Act 3 scene 1 Test
Extract 1
SOLANIO
I would she were as lying a gossip in that as ever knapped ginger or made her neighbors
believe she wept for the death of a third husband. But it is true, without any slips of
prolixity or crossing the plain highway of talk, that the good Antonio, the honest Antonio
—oh, that I had a title good enough to keep his name company! —
(i) Where does the scene takes place? Whom does she refer to in the first line of the
extract? What is said about her in the extract? 3
(ii) What was said earlier about the place where a ship of Antonio was wrecked? Where did
the news about the ship-wreckage spread? 2
(iii) Give the meaning of: "without any slips of prolixity or crossing the plain highway of
talk,". 1
(iv) How does Shylock react to the loss of Antonio's ship? 2
(v) What feelings for Antonio are expressed by Salanio in the scene? 2
‘
Extract 2
SHYLOCK
You knew—none so well, none so well as you—of my daughter’s flight.
SHYLOCK
You knew about my daughter's plan to run away, and no one knew better than you.
(i) Whose flight is being talked about? Where has the person flown? With whom has the
person flown? 3
(ii) What bad news, besides the flight of the bird, is given just before the arrival of Shylock?
1
(iii) Give the meaning of:
The bird was fledged;
and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam. 2
(iv) What steps has Shylock taken to get back the flown bird? What are his regrets
regarding the search? 2
(v) How does Salarino compare after the extract the character of the flown bird with that of
Shylock? 2
Extract 3
SHYLOCK
There I have another bad match!— a bankrupt, a prodigal40who dare scarce show his
head on the Rialto, a beggar that was used to come so smug upon the mart. Let him look
to his bond. He was wont to call me usurer; let him look to his bond. He was wont to lend
money for a Christian courtesy; let him look to his bond.
(i) Why has the man gone bankrupt? Why is he called a prodigal? 2
(ii) What is known as Rialto? Why was the man said to go 'so smug upon the mart'? 2
(iii) Give some incidents to show that the man referred to in the extract used to insult
Shylock? 4
(iv) How did the 'bankrupt' cause loss to Shylock in Venice? 2
(v) How is the bankrupt likely to go into a loss? How will such a loss affect Shylock as far as
his revenge and financial position is concerned? 2
Extract 4
TUBAL
I often found word of her, but I couldn't find her.
SHYLOCK
Why, there, there, there, there! A diamond gone cost me two thousand ducats in
Frankfurt—the curse never fell upon our nation till now! I never felt it till now—Two
thousand ducats in that, and other precious, precious80jewels. I would my daughter were
dead at my foot and the jewels in her ear! Would she were hearsed at my foot and the
ducats in her coffin! No news of them? Why, so. And I know not what’s spent in the
search. Why thou, loss upon loss! The thief gone with so much, and so much85to find the
thief—and no satisfaction, no revenge. No rnore ill luck stirring but what lights o' my
shoulders, no sighs but o' my breathing
(i) Who is the thief referred to in the extract? What had the thief stolen? 2
(ii) Who is Tubal? Why did he go to Genoa?
2
(iii) What news did Tubal bring from Genoa about the thief? 3
(iv) The extract refers to 'satisfaction' and 'revenge'. In what context are these expressions
used by Shylock? 1
v. What does shylock wish for his daughter in the above extract? 2
Extract 5
SHYLOCK
Nay, that’s true, that’s very true. Go, Tubal, fee mean officer. Bespeak him a fortnight
before. —I will have the heart of him if he forfeit, for were he out of Venice I can make
what merchandise I will. — Go, go, Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue. Go, good Tubal.
At our synagogue, Tubal.
(i) What makes Tubal say with certainty that Antonio is undone? Who is Leah? Why is she
referred to in the extract? 3
(ii) In what mood is Shylock in this scene? How is Tubal said to be torturing him? 2
(iii) What is Shylock's reaction on hearing about Antonio's misfortune? How is he going to
punish Antonio? What would he gain by his Revengeful action? 3
(iv) What is a synagogue? What task has Tubal been assigned post which he has been asked
to meet Shylock at the synagogue? 2
(v) In what way, by the end of the scene, does Shylock convince the audience that his attack
on Antonio is without any mercy? Which character trait of Shylock is shown in this scene? 4
