SKIT

SCENE 1

In Belmont, at Portia’s house

Enter PORTIA, NERISSA, LORENZO, JESSICA, and

BALTHAZAR

JESSICA: Portia if I may say so in front of you, I believe

you have the noble and true goodwill of a god, which is
most apparent in the way you are dealing with the
absence of your husband. If you knew the man whom you
are helping, how honest a gentleman you are sending
relief to, how close a friend of your husband he is, then I
know you would be even prouder of what you are doing
than you are now.

PORTIA: I have never regretted doing good, and I will not

do so now. Friends who converse and spend time together
a lot, who love each other equally, share similar manners
and spirit, so I think that this Antonio, being so close to my
husband, must be like him. If he is as good as my
husband, then it is a small sum of money that I have spent
in purchasing his rescue from hellish cruelty, since he
resembles my soul, my husband. But I'm coming too close
to praising myself. Therefore I won't say anything more.
Let's talk about something else. Jessica, I put you in
charge of managing my household until my husband
returns. As for myself, I have made a secret vow to
heaven to live a life of prayer and contemplation,
accompanied only by Nerissa here, until both our
husbands return. There is a monastery two miles away
where we will stay. I ask you not to refuse the duty I've
asked of you, which necessity and my love for you
compels me to lay on you.

JESSICA: I will obey you with all my heart in your fair

commands.

PORTIA: My servants already know my intentions and will

obey you and Lorenzo in place of Lord Bassanio and me.
Farewell until we meet again.

JESSICA: I wish you contentment, my lady.

PORTIA: Thank you for your wish, and I am pleased to

wish you the same. Farewell, Jessica.

JESSICA and LORENZO exit

PORTIA: Now, Balthazar, be honest and true as I have

always found you to be in the past.
PORTIA gives BALTHAZAR a letter

Take this letter and go as fast as you can to Padua. Give

the letter to my cousin, Doctor Bellario. Bring whatever
notes and clothes he gives you and take them with you as
you catch the ferry to Venice as quickly as you possibly
can. Don't waste any time chitchatting; just go right away. I
will be in Venice before you.

BALTHAZAR exits with the letter.

PORTIA: Come on, Nerissa, I have a plan you don't know

about yet. We'll see our husbands before they even think
of us.

NERISSA: Will they see us?

PORTIA: They will, Nerissa, but we will be dressed as the

very thing we currently lack: men. I'll bet you anything that
when we are disguised as men I'll be the more handsome
one, and I'll carry my dagger with more manly bravery. My
voice will sound high-pitched like a teenager not yet a
man, and I'll turn my womanly steps into a manly walk. I'll
talk about fights like a bragging young man and tell white
lies about how honorable ladies sought my love and
practically died when I denied them because I couldn't be
bothered with them! And then I'll repent and say that I wish
I hadn't caused their deaths. I'll tell twenty of these little
lies, and men will swear that I am just a year out of school.
I have a thousand of these little tricks and brags up my
sleeve that I'll use.

NERISSA: Are we going to turn to men?

PORTIA: What a question that is! Turn to men?

Nevermind, come with me, and I'll tell you my whole plan
when we're in the carriage waiting for us at the gate. Hurry
up, because we have twenty miles to travel today.

PORTIA and NERISSA exit.

SCENE 2

JESSICA eavesdrop on the conversation between

NERISSA and PORTIA. She looks confused and
anxious as she barges into NERISSA's room while the
latter was packing her baggage to leave for Venice.

JESSICA: What do you think you're doing?

NERISSA: Packing my essentials. We'll be leaving soon.

JESSICA: Where are you going?

NERISSA: To the monastery. Didn't Portia tell you earlier?

JESSICA bangs on the table in a fit of anger.

JESSICA: Don't you dare lie to me Nerissa. I overheard

the conversation between you and Portia. You're going to
Venice, aren't you?

NERISSA hesitates.Then takes a deep breath before

trying to diffuse the situation.

NERISSA: Listen dear Jessica, I believe you've

misunderstood what we were talking about. Portia has
asked Dr. Bellario for help, he will go to Venice to help
Bassanio and his friend Antonio.

JESSICA: But he is sick, isn't he? What if he refuses to

help them out owing to his ill health?

NERISSA: We'll surely figure something out.

JESSICA: Yes, I know you both are going to disguise as

men and fight the case on your own. Do not deny that, I
heard that part very clearly.

NERISSA: ENOUGH, JESSICA!! First of all it is a matter

of shame and disgust that a friend, whom Portia and I had
faith on, eavesdrop on our conversation like a spy. Tell me,
how will Portia feel like if she gets to know about your
knack for listening to other's conversation secretly?

JESSICA: Let's not involve Portia. She is in dismay

already.

NERISSA: I've started having second thoughts on you,

Jessica. Why am I having this feeling that you don't want
us to go to Venice and fight Antonio's case? Do you still
feel sympathetic for your father, even after he had been so
evil to you?

NERISSA regrets her words. JESSICA is deeply hurt

by NERISSA. She wipes her tears as she speaks.

JESSICA: Yes, you are right. I don't want you and Portia
to fight Antonio's case. But it is not because I feel
sympathetic to my father, it's because disguising as men
means deceit, the very nature that made my father
corrupt. Deceit harms a man in ways you can't imagine.
Even if you use deceit to do the right thing, achieving that
right thing through a sinful path dismisses the
righteousness of the destiny. I know you may not agree to
my belief Nerissa, but the harsh truth is that in the end it is
the morality of your act that decides your fate.
NERISSA: So what, you want us to follow morals and let
Antonio die? Antonio was a righteous person, look what
happened to his fate. What you believe about morality and
righteousness is completely wrong Jessica. In the end,
saving a person's life and doing the right thing is what
matters! I shall waste no more time on this pointless
conversation, I must leave now.

JESSICA stutters as NERISSA exits the room to leave

for Venice with Portia.

SCENE 3

BALTHAZAR delivers PORTIA’s letter to BELLARIO in

Padua.

BELLARIO: Oh, a letter from Portia, very well! Let's see

what she has written to her dear old brother after so long.

BELLARIO takes the letter in his hand and starts

reading it softly.

BELLARIO: Dear Bellario, I know this may not be the right

time to ask for a favour but the circumstances have forced
me to seek your help. I am aware that you’ve been sick for
the past few days and that helping me during this time
may be challenging, but this is regarding my husband,
Bassanio. I need you to fight a case in Venice against
Shylock. If you want to know about the case, Balthazar will
give you a briefing about the entire matter. If you feel that
your health permits you to assist me, I request you to give
me a recommendation letter, for I being a loving wife,
couldn’t see my husband in distress and will hence put to
proceed the case myself on behalf of my husband. And
not to forget, I will be needing two black coats - one for me
and one for Nerissa. Bellario, I won't mind if you couldn’t
assist me, for I, being a caring sister, am concerned about
your health as well. I pray for your speedy recovery and
look forward to hear from you soon.

After reading the letter, BELLARIO decides to assist

Portia. But as he gets up he realises that his legs are
still numb due to the weakness from fever. He
hesitates for a moment and then sits back on his
wooden chair; takes a paper and a pen from the
drawer and starts to mumble as he writes a letter.

BELLARIO: Your grace should understand that at the time

you are reading this I am very sick, but when your
messenger came to me I happened to have a young
lawyer from Rome visiting. His name is Balthazar. I told
him about the controversial case between the Jew and
Antonio the merchant. We consulted many law books
together. He knows my opinion on the matter, which has
been enriched by his own intelligence, which I can't speak
of highly enough, and he brings my opinion to you in my
place. I beg you, don't let his young age make you
underestimate him. I have never seen a young man with
so much wisdom. I hope you will welcome him graciously,
and you will see how worthy of my recommendation he is.

BELLARIO hands over the letter and two black coats

to Balthazar who leaves for Venice in a hurry.