What's In A Head?

That Barnadine in Measure For Measure manages to keep his though his whole existence as a character feels like he has to lose it, forcing Shakespeare to produce another already dead body.
Why would I feel that the most shocking line in an already pretty dark movie would be "Bring me his head."?



"I could live without my finger, I could live without my toe, but my head is necessary."



"If you always win, you are a celebrity. If you sometimes lose, you are a hero."