THE MERCHANT OF VENICE ACT I : SCENE 1 Reference 1 Antonio : In sooth, I know not why I am so sad. It wearies me; you say it wearies you. Q.1. What does Antonio say about his sadness? What has this sadness made of him? Ans. The feeling of sadness wearies Antonio, but he has yet to learn how he caught it, found it or came by it, what stuff tis made of and whereof it is born. This sadness has made him so absent-minded that he has much trouble in understanding himself Q.2. What does Salarino compare Antonio s argosies with? Describe. Ans. Salarino compares Antonio s argosies with signiors and rich burghers on the flood or the pageants of the sea. The petty traffickers bow to these argosies with respect as they fly past them with their woven wings. Q.3. How would Salarino behave if he were in a similar situation? Ans. If Salarino had such ventures forth, then the better part of his affections would be with his hopes abroad. He would be plucking grass to know in which direction the wind was blowing and he would be peering in the maps for ports, piers and roads to shelter his ships in case of need. Q.4. Which three things would make Salarino sad? Ans. When Salarino would be cooling his broth, he would shake with fear (ague) to think of the wind at sea which may cause havoc to his ships. Secondly, the sand running from one half of the hourglass to another would remind him of the sand banks and shallow waters and he would imagine his wealthy Andrew dock d in sand. Thirdly, when he would go to church and see the holy edifice of stone, he would be reminded of the hidden rocks in the sea. Even if these rocks touch the sides of his ship, she would break into pieces and scatter all her spices and rich silk cloth over the waters. Q.4b. What is meant by vailing her high top lower than her ribs? Ans. This means that Antonio s Andrew would be grounded in the sand with her mast inclined lower than her sides as if she were trying to kiss the sands that enclosed her. 1
Q.5. What is Antonio s reaction after he hears Salanio and Salarino consoling him? Ans. Antonio says that he is not upset because of his merchandise. His business enterprises are not risked in one single ship and all his ships are not destined to any one place, nor is his financial position dependent on just one year. Q.6. Explain the reference to Janus. According to Salarino, which are the two types of men Nature has created? Ans. Janus was a Roman God of doors, who had two faces: one frowning the other smiling. He is referred here, to indicate that Nature creates two different types of men, with different outlooks. According to Salarino, there is one set of people who are so good humoured that they laugh at trifles just as parrots laugh at seeing a bagpiper ; while there are others who always have a sour and melancholy expression and can never be made to laugh even if the joke is very funny and has made. Nestor, the wise old man laugh. In short, there are some people who are always pleasant while others who are perpetually sour-faced. Reference II Gratiano : You look not well. Signior Antonio: You have too much respect upon the world. Q.1. Explain the lines. What is Antonio s reply? Ans. In the above lines Gratiano tells Antonio that he does not look well as he has too many anxious thoughts concerning worldly affairs. Those who spend too much time worrying about worldly matters are never really happy. Antonio replies by saying that he holds the world as a stage where every man must play a part and his part is a sad one. Shakespeare wishes to create a foreboding on the principle that coming events cast their shadows before. Q,2. What kind a part would Gratiano like to play? Ans. Gratiano would like to play the part of a fool and prefer to be a jester rather than a sorrowful man. He would rather let his liver heat with wine than cool his heart with mortifying groans. It was an Elizabethan belief that wine-drinking warmed the liver which then produced rich blood and thus a lively personality. Q.3. What does Gratiano say about a warm blooded young man? Ans. Gratiano says that why should a man with warm blood in his veins and in the prime of his life sit like a lifeless statue of his grandfather which is cut in alabaster. Why should he sleep when he has to remain awake? Why does he have to suffer from jaundice by being ill-tempered? Elizabethans thought that jaundice was caused by jealousy and bad temper. (peevishness). Q.4. What example does he give Antonio about some kind of men? Ans. Some men have faces that are expressionless which do cream and mantle like a standing pond. Their expression is as unchanging as the surface of a pool of standing water and as the cream on top of milk. They put on a mask of wisdom, gravity and profound conceit and call themselves the fountain of wisdom, but when they speak, their brothers call them fools. Q.5. What is Gratiano s parting advice to Antonio? Ans. Gratiano tells Antonio not to fish with this melancholy bait in other words not to use this bait of melancholy silence to catch cheap, fish-like popularity. 2
Ref: Well; tell me now, what lady is the same To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage, That you today promised to tell me of? Q1. Who speaks these words and to whom? Ans. The speaker is Antonio and he is speaking to his friend Bassanio. Q2. What does Bassanio confess to Antonio? What does he want to unburden to him? Ans. Bassanio has disabled his estate by living a grander life style than his modest means would permit him to keep up. Now his main concern is to clear himself of his loans which has got him into great debts. He would like to unfold to Antonio all his plots and purposes of how he would free himself of these debts. Q3. How does Antonio assure him? Ans. Antonio promises to help him if his scheme is perfectly honorable, just like he himself is. If that is so, Antonio s purse and utmost resources will be unlock d for Bassanio. Q4. Recount the example that Bassanio gives from his school days. Ans. Bassanio says when he was a boy in school and he lost one of his arrows while shooting, he would shoot another arrow in the same direction and with the same speed but with more advised watch. Thus, by risking the second, he often regained both his arrows. Similarly, Bassanio proposes to pay back his previous loans by carefully managing the expenditure of his second loan amount. Q5. What does Bassanio reveal to his friend about a certain lady? Ans. Bassanio tells Antonio about a certain lady that resides in Belmont who is the heiress of her father s property. Not only is she beautiful but also virtuous and this makes her more beautiful than the beauty of her face. He has received fair speechless messages from her eyes. She can be compared to Cato s daughter Portia or Brutus Portia. From every corner of the earth, renowned suitors come to woo her. Her bright golden locks overhangs her forehead like the golden fleece in the story of Jason and Medea and her home in Belmont is like the shore of Colchis because many suitors come there in quest of her. Bassanio wishes to hold a rival place with these suitors. Q6. How can Antonio help him? Ans. Antonio neither has money nor commodity to raise the present sum but he tells Bassanio to borrow money in Venice using his name as security. In this way he will be able to provide for himself whatever is necessary to go to Belmont. 3
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE ACT I : SCENE 2 Reference I By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary of this great world. Q.1. Explain the above line. What is Nerissa s reply? Ans. Portia is speaking to her maid. Portia is saying that she is tired of the stream of suitors coming to woo her. Moreover, she is worried because the choice of her husband is not in her hands but depends on the lottery of caskets devised according to her father s will. Nerissa consoles Portia by saying that she would be tired if her miseries were as great as her fortunes. People who have excess of everything suffer as much as those who have nothing. The best and happiest position is the middle one. Those who have too much in excess become prematurely old as they indulge in them in excess but those who have just enough live longer. Hence, competency is better than superfluity. Q.2. What is Portia s comment on Nerissa s advice? Ans. Portia says that it is easier to say wise things than put them into practice. If it were as easy to do, then chapels would become churches and poor men s cottages would turn into palaces. Youth is generally rash, unthinking and does not allow correct decisions to be taken. As the hare jumps over the net rashly, so do youthful impulses leap over good counsel. It is easier to teach twenty people than be one of the twenty to follow your own teaching. Q.3. Why can Portia not choose a husband of her choice? Ans. Portia s father was a virtuous man and had devised a test for the suitors who must choose one from three caskets of gold, silver and lead. Only the correct casket contains the portrait of Portia. Therefore, Portia knows that she can neither choose who she likes, nor refuse the one she dislikes. The desires of a living daughter are checked by the written will of a dead father. Q,4. Describe the six suitors. Ans. The first suitor, the Neapolitan prince, is called a young, inexperienced man and he also speaks a great deal about his horse and it would be a great appropriation for him to shoe his horse himself. The second suitor, the County Palatine, is described as a person who only frowns and even if merry tales are told he will not smile. Portia fears he will prove to be a weeping philosopher when he grows old as he is so full of unmannerly sadness in his youth. She would rather be married to a death s head with a bone in his mouth than to either of these. The third suitor, the French Lord, Monsieur Le Bon has been described as a person worse than the previous two suitors for he talks more about his horse than the Neapolitan Prince and frowns more than the County Palatine. If a bird sings, then he immediately starts jumping. Portia says that if she married him she would be marrying twenty husbands as he shows many personalities. He will fence with his own shadow. The fourth suitor was the young Baron of England. Portia says that he was a dumbshow as he does not speak Latin, Italian or French and she does not speak English. 4
She says that his hat has been brought from Germany, round-hose from France, jacket from Italy and manners from everywhere and so he lacks individuality in dressing up. The fifth suitor was the Scottish Lord. Portia says that he is a neighbourly man as he was given a blow by the Englishman and he replied by telling him he would return the favour at the earliest possibility. It seems that the Frenchman became his surety and signed under his signature. The sixth suitor was a German who was the Duke of Saxony s nephew has been described by Portia as a person who is very ill-behaved through the day and says that when he is at his best, he is a little worse than a man and when he was at his worst, he was a little better than a beast. He is a drunkard and Portia refers to him as a sponge who soaks up or absorbs liquor. Q.5. When Nerissa asks Portia whether she would refuse to follow her father s will when the young German chose the right casket, what is Portia s reply? Ans. Portia would ask Nerissa to set a glass of Rhenish wine on the contrary casket as a temptation. He would be tempted by the wine and choose the wrong casket for the devil will be within him and temptation without. In this way she will avoid getting married to a sponge. If she lives as old as Sibylla she would die as chaste as Diana unless somebody is able to fulfil the condition laid down in her father s will to be her husband. This shows what an honourable and dutiful daughter Portia is. Q.6. What does Nerissa say about a certain Venetian? What is Portia s reply? Ans. Nerissa says when Portia s father was alive, a Venetian scholar and soldier by the name of Bassanio had come to woo her in the presence of the Marquis of Montferrat. According to Nerissa, of all the men who had come for Portia s hand till now, Bassanio was the most worthy of Portia. Portia remembers him well and says he is deserving of that praise. Q.7. How does the scene end? Is Portia willing to meet the next suitor? Ans. The scene ends with the servant bringing the news that the six suitors are returning while the forerunner of the seventh suitor, the prince of Morocco has brought in the news that his master will be there that night. The six suitors do not want to take part in the contest for fear of making a wrong choice. Portia says that if he has the nature of a saint and the looks of a devil, she would rather have him listen to her sins like a priest and grant her forgiveness from God, than marry her. Q.8. Explain the line If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chaste as Diana, unless I be obtained by the manner of my father s will. Ans. Sibylla is a prophetess in Roman mythology. Apollo granted her as many years of life of life as there were sand grains in her hand. Diana is the goddess of virginity in Roman mythology. Portia says that if she were to live to be as old as Sibylla, she would die as much a virgin as Diana unless she is won by a suitor, in the manner laid down in her father s will. 5
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE ACT I : SCENE 3 Reference I Shylock : Three thousand ducats, --- well. Bassanio : Ay, sir, for three months. Shylock : For three months, --- well. Bassanio : For the which, as I told you Antonio shall be bound. Q.1. Explain the given lines. Ans. Bassanio is in need of three thousand ducats and he will take a loan from Shylock on a bond which would allow Shylock to cut off a pound of Antonio s flesh, if he fails to repay the loan in time. Q.2. Why is Antonio unable to raise the amount himself? Ans. Antonio cannot raise the amount of three thousand ducats himself because all his ships are at sea. He has an argosy bound for Tripoli, another to the Indies, a third to Mexico and a fourth to England. Q.3. According to Shylock, what are the dangers that Antonio s ships face? Ans. Shylock says that ships are but planks of wood and can always sink and sailors are but mortal men who could die. There could also be pirates who could rob the ships then there is the peril of waters, winds and rocks. Q.4. What is Shylock s answer when Bassanio requests him for dinner? Ans. Shylock declines the invitation. According to the Jews, the meat of pigs is forbidden to them because they feel that the pig s body is the dwelling place of the devil. Jesus Christ, the Nazarite, healed a madman by ordering the devils that possessed the man to leave his body and enter a herd of pigs. Therefore, Shylock says that he will buy, sell, talk, walk with Bassanio but he will not eat, drink or pray with him. Reference 2 Shylock : [aside] How like a fawning publican he looks! Q.1. Explain the line. Ans. Shylock calls Antonio a fawning publican. Fawning means servile and a publican is a Roman tax collector. It is a natural term of contempt and loathing in the mouth of a Jew. Q.2. Why does Shylock hate Antonio so much? Ans. Firstly, Antonio is a Christian. Secondly, he lends money free of interest and thereby brings down the rate of money lending in Venice. Thirdly, he hates the Jewish race and always rails (abuses) at the Jewish merchants. He rails at Shylock, his bargains and his well earned success which he calls interest. Q.3. What do you understand by If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. Ans. This means that if Shylock gets a hold of Antonio at a disadvantage, he will fully gratify himself. 6
Q.4. Will Shylock lend Bassanio money? Ans. When he debates of his present store, he says he cannot instantly raise the entire money but he will ask Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of his tribe to furnish him. Q.5. What is the custom Antonio will have to break? Ans. Antonio neither lends nor borrows money in excess but since he has to satisfy the ripe wants of his friend Bassanio, he will break his custom. Q.6. A little later Shylock says Me thought you said you neither lend nor borrow upon advantage. What does Shylock mean by this? What is Antonio s reply? Ans. Shylock is saying that Antonio does not lend or borrow money with interest. Antonio replies that he has never charged interest. Q.7. What is the story of Jacob and Laban in the Bible? Ans. Jacob was third in the line of heirs to family estates, the first one being Abraham and the second Isaac. Jacob should not have been the heir since he was younger than his brother Esau but Jacob s mother played a trick to have Jacob made Isaac s heir. The following is the story in the Bible. Jacob son of Isaac, went to serve under his uncle Laban. An arrangement was made between Jacob and Laban that the former should receive for his services the lambs which were born with spots or stripes. During the breeding season, Jacob placed wooden rods in such a position that the shadows of the rods should fall on the sheep. By this means, Jacob has said to influence the sheep so much that almost all the lambs were spotted or striped, and thus they became the property of Jacob. Shylock gives an example from the Bible to justify taking interest on money lent. Reference 3 Antonio : I am as likely to call thee so again, To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too. Q.1. How has Antonio treated Shylock in the past? Ans. Shylock says that many times in the past, Antonio has rated him about his moneys and usances. He has borne it with a patient shrug for sufferance is the badge of their tribe. Shylock has been called a misbeliever, cut-throat dog and Antonio has spat upon his Jewish gaberdine. Antonio has void his rheum upon Shylock s beard and foot him as he would spurn a strange cur over his threshold. Q.2. Mention the two different reactions that Shylock may have to Antonio s plea for money. Ans. The first reaction is that can a cur lend three thousand ducats, and refuse to impart with the money. The second reaction is should he bend low and in a bondman s key with bated breath and whispering humbleness ask whether he spat on him on Wednesday last or spurned him or called him a dog and he will still lend him money for all these courtesies. 7
Q.3. What is Antonio s reply? What do you mean by a breed for barren metal of his friend? Ans. The reference lines give Antonio s reply which is that he will spit on him as well as spurn him again. He should lend the money to him as an enemy and not as a friend, so that if he defaults, the penalty can be exacted without guilt. Antonio does not want Shylock to lend him money as a friend but rather as an enemy. This means when did a friend ever make a profit on a loan lent to his friend? Q.4. What is the deed that Shylock offers? Ans. Shylock says that he will supply Antonio s present wants without any interest doit. He asks Antonio to accompany him to a notary and sign a single bond in a merry sport. If Shylock is not repaid on a particular day at a particular place, the sum that has been expressed in the conditions, the penalty will be nominated for an equal pound of Antonio s fair flesh to be cut off and taken from any part of his body as Shylock pleases. Q.5. What are Bassanio s fears? How does Antonio pacify him? Ans. Bassanio asks Antonio not to seal such a bond for him. He would rather dwell in his necessity. Antonio asks him not to fear as within two months he expects nine times the value of his bond (twenty seven thousand ducats). Q.6. What is Shylock s comment on the suspicious nature of Christians? Ans. Shylock comments that Christians doubt the intentions of others. What would be his gain if he exacts a pound of human flesh which is neither estimable nor profitable as the flesh of muttons, beefs or goats. He only wants to stretch his hand of friendship to Antonio by lending him money without charging interest. Q.7. What are Shylock s instructions for Antonio? Where will he go himself? Ans. Shylock instructs Antonio to meet him at notary s where he should give the notary directions to carry out this merry bond. Shylock himself will go home and purse the ducats and ensure that his house is safe which is left in the fearful guard of an unthrifty knave. (left in the unsafe care of an irresponsible servant.) Q.8. Quote and explain what Antonio and Bassanio comment on Shylock s action. Ans. Antonio : Hie thee, gentle Jew. The Hebrew will turn Christian : he grows kind. Antonio asks the Jew to make haste in getting the money. He says that Shylock has turned kind and hence refers to him as a Christian. To this Bassanio replies, I like not fair terms and a villain s mind. This means that Bassanio does not believe the kind words offered by a villain s mind. The villain is Shylock. ----------------- 8