a ~ .
111 48% i;i os:38
V
Extract I
Portia:
Go draw aside the curtains .....make
your choice
1. Who is asked to draw aside the
curtains? Who is asked to make his
. ?
ch.01ce.
Portia asks one of her attendants to
pull apart the curtains so that the
different caskets are made visible. The
prince Morocco is asked to make the
choice.
2. What does Portia say later to the
prince regarding the right casket?
After reading the inscription on the
three caskets, Morocco asks Portia
how he will know if he chooses the
right casket. Portia replies that her
portrait will be in the right casket. If
he selects that one, then she will be his
wne.
3. Which casket does the Prince of
Morocco finally choose? What are the
reasons for his choice?
Th e Prince of Morocco fin ally chooses
the golden casket. Morocco argues that
[;;I ~ a a ~ .111 48%i;i os:38
V Ue.
3. Which casket does the Prince of
Morocco finally choose? What are the
reasons for his choice?
The Prince of Morocco finally chooses
the golden casket. Morocco argues that
base lead cannot contain such a
saintly person like Portia. Silver which
is ten times inferior to gold also cannot
hold Portia as he is such a rich gem. So
he concludes that Portia, whom many
men desire and is most precious must
be contained in the golden casket.
Besides, the English have a gold coin
which with the figure of an angel
engraved on it. Portia is an angel and
hence her portrait may be in the
golden casket.
4. For what reasons does the prince
reject the other two caskets?
He rejects the base lead arguing that it
cannot contain such a noble person
like Portia and silver which is ten
times inferior to gold cannot contain
Portia as she is such a rich gem.
5. What does the prince find when
he opens the casket?
When the prince opens the casket he
a ~ .111 48%i;i os:38
.... ___ . ___. ,. . _ _. . . . . . o-·- --... ...... . ., . . _. . . . . . . _.. . . _ .
V _Jrt1a . as sh. e 1s sueh_a r1c_ 'h gem.
5. What does the prince find when
he opens the casket?
When the prince opens the casket he
finds a skull and in its eyeless socket a
scroll.
6. How does the prince bid far ewell 1
to Portia? What d oes Portia say when
the prince leaves the place?
Morocco bids farewell to Portia with
the warm-heartedness of a lover and
says he must accept the cold comfort
of the rejected. He says that his sorrow
is too great for many words. Those
who have lost their hearts' desire
depart thus sadly.
When the prince leaves the place,
Portia calls it a good riddance and
w]ishes that every suitor like him
should make a similar choice.
Extract II
Morocco
Who choose th me shall...... in love I do
deserve.
1. On which casket do the words, who
ch.coses me shall get as much as he
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v ~serve.
1. On which casket do the words, who
chooses me shall get as much as he
deserves?
On the silver casket
2. Why does Morocco initially doubt
his worth to deserve the lady?
Morocco initially doubts his worth to
deserve the lady because he thinks
that though by his own standard, his
merits may be very high, yet those
merits may not be sufficient enough to
deserve Portia, as her reputation is
gr eater than his.
3. Why does he change his mind and
say that he deserves the lady?
Morocco, after having doubts about
his worth to win Portia, later on
changes his mind. He feels that he
deserves Portia because of his royal
birth, his wealth, his virtues and his
upbringing. Above all, he is worthy of
her because of his deep affection for
her.
4. Give the meaning of:
A) And weigh thy value with an even
hand
And compare your personal worth
a ~ .111 48% i;i os:38
V ~r.
4. Give the meaning of:
A) And weigh thy value with an even
hand
And compare your personal worth
impartially.
B) A weak disabling of myself
A sign of weakness which would bring
discredit on myself.
5. Why does Morocco think that
Portia's picture is not in the lead
casket?
Morocco read the inscription on the
lead casket which stated that
whosoever selects it must be prepared
to give all and to risk everything.
Morocco declares that no one except a
fool will be prepared to risk
everything for the sake of dull lead. He
argues that lead cannot contain such a
noble person like Portia.
Extract III
Fr om the four corners of the
earth ..... to see fair Portia.
1. Who speaks these
words? Where is he? What
has he said about his courage
in an earlier scene?
a ~ .111 48% i;i os:39
V 1. Who speaks these
words? Where is he? What
has he said about his courage
in an earlier scene?
The prince Morocco speaks these
words. He is in a room in Portia's
house getting ready to make his choice
of caskets. In an earlier scene,
Morocco said that with his sword he
had slain the emperor of Persia and a
Persian Prince, who had defeated
Solyman of Turkey thrice. He boasted
that he was courageous enough to
confront a hungry lion, defy the most
valiant warrior on earth and face the
WTath of a mother-bear by separating
its,young ones from her.
2. What is the significance
of the words Shrine and
Saint in the context?
Shrine is a place where any sacred
relic of a holy person or the image of
a saint is kept. In this context, the saint
is Portia and the shrine is Belmont.
The breathing saint is a reference to
Portia. Morocco says that people came
from every part of the globe to
a ~•.111 48%i;i os:39
v 1e oreatnmg sa.11.nt 1s a rererence to
.Portia. Morocco says that people came
from every part of the globe to
worship at the holy place which
enshrines this living object of
adoration-Portia.
3. What warning is given
by Porita to the speaker
befo re he makes the choice?
Before he makes the choice, the
speaker is told by Portia that the
correct casket contains her picture and
if he chooses it, she will be his wife.
4. Who are 'they' that are
referred to in the extract?
What difficulties do they face
while coming?
'They' the refers to the many suitors
who come to Belmont from all parts of
the globe to woo Portia. While coming
they travel through Persian deserts,
wfilderness of Arabia and even cross
the ocean.
5. Give the meaning of:
a) Hyrcanian deserts
Hyrcania was a province of the
ancient Persian empire. Hyrcanian
deserts were deserts lying in the South
II ~ ~~1148% ~ 08:39
.5. Give the m eanin,g of: 1
1a) Hyrcanian d e serts 1
Hyrcania was a province of the
1
a.n cient Persian e·m p ire1 Hyrcania11 1
deserts we·r e d1eserts lying in tl1 e ,S1o uth 1
0f Caspian s eaj
1 1
bi) Watery kingd om: The oceans and its 1
fie rce ·w aves do not st 0 p suitors
1
1 1 1
6, Why do es the :sp eak!er reject th e
1 1 1 1
le1ad casket?
The spea~er rejects the lead cas·k.e t
since on it was written that whoeve,r ·
sele cts it must be prepared to give all
1
1
and t 0 risk everytlling ior the dull
1
leadl He thinks Ie,a d is too cru.d e a
1
n1 etal even to e.n cl osi1e th e winding
1 1 1 1
sheet whe,n she is buried in the gr,a v,e.
1 1
He ass erts th,a.t the l ead ca.sket cannot
1 1
1
h.old Po,.r tia's picture! an,d so he f'ejects
1
1
it~
[;;I (9 ~ ... a ~ .111 48%i;i os:39
v :unured....... and thrive I as I may.
1. Why does the prince think that
Portia's picture not in the silver
casket?
Sinful thought is the thought that
Portia is contained in the silver casket
because silver has only a tenth of the
value of gold and a rich gem like
Portia can never be set in anything
less than gold.
2. What is the sinful thought, why is it
so?
Sinful thought is the thought that
Portia is contained in the silver casket
because silver has only a tenth of the
value of gold and a rich gem like
Portia can never be set in anything
less than gold.
3. Describe th e coin referred to in the
extract. What is the differ ence
between an angel on the coin and the
angel in the casket?
The coin referred to in the extract is
the gold coin in England on which the
figure of Archangel Michael standing
and piercing a dragon was engraved
on one side. The coin was called an
angel and its value was abouit ten
a ~ .111 48% i;i os:39
v .e go1a com m .t.ng1ana on wn1cn me
11gure of Archangel Michael standing
and piercing a dragon was engraved
on one side. The coin was called an
angel and its value was abouit ten
shillings.
Morocco says that the figure of the
angel on the coi11 is engraved on the
surface of the coin. It is outside,
whereas Portia is an angel, who lies on
a golden bed within the casket entirely
hidden from view.
4. After opening the casket, the Prince
finds a dead skull and a scroll. Explain
what is written on the scroll?
On the scroll it is written that things
which make the most brilliant show
are not always the truest metal For
the sake of mere gold, hundreds have
risked and sacrificed their lives. Costly
gold plated tombs may be erected, but
they have no real value. Decay and
death are all they contain.
5.Explain how the theme of
appearance and reality is shown in the
choice made by the prince.
Write your own opinion.
