Original artwork, not a still
Measure for Measure • 1623
O, what may man within him hide, though angel on the outward side!
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Appearances get treated with suspicion here, since a gentle outward manner can mask something far less kind underneath. The angel comparison heightens the contrast, pairing purity of image with hidden menace. It's a warning dressed as an observation, unsettling because it applies to anyone at all.
Context reviewed
