The Merchant of Venice
Act 2 Scene 7
Group Task
● Copy/ paste the text of the allocated scene in the first column. Use this link: Merchant of Venice:
List of Scenes (mit.edu)
● Label your allocated scene above.
● With your group, read the scene and highlight any examples in the text that you believe are
related to human experiences. They could be examples of human qualities, human emotions,
behaviours/ motivations or actions.
● EXPLAIN the technique and the link to human experiences in the second column
● Be ready to present your findings to the class.
Text (Act 2, Scene 7) Link rubric
Techniques/ Explain
Flourish of cornets. Enter PORTIA, with the PRINCE
OF MOROCCO, and their trains
PORTIA
Go draw aside the curtains and discover Imperative language/ demanding tone – demanding
The several caskets to this noble prince. him to partake in the journey but this demanding tone
Now make your choice. indicates a lack of respect towards him.
MOROCCO Free will: selecting one of three options with a risk
The first, of gold, who this inscription bears, factor involved in pursuit of a desired outcome.
'Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire;' Having the ability to assess the three options and make
The second, silver, which this promise carries, the appropriate decision.
'Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves;' His choices will reveal important aspects of his
This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt, personality but also reveals the stereotypes that we
'Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.' assign to human behaviour.
How shall I know if I do choose the right? Choices and what they reveal about us. Repetition
‘Who chooseth me shall’
PORTIA
The one of them contains my picture, prince: Rhetorical question- indicating insecurity in his future
If you choose that, then I am yours withal. choice
MOROCCO
Some god direct my judgment! Let me see; Portia is objectified as a prize
I will survey the inscriptions back again. Monologue – Prose: he discusses his thought process
What says this leaden casket? that led to his choice of the casket.
'Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.' Also depicts his growing ego as he openly states his
Must give: for what? for lead? hazard for lead? decisions. Rhetorical questions:
This casket threatens. Men that hazard all Lead represents much of his fear and unwillingness
Do it in hope of fair advantages: to sacrifice anything of importance to himself. He
A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross; tries to justify his opinions by saying that those who
I'll then nor give nor hazard aught for lead. sacrifice are looking for advantages meaning that
What says the silver with her virgin hue? they are not true. However, he cannot rationalise
'Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.' that to win Portia he has to sacrifice something.
As much as he deserves! Pause there, Morocco, A series of rhetorical questions- implying his lack of
And weigh thy value with an even hand: confidence in himself in the situation and his answer.
If thou be'st rated by thy estimation, Represents insecurities or being over cautious?
Thou dost deserve enough; and yet enough
May not extend so far as to the lady: Morocco chooses the golden casket as he decides lead
And yet to be afeard of my deserving is too plain and worthless, and silver is less of gold to
Were but a weak disabling of myself. be worthy of holding Portia's picture
As much as I deserve! Why, that's the lady:
I do in birth deserve her, and in fortunes, Raises the question: does he feel that he deserves her?
In graces and in qualities of breeding; He is saying that he is entitled to her: what measures is
But more than these, in love I do deserve. he using to compare? Materialism of social status and
What if I stray'd no further, but chose here? wealth. His rationalisation comes down to self-worth;
Let's see once more this saying graved in gold self-evaluation.
'Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.'
Why, that's the lady; all the world desires her; Portia: prize
From the four corners of the earth they come, She is a ‘worldly’ treasure.
To kiss this shrine, this mortal-breathing saint: Irony: in Christianity, when we get something that we
The Hyrcanian deserts and the vasty wilds truly desire, it leads to greed/ personal or spiritual
Of wide Arabia are as thoroughfares now destruction (moral corruption)
For princes to come view fair Portia:
The watery kingdom, whose ambitious head
Spits in the face of heaven, is no bar He is describing her as a commodity;
To stop the foreign spirits, but they come,
As o'er a brook, to see fair Portia.
One of these three contains her heavenly picture.
Is't like that lead contains her? 'Twere damnation He measures in materialistic/ monetary value: she
To think so base a thought: it were too gross cannot be like lead or silver because they are not as
To rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave. valued/ important/ special as gold
Or shall I think in silver she's immured,
Being ten times undervalued to tried gold?
O sinful thought! Never so rich a gem
Was set in worse than gold. They have in England
A coin that bears the figure of an angel
Stamped in gold, but that's insculp'd upon;
But here an angel in a golden bed
Lies all within. Deliver me the key:
Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may!
Biblical Reference: Morocco utilises language, such
PORTIA as, ‘angel’ as a means to elevate Portia’s character than
There, take it, prince; and if my form lie there, merely her physical human form.
Then I am yours.
He unlocks the golden casket
MOROCCO Link to the human characteristics of love and greed –
O hell! what have we here? Morocco takes a risk in choosing the correct casket in
A carrion Death, within whose empty eye hopes to gain Portia’s love.
There is a written scroll! I'll read the writing.
Reads
All that glitters is not gold;
Often have you heard that told: Portia is objectified as a prize
Many a man his life hath sold Rhyming ditty reinforces humour- he is mocked for
But my outside to behold: being a fool- labelling him as unwise for being
Gilded tombs do worms enfold. materialistic and vain.
Had you been as wise as bold, Rhyming - The scroll establishes that those who
Young in limbs, in judgment old, choose the gold are not wise but greedy and only seek
Your answer had not been inscroll'd: profit, emphasising they are not good enough for
Fare you well; your suit is cold. caring and nurturing his daughter.
Cold, indeed; and labour lost:
Then, farewell, heat, and welcome, frost! Condemned to a life of solitude
Portia, adieu. I have too grieved a heart
To take a tedious leave: thus losers part.
Exit with his train. Flourish of cornets
PORTIA
A gentle riddance. Draw the curtains, go. Rhyming couplet- sense of finality
Let all of his complexion choose me so. Contrast; at the beginning of the scene Portia says “Go
draw aside the curtains and discover”, however at the
Exeunt end of the scene she says “Draw the curtains, go”.
