First published 2020
The Duke of Vienna faces a crisis. His lax governance has allowed moral standards to collapse throughout his domain. Rather than enforce the laws himself and appear hypocritical, he appoints Angelo, a rigid puritan with an unblemished reputation, to restore order. The Duke then pretends to leave the city while secretly remaining to observe. Angelo begins his moral crusade by prosecuting Claudio, who faces death for impregnating his fiancée Julietta before their wedding. When Claudio's sister Isabella, a novice nun, pleads for her brother's life, the supposedly righteous Angelo becomes obsessed with her. He offers a corrupt bargain: Claudio's freedom in exchange for one night with Isabella. As layers of hypocrisy mount, the comedy exposes the gap between public virtue and private desire, building toward a resolution that restores legitimate governance and proper social order.
Genres: drama, historical-fiction, comedy, academic
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, power-dynamics
Setting: Vienna
Period: 16th-century
99 pages · Paperback · Independently published