ACT n Scene 4 23

(v) Jessica shows herself as a scheminglady when she plans to elope

with a Christian boy, Lorenzo without the knowledge of her father disguise themselves and elope. They were not fully prepared for
She proves herself to be prudent when she instructs Launcelot the disguise because they had not arranged for young boys to act
to deliver her letter to Lorenzoat Bassanio'sparty secretly. Her as torch-bearers.
character is entirely different from that of Portia. While Portia obeys
her deceased fathers will to marry the one who wins the lottery of (ii) Jessica, disguised as a boy, is supposed to be the torch-bearer. The
caskets, Jessica betrays her father and religion to marry Lorenzo. actual purpose of having a torch-bearer in the scene is to facilitate
2. (i) Launcelot bids farewell to Jessica by calling her 'most beautiful the elopement of Jessica with Lorenzo.
pagan' and later 'most sweet Jew'. He says that tears prevent his (iii) Bassanio is giving the dinner party. Launcelot invites Shylock for
tongue from uttering his feelings. We feel happy for Launcelot and the dinner party.
Jessica. Launcelotis leaving his miserly master and is undertaking (iv) dinner party facilitates the elopement of Jessica with Lorenzo.
Bassanio's service where he will be happier. Jessica too will soon Jessica is free to leave her house as her father is away at Bassanio's
escape from the 'hell' and marry Lorenzo.We feel sorry for Shylock dinner party. Lorenzo and his friends organise a masquerade for
as he is still obstinate, miserly and with evil intentions. Further, he Bassanio's dinner party. Jessica joins them as a torch-bearer dressed
shall lose his daughter as well as money. as a boy and elopes with Lorenzo.
(ii) Jessica regrets being the daughter of Shylock due to his behaviour, (v) Launcelot brings the letter of Jessica. It is an important confidential
his being a bad father to her and for making her home 'hell.' letter as it contained Jessica's plan to elope With Lorenzo. On
Jessica describes her feelings of being ashamed at being her fathers receiving the letter Lorenzo guesses whose letter it is after Icoking
daughter as a 'heinous sin'. It is not really a sin because even if at the handwriting. He declares that the handwriting is tart•uharto
she is Shylock's daughter by birth, she does not actually detest her him and the letter is written by a lovely, fair and txauttful hand.
father but detests his miserliness and tyrannicalnature. 2. (i) Jessica informs Lorenzo about the arrangements she
had made to
(iii) The given lines mean that although I am his daughter by birth, I fathers' house With money and
elope with him She will leave her
don't have his habits. jewellcry, disguised in the uniform of a page-boy
go to heaven only
(iv) Jessica is a lively young girl who rebels against the oppression of her (ii) According to Lorenzo. the Jew, Shylock could
conclude that
father and the joylessness of her life at home. She calls her home, because of his sweet and gentle daughter We can that it at all
'hell'. She detests her fathers miserliness and tyrannical nature. She Lorenzo has a high opinion of 'essica sin«• ptavs that
Shylock ever gcu•sto heaven it Willbe becauq•
affirms that though she is Shylock's daughter by birth, she does not of her; Ite
share his disposition. She is ready to leave her father and elope with for being Shvl€x•k'•.daughter
no misfortune ever comes to her
Lorenzo, a Christian. happe•tvstv
(iii) Lorenzo wishes that no misfortune ever
has no Stearnot sin tn
(v) Lorenzo has to keep the promise of eloping with Jessica that night. the daughter of a non-tx•lievtng Jew She
Jessica will end the strife between her desire to marry Lorenzx» unless her birth is regarded as a stn.
and her duty to her father, Shylockby eloping with Lorenzo and an eurnpk• oi
marrying him. (iv) Referenceto Shylock as a •iatthle•s Chnstt.ans
discnminauon hinted at in the extract.
faithless Jews won't go to tu•aven
ACT 11Scene 4 (v) An atmosphere of activity and
pte•€xxupatno
Activities include preparatnuxs iot
ttu• masquerade
regarding tiu•
and
part•€
this

party a. a
tot
CONTEXT QUESTIONS the scene E'.vn ShyLos-Iis inured to t
tn this scene ile delivers tot
1. (i) Lorenzo and his friends plan to disguise themselves at dinner time Loren10's reply to Ile
because they were organising a masquerade for Bassanio's dinner on Bassamo•s ix•hali.
party and that would give them an opportunity to wear masks,