EXTRACT-2

NOW FOR YOUR ANSWER…..A LOOSING SUIT AGAINST HIM

1]WHAT QUESTION IS SHYLOCK ANSWERING IN THE CONTEXT?WHAT EXAMPLES DID SHYLOCK GIVE IN THE
EXTRACT TO JUSTIFY HIS POSITION FOR NOT GIVING A PROPER REASON?
Answer:the duke questioned shylock if he would show some mercy and repentance towards
Antonio and be touched with human kindness after considering the losses which have
heaped on him plentifully.
Shylock replied that what does it matter if his house was troubled by a rat and he spent ten
thousand ducats to have it poisoned. Further he says that there are certain men who have
an aversion for a gaping pig,some who fly into a passion at the sight of a cat And still others
who lose their emotional balance when they hear the shrill notes of a bag-pipe.
So it is entirely someone’s personal inclination that governs his passion. Moreover it was his
deep rooted hatred against Antonio that compelled him to have his bond.
2]How does Bassanio react to what shylock says?If Antonio is shown mercy by the duke
against the wishes of shylock,what would be its implication?
Answer:Bassanio calls shylock an unfeeling man and says that it was not a satisfactory
answer to excuse the cruelty of his actions.
If Antonio is shown mercy by the duke against the wishes of shylock it will endanger the
municipal charter and the freedom of the city will be questioned for violating the rules.
3]Give three examples to show that it is useless to plead with the jew to show mercy?
Answer:According to Antonio one might stand on the sea shore and command the tides not
to rise so high.
One might question the hungry wolf why he made the mother sheep mourn for the lamp he
devoured.
One might forbid the pine trees not to make a noise when they are disturbed by the heavenly
winds.
Hence one might attempt to do the hardest things in the world than attempt to soften the
heart of a jew.
4]Bassanio offers Shylock six thousand ducats.What is shylock’s reaction to the offer?
Answer:When Bassanio offers six thousand ducats to Shylock he replies that of six thousand
ducats were divided by six and each part a ducat then too he would not accept it. He only
insisted on the fulfilment of his bond.
5]”let their beds be made as soft as yours”
Who are they referred to in these lines?Why have ‘they’ been mentioned by shylock?
Answer:’THEY’ referred to the slaves purchased by the christians.
Shylock says that supposing the christians have purchased many slaves and they are
treated like asses and dogs, they are employed in degrading tasks. Shylock says that if the
christians were told to give freedom to these slaves, let them marry their children, let then
sleep on comfortable beds and let them be given rich food to eat; then the christians would
reply that the slaves belonged to them as they had purchased them. Similarly the pound of
flesh had been bought by shylock at a high price and hence he insisted for the judgement of
the court.
6]How is the pound of flesh dearly bought by Shylock?Why does shylock say,”i stand for
judgement”
Answer:The pound of flesh that shylock claimed was dearly bought by him at a high price
because he made Antonio sign the bond and Antonio signed willingly.now the bond had
already forfeited and the penalty had incurred.
Shylock asks for judgement as the bond had forfeited, the time period had expired hence he
demanded for his claim that is a pound of flesh.Therefore, he seeks for judgement of the
court.
7]What do the decrees of Venice guarantee?What would happen if shylock were refused
justice?
Answer:the decrees of venice should guarantee justice to be given to shylock according to
the terms and conditions of the bond.
If shylock was refused justice by the duke then it would endanger the municipal charter and
the freedom of the city would be questioned.
EXTRACT 3
“I am a tainted feather of a flock…………..mine epitaph”
1]How did Bassanio encourage Antonio?
Answer:Bassanio encouraged Antonio by cheering him up and asking him to be brave and
not to lose courage. He assured Antonio that he would let the Jew have his flesh, blood and
bones before Antonio loses a single drop of blood because of Bassanio's sake.
2]What is meant by”tainted wether of flock”? In what ways is he meetest for death?
Answer:it meant a sick or a diseased sheep in the herd.
Just like the weakest fruit which is the first one to fall from the branch of a tree similarly
Antonio who has undergone such a huge suffering is more liable to meet death than others.
3]What is an epitaph?Why does Antonio talk about the epitaph?
Answer:epitaph is the inscription on the tombstone of a dead person.
Antonio feels that it would be a better employment for him to continue to live and write his
inscription on his tombstone.
4]Who comes to the scene immediately after Antonio's speech?What information does he
convey?
answer:Nerissa, dressed like a lawyer’s clerk, comes to the scene immediately after
Antonio's speech.
She delivered a letter and conveyed the information that the young doctor of law (Portia) was
waiting outside the court seeking for the duke’s permission to attend the court.
5]Describe Antonio’s mood in this context.
Answer:Antonio becomes submissive and loses all hopes of receiving mercy from
shylock.he had to accept his fate or destiny.His nobility of character is depicted as he
motivated Bassanio not to regret that he was the cause of Antonio’s death.His goodness can
be seen as he asked bassanio to write his epitaph after his death.