ACT – III ; SCENE 2
1] PORTIA-
A] pause – tarry for a day or two
B] if Bassanio hazards - she might lose him
C] implores him to forbear [ patient] awhile
D] she loves him- Elizabethan world- maiden has no tongue ; only thoughts
E] would love to detain him for some month or two
F] cannot teach him as she is forsworn
G]if Bassanio misses her- it would make her wish that she had committed the
sin of telling him the right casket
H] the moment he looked at her- he divided her- one half is his and the other
half is his too- for what is hers is his
I] naughty times putting bars between owners and their rights
J] let fortune go to hell not she- meaning Bassanio has to choose the right
casket
K] she speaks too long- to peize [prolong] time to eke [ add to it] it and stop
Bassanio from election [ choosing the caskets]
2] PORTIA
a] she tells Bassanio that she is locked in one of the caskets [ her portrait]
b] If he loves her he will find her out
c] the lottery tests the love and sincerity of the suitor
d] music to be played when Bassanio makes his choice
e] if loses- fitting – will fade from her life amidst music
swan- like end
Elizabethan belief that swan sings only once before death
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More fitting for the tears of her eyes will create a watery death bed for him
f] if Bassanio chooses the right casket
• Ceremonial like the flourish of trumpets when the newly crowned king
enters the court amidst trumpets and the true subjects bowing before the king
• Romantic – like the dulcet sounds played under the window of the
sleeping bridegroom at dawn- he wakes up and is happy to remember it is the
day of his marriage
g] she compares Bassanio to Hercules/ Alcides ( son of Alcaeus)
h] she is Hesione- she stands for sacrifice- the princess of Troy – daughter of
Laomedon
i] Nerissa and the rest are Dardanian wives with bleared ( tearful) visages
( faces)
Trojan women who were the descendants of DARDANUS – who founded
Troy
J] if he lives [ wins] she lives meaning she loves him and cannot think of
belonging to anyone else
3] SONG
Begins with a question
Where is fancy [ attraction] bred- in the heart or head
If bred in the eyes – it dies with gazing
The corpse is in the cradle- dies almost as soon as it is born
The song ends with the knell of Fancy’s death
4] BASSANIO – MEDITATING ON THE CASKETS
1. Listening attentively to the song- influenced by the song
2. The world is deceived with ornament
3. LAW- tainted and corrupt case obscured by a gracious voice-evil thus
hidden
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4. RELIGION- sober brow [ pious looking person] blesses and approves with
a text a damned error
5. Thus vice is camouflaged by some mark of virtue on outward parts
6. COWARDS- who have weak hearts like stairs of sand[ similie] but beards
of Hercules and frown like Mars hides it- Valour’s excrement [ outgrowth like
beard] – have livers white as milk
7. BEAUTY- purchased by weight- cosmetics bought from chemist’s shop; -
looks like a miracle of beauty- outward beauty- make them light complexioned
but actually light in character and morality
8. GOLDEN LOCKS OF HAIR- crisped snaky golden locks –looks enticing
when it makes wanton gambols with the wind-DOWRY of second head-the
skull that bred the hair buried in the sepulchre [tomb]
9. Ornament is like a guiled shore to most dangerous sea
10. Beauteous scarf veiling an Indian beauty [Elizabethan beauty was blone
& fair skin; dark skinned was considered ugly]
11. Seeming truth to trap the wisest
12. Rejects gold- gaudy –hard food for Midas [ refer to annotation-104]
13. Silver rejected- pale and common drudge [slave] between men
14. Attracted to meagre lead- paleness moves him more than
eloquence[ inscriptions on the gold & silver caskets]
5] PORTIA’S REACTION WHEN BASSANIO ASKS FOR THE KEYS TO LEAD
CASKET
• Doubtful thoughts
• Rash embraced despair
• Shuddering fear
• Green- eyed jealousy – all evaporate away
• She is immensely happy- fears this excess happiness rushing to her heart
will make her faint- joy is compared to rain – flooding her with joy
6] BASSANIO’S REACTION ON OPENING THE LEAD CASKET
• OVERWHELMED-AWESTRUCK
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• Artist demi-god to create fair Portia’s counterfeit near perfection
• Illusion of eyes moving- alive; probably because he is so intensely
studying the portrait that it is reflected on his eye balls which is moving
• Severed lips- parted with sugar breath- a sweet bar that separates such
sweet friends[ lips]
• In painting her hair the painter played the cobweb- a golden mesh to
trap the hearts of men faster than gnats in cobwebs
• Her eyes are so dazzling that the painter should have become blind after
painting one of her eyes – thus leaving the portrait incomplete
• ‘Substance of my praise’ – words describing the portrait
• ‘shadow’- the portrait
• ‘substance’- the lady herself
• His words are inadequate to describe the portrait and the portrait is far
behind [limping] behind the substance [ Portia]
7] SUMMARY OF THE SCROLL
• Did not choose by outer appearance [view]
• Chance fair; chose the right casket
• Be content in life
• Consider yourself fortunate
• Claim your lady with a loving kiss
8] BASSANIO’S STATE OF MIND
• Like one competing for a prize
• Feels he has performed well seeing the audience’s reaction
• Hears the applause and universal shout of the audience- feels it is for
him- he is the winner
• Giddy with excitement
• Doubtful whether the peals of joy are for him
• Need a formal declaration of victory
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• He turns to thrice-fair lady- Portia and asks for a confirmation
• Confirmed ,signed [ guaranteed] and ratified [ approved] by her
9] PORTIA’S SPEECH AFTER BASSANIO ASKS FOR HER CONFIRMATION
• If she lived for herself she is happy with whatever she has in life – not
ambitious to be better
• For Bassanio- trebled twenty times
• A thousand times more fair
• Ten thousand times more rich
• Virtues,beauties,livings & friends exceed account
• In gross- an unlessoned girl,unschooled & unpracticed
• Happy- not old
• Happier- bred not dull
• Happiest- her gentle spirit commits to Bassanio
• Henceforth he is her lord, governor and king
• She is the lord of the fair mansion,master of her servants, queen over
herself
• She gives all these to Bassanio- and as a symbol of this commitment
gives him a ring
• If Bassanio loses,parts or gives it away –it is a sign of ruin of his love
• She will then accuse him of not faithful to her
10] BASSANIO’S RESPONSE ON RECEIVING THE RING
• Tongue tied- bereft of words
• Blood speaks in his veins- heart beating fast
• Confusion in his powers
• Compares the situation to how the audience feels when their beloved
leader gives a speech
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• Extremely emotional-buzzing pleased multitude
• Blend of many emotions-turns to wild of nothing
• Expressed their ecstasy yet not in words- expressed and not expressed
• Promises the ring will part from his finger if he is dead
• Portia should then be strong- bold enough to say Bassanio is dead
11] CONGRATULATIONS BY GRATIANO AND HIS PRAYER
• Wants to marry along with Bassanio & Portia
• Wants to marry Nerissa
• He does not want to wait- intermission does not pertain to him- waiting
is not welcome
• His fortune too stood upon the caskets
• Had a hard time convincing Nerissa
• Woo her with all his energy
• Swore till his mouth was dry with oaths of love
• Received a promise from Nerissa that she will marry him if Bassanio
chooses the right casket and can marry Portia
12] ARRIVES SALERIO , LORENZO AND JESSICA
• Bassanio welcomes them like the Lord of the house
• Lorenzo was reluctant to come to Belmont- Salerio requested beyond
words
• Salerio hands a letter to Bassanio from Antonio
13] GRATIO HAPPILY DECLARES TO SALERIO THAT THEY ARE THE JASONS WHO
HAVE WON THE FLEECE
14] Salerio in a disturbed frame of mind- wished they had won the fleece that
Antonio had lost- meaning the wealth/ gold which Antonio had lost- that is the
reason for coming in Shylock’s grip
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15] Portia realizes the letter has some shrewd contents
• Bassanio is pale- the colour of his cheek is pale
• Some dear friend dead
• the constitution [ complexion] of Bassanio is completely white with
shock
• Since they are about to marry – she is half his
• So she requests that he tells her at least half of the contents of the letter
16] BASSANIO TELLS PORTIA THE TRUTH OF THE LETTER
• Unpleasantest word written on paper
• He had confessed the truth to Portia about his financial situation when
he arrived at Belmont
• He had told he was a gentleman- having nothing of material wealth
• Now he feels he was a braggart [ boastful] he was worse than nothing
• His friend took a loan from his mere [ sworn] enemy to feed his means
to come to Belmont
• He feel the paper is the body of his friend
• Every word a gaping wound issuing [pouring] life blood
• Antonio’s ship were sent to
TRIPOLIS,MEXICO,ENGLAND,LISBON ,BARBARY & INDIA
• None escaped from the merchant marring rocks
17]INFORMATION ABOUT SHYLOCK FROM SALERIO
• Shylock will not take the money even if offered now
• A creature in the shape of man
• Keen and greedy to confound [ destroy] a man
• He plies [ urges] the Duke morning and night
• Questions [ impeaches] the freedom of Venice- meaning assurance of
impartiality to foreigners if justice is denied to him
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• Twenty merchants,Duke and the magnificoes [ nobleman] of greatest
port [ highest standing] have requested him to reconsider
• Shylock will not budge from his demand of forfeiture ,justice & his bond
18] WHAT JESSICA REVEALED
• When she was in Shylock’s house – she heard Shylock swear to his
friends Tubal & Chus
• He will have Antonio’s flesh than 20 times the value of the sum [loan]
• She feels if LAW,AUTHORITY & POWER cannot stop him then Antonio’s
life is in danger
19] HOW BASSANIO DESCRIBES ANTONIO
• Dearest friend
• Kindest man
• Best conditioned and unwearied [untiring spirit] spirit in showing
kindness
• The ancient Roman honour [ loyalty to friends and country] is not there
in any man in Italy more than in Antonio
20] HOW DOES PORTIA OFFER TO HELP ANTONIO
• Asks him to pay 6000 ducats ---double 6000 and treble it
• Under no circumstance should a friend like Antonio even lose a hair
through Bassanio’s fault
• They go to church and get married
• Then Bassanio leaves for Venice immediately
• He will not be by Portia’s side with an unquiet [ disturbed] soul
• She will give him gold to pay the petty debt 20 times over
• Once the matter is resolved Bassanio is to bring Antonio to Belmont
• Meanwhile Nerissa and Portia will live as MAIDS & WIDOWS
• Play of words- since he is dear bought she loves him dear
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21] CONTENTS OF ANTONIO’S LETTER
• Sweet Bassanio- Ships all miscarried [lost]
• Creditors grow cruel
• Estate very low
• Bond to the jew is forfeit
• Paying the loan means Antonio would die
• All debts between Antonio & Bassanio is cleared if he can see his friend
before his death
• But then no compulsion- if he comes it should be for love not because of
the letter
22] Portia overwhelmed- tells him to dispatch [finish] all business of marriage
and be gone
23] Bassanio happy to get Portia’s kind permission – will hastily go to Venice-
promises that he will not even rest in Venice – will return to Belmont as fast as
possible
