In his farewell address to Angelo before pretending to leave the city, Duke Vincentio unknowingly foreshadows later events of the play:
So, fare you well;
To the hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commissions
The Duke uses the word execution to mean carrying out a plan, order, or course of action; in saying that he leaves Angelo in the “hopeful execution” of his “commissions,” the Duke means that he hopes his substitute will be quick and effective in carrying out his new role as leader of Vienna. Though the Duke is not yet aware of how Angelo will conduct himself as leader of the city, his use of the word “executions” unwittingly foreshadows later events in the play.
Indeed, Angelo will prioritize the punishment of criminals during his time in power, leading to many “executions” or death-sentences for people who are either innocent or have committed only minor crimes. The primary plot of the play centers upon one of Angelo’s victims, Claudio, whose execution is justified by a mere legal technicality, and another major sub-plot concerns the imprisonment of the employees and customers of a brothel. The Duke’s innocuous words, then, gain greater significance by the end of the play.
