still'd my brawling discontent.
I cry you mercy, sir; and well could wish
You had not found me here so musical:
Let me excuse me, and believe me so,
My mirth it much displeased, but pleased my woe.
Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice
Hath often still'd my brawling discontent.
I cry you mercy, sir; and well could wish
You had not found me here so musical:
Let me excuse me, and believe me so,
My mirth it much displeased, but pleased my woe.
Duke Vincentio ♂
'Tis good; though music oft hath such a charm
To make bad good, and good provoke to harm.
I pray, you, tell me, hath any body inquired
for me here to-day? much upon this time have
I promised here to meet.
To make bad good, and good provoke to harm.
I pray, you, tell me, hath any body inquired
for me here to-day? much upon this time have
I promised here to meet.
Mariana ♀
You have not been inquired after:
I have sat here all day.
I have sat here all day.
Duke Vincentio ♂
I do constantly believe you. The time is come even
now. I shall crave your forbearance a little: may
be I will call upon you anon, for some advantage to yourself.
now. I shall crave your forbearance a little: may
be I will call upon you anon, for some advantage to yourself.
Mariana ♀
I am always bound to you.
Duke Vincentio ♂
Very well met, and well come.
What is the news from this good deputy?
What is the news from this good deputy?
Isabella ♀
He hath a garden circummured with brick,
Whose western side is with a vineyard back'd;
And to that vineyard is a planched gate,
That makes his opening with this bigger key:
This other doth command a little door
Which from the vineyard to the garden leads;
There have I made my promise
Upon the heavy middle of the night
To call upon him.
Whose western side is with a vineyard back'd;
And to that vineyard is a planched gate,
That makes his opening with this bigger key:
This other doth command a little door
Which from the vineyard to the garden leads;
There have I made my promise
Upon the heavy middle of the night
To call upon him.
Duke Vincentio ♂
But shall you on your knowledge find this way?
Isabella ♀
I have ta'en a due and wary note upon't:
With whispering and most guilty diligence,
In action all of precept, he did show me
The way twice o'er.
With whispering and most guilty diligence,
In action all of precept, he did show me
The way twice o'er.
Duke Vincentio ♂
Are there no other tokens
Between you 'greed concerning her observance?
Between you 'greed concerning her observance?
Isabella ♀
No, none, but only a repair i' the dark;
And that I have possess'd him my most stay
Can be but brief; for I have made him know
I have a servant comes with me along,
That stays upon me, whose persuasion is
I come about my brother.
And that I have possess'd him my most stay
Can be but brief; for I have made him know
I have a servant comes with me along,
That stays upon me, whose persuasion is
I come about my brother.
Duke Vincentio ♂
'Tis well borne up.
I have not yet made known to Mariana
A word of this. What, ho! within! come forth!
I pray you, be acquainted with this maid;
She comes to do you good.
I have not yet made known to Mariana
A word of this. What, ho! within! come forth!
I pray you, be acquainted with this maid;
She comes to do you good.
Isabella ♀
I do desire the like.
Duke Vincentio ♂
Do you persuade yourself that I respect you?
Mariana ♀
Good friar, I know you do, and have found it.
Duke Vincentio ♂
Take, then, this your companion by the hand,
Who hath a story ready for your ear.
I shall attend your leisure: but make haste;
The vaporous night approaches.
Who hath a story ready for your ear.
I shall attend your leisure: but make haste;
The vaporous night approaches.
Mariana ♀
Will't please you walk aside?
Duke Vincentio ♂
O place and greatness! millions of false eyes
Are stuck upon thee: volumes of report
Run with these false and most contrarious quests
Upon thy doings: thousand escapes of wit
Make thee the father of their idle dreams
And rack thee in their fancies.
Welcome, how agreed?
Are stuck upon thee: volumes of report
Run with these false and most contrarious quests
Upon thy doings: thousand escapes of wit
Make thee the father of their idle dreams
And rack thee in their fancies.
Welcome, how agreed?
Isabella ♀
She'll take the enterprise upon her, father,
If you advise it.
If you advise it.
Duke Vincentio ♂
It is not my consent,
But my entreaty too.
But my entreaty too.
Isabella ♀
Little have you to say
When you depart from him, but, soft and low,
'Remember now my brother.'
When you depart from him, but, soft and low,
'Remember now my brother.'
Mariana ♀
Fear me not.
Duke Vincentio ♂
Nor, gentle daughter, fear you not at all.
He is your husband on a pre-contract:
To bring you thus together, 'tis no sin,
Sith that the justice of your title to him
Doth flourish the deceit. Come, let us go:
Our corn's to reap, for yet our tithe's to sow.
He is your husband on a pre-contract:
To bring you thus together, 'tis no sin,
Sith that the justice of your title to him
Doth flourish the deceit. Come, let us go:
Our corn's to reap, for yet our tithe's to sow.
76 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Duke Vincentio | 38 | 50.0% |
| Isabella | 25 | 32.9% |
| Mariana | 13 | 17.1% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 38 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 25 lines.
Total speakers on stage
3 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 4
This is Scene 1 of 6 in Act 4 of Measure for Measure.
Scene length vs. play average
At 76 lines, this scene is shorter than the Measure for Measure average scene in Measure for Measure (~167 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 3 Scene 2 · Next: Act 4 Scene 2
About Act 4 Scene 1 of Measure for Measure
Who carries Act 4 Scene 1 of Measure for Measure?
Duke Vincentio, with 38 lines — about 50% of the scene.
Is the scene a dialogue or a solo?
With 3 speakers and the lead holding 50% of the lines, this scene is a balanced multi-voice exchange.