The word ‘pluck’ (as a verb) seemed to occur an unusual number of times in Measure for Measure, or at least to be used in unusual ways. In brief: Angelo ‘plucks down’ (closes) the brothels in Vienna; the Duke says “liberty plucks justice by the nose” in Vienna; a specific brothel is described as having been “plucked down”; Isabella claims that Angelo “plucks on others”, and later yearns to “pluck out” his eyes. Finally, Lucio, in the play’s last mention, claims falsely that he ‘plucked’ the friar (the disguised Duke) ‘by the nose’ for having spoken abusively of the Duke, (in fact, it was Lucio himself who’d insulted the duke.)
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Act I: “All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down” [1.2.95] (pompey); “liberty plucks justice by the nose” [1.3.29] (Duke);
Act II: “He, sir! a tapster, sir; parcel-bawd; one that serves a bad woman; whose house, sir, was, as they say, plucked down in the suburbs” [2.1.65] (Elbow); ” I know your virtue hath a licence in’t, Which seems a little fouler than it is, To pluck on others” [2.4.146] (Isabella to Angelo);
Act III:
Act IV: “O, I will to him and pluck out his eyes!” [4.3.119] (Isabella to disguised Duke, of Angelo).
Act V: “O thou damnable fellow! Did not I pluck thee by the nose for thy speeches?” [5.1.345] (Lucio to Duke, disguised as friar.)
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