The merchant of venice ( important meanings ).

ACT 1 – SCENE 1 :
( IN THE FIRST PAGE ALL MEANINGS ARE ESSENTIAL , SO READ ALL .)

2 ND Page :

1. Sandy hour glass : before the watches were popular , an apparatus

having two spheres of glass jointed together with a tiny hole between for
sand to pass through was used to keep time . in one hour , sand of thid
apparatus reminds one of the sand banks at the sea .
2. Shallows : shallow waters .
3. Flats : sandbanks .
4. Andrew : a common name for a big ship .
5. To kiss her burial . : to kiss the sand in sense of being stuck .
6. Edifice : building .
7. Enrobe : clothe , cover .

3 rd page :
1. My ventures …place : my business operations are not entrusted in one
single ship nor destined in one place .
2. Fie,fie : shame , shame .
3. Janus : a roman god having two faces – one frowning , the other smiling
; one head looking inwards and the other looking out . Referred here to
indicate that nature creates two different outlooks .
4. Vinegar aspect : sour expression .
5. Nestor : an old and wise greek general , who fought in the Trojan war ;
a joke which must be extremely humorous if Nestor laughed at it .

4 th page :
1. Embrace the occasion : grab the opportunity .

Prepared by RK .
The merchant of venice ( important meanings ).

2. They..much care : those who worry much about the wordly matters
are seldom happy or successful .
3. Liver…wine : ( not so important just do a reading ).

5 th page :
1. Alabaster : sit as motionless as a statue of his grandfather .
2. Jaundice : a disease that turns the skin yellow . Elizabethans believed
that jaundice was caused by jealousy and bad temper ( peevishness )
3. Creep…peevish : gradually work himself to be in a jaundiced state by
being irritable .
4. Do...mantle : stand still like the scum that forms on the surface of the still
waters in a pool .
5. ( READ THE MEANING OF THE LINES( 91 – 92 ).)
6. Do … entertain : deliberately put on an air of solemnity .
7. With purpose …opinion : intentionally creating a reputation .
8. Gravity : solemnity .
9. As …say : as if he were to say .
10.Let…bark : a proverbial phrase for ‘ let not sound be heard ‘.
11.Melancholy bait : bait of sadness .
12.Gudgeon : a small worthless fish , very easily caught .
13.Exhortation : god advice .

6 th page :
1. And… warranty : and your affection for me gives me the right ( or
privilege ).
2. Unburden…purposes : to unfold to you all my schemes and intentions .
3. How…owe : how to free myself from my debts .

Prepared by RK .
The merchant of venice ( important meanings ).

7 th page :
1. Out of doubt : indeed , undoubtedly .
2. Making question of : doubting .

8 th page :
1. Portia : daughter of Cato , and wife of Brutus ( a brave roman
general ),the leader of the conspiracy against Julius Caesar . Portiahere
is compared to the Portia of the Julius Caesar .
2. Golden fleece : Refers to the ancient Greek legend . “ Fleece “ refers to
the crop of wool of a sheep of ram . A famous hero called Jason , with
his companions , the Argonauts , went on a dangerous voyage to
Colchis on the east coast of the Black sea in search of the golden fleece
which was fastened to an oak by the local ruler and the fleece was
guarded by a dragon . Jason obtained it with the help of his wife
Medea .
3. Mind: insight, feeling .
4. I…sake : I am certain that you will be able to borrow money either
because of my business credentials or on account of my personal
relationship .

Prepared by RK .
The merchant of venice ( important meanings ).

Prepared by RK .