Act I: Scene 2

Belmons. A room in Portia's house

TEXT
PARAPHRASE

and Nerissa
Enter Portia Enter Portia and Nerissa

Portia Portia
By my roth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary
I swear
by my honour, Nerissa, that my
of this great world. litle body is sick of this
big world.
Nerissa Nerissa
You would be, sweet madam, if your You would certainly be sick of this world,
miseries were in the same abundance' as sweet lady, if your misfortunes were as
and yet, for aught
your good tortunes are:
plentiful as your good fortunes are. As far
5 I see, they are as sick that surfeit' with too as I observe, those who have too much are
much as they that starve with nothing. It as worried those who have
as
nothing. It
is no mean happiness therefore, to be is no small happiness therefore to have a

seated in the mean': superfluiry comes middle position. Those who have too

sooner by white hairs," but competency" lives much, grow old sooner, but those who

10 longer have just enough, live longer.

Portia Portia

Good words, and spoken well.

Good sentences" and well pronounc'd."

Nerissa Nerissa

They would be better, if well followed" They would be better if properly

followed.

comforts
reasonable
1. 13. having
truth ordinary, small 14. sayings, proverbs
.
7.
sick of
3.
8. placed 15. spoken
big 9. in the middle 16. acted upon
equally placed 10. excess of things
5
6.
anything 11. is gained earlier
excess 12. old age, grey hair

321
 Portia Portia
w e r e as easy as to know
If to do were as easy as to know what were If to do good
what is good, then small places of worship
good to do, chapels" had been churches, and and poor men's
15 poor men's cottages princes palaces. It is a would be like churches
huts would be like princes palaces. It is a

good divine" that follows his own instruction:

who himself acts upon the
I can easier teach twenty what were good to good priest
be done, than be one of the twenty to follow advice hegives to others. I can easily teach
what is good than to be
twenty people
mine own teaching. The brain may devise
one of those twenty and act on my own
20 laws for the blood"; but a hot temper
intellect may make laws for
teaching. The
leaps the body, but the heat of desire jumps
o'er a cold decree": such a hare is madness
over laws make by cold reason. Youth is
the youth, to skip o'er the meshes" of good
madness which like a hare jumps over the
the But this reasoning is not
counsel cripple". net of good advice. But this kind of logic
in the fashion" to choose me a husband:O
will not help me to get a husband. O my
neither choose
25 me, the word "choose"! I may
retuse whom I dislike; so is luck, the word "Choose" is unsuitable
whom I would, nor

here. I can neither choose a husband I

the will ofa living daughter curbed by the will
like, nor reject the person I dislike. In this
of a dead father. Is it not hard, Nerissa, that I
cannot choose one, nor refuse none? way, the will of a living daughter has been
curbed by the will of a dead father. Is it
not untair, Nerissa, that I can neither
choose one or reject another?

Nerissa Nerissa
30 Your father was ever virtuous, and holy Your father was a noble man throughout
32
men at their death have good inspirations his life, and holy men like him have good
thercfore, the lottery, that he hath
devised inspiration at the time of their death.
in these three chests" of gold, silver, and
lead, whereof who choose his meaning Therefore, the lottery of the caskets which
chooses you, - will, no doubr, never he has planned the golden, silver and

17. small places of worship 24. rational order, an order based on 30. restrained, checked
18. priest intelligence 31. always
19. inteligence 25. an animal 32. sudden thoughts, impulses
20. make, plan 26. threads and knots 33. determined, laid down
21. rules and regulations 27. advice 34. boxes
22. feelings 28. a lame man 35 of which
23. a rash person 29. of a sort
 be chosen by any rightly but one leaden casket, of which who chooses the
who shall rightly love. But what right meaning will choose you. It will
warmth is there in your attection towards
never be rightly chosen by anyone other
suitors that
any of these princely are
that he who loves you sincerely. But what
40 already come?
is the depth of your feelings for the
princely suitors who have already
come?

Portia Portia
I pray thee, over-name them; and as thou I request you to name them one by one.
namest them, I will describe them; and, As you read out their names, I will
according to my description, level at my
describe them and according to my
afection. description, you can judge my affection
for them.

Nerissa Nerissa
45 First, there is the Neapolitan" prince. First there is the prince from Naples.
Portia Portia
Ay," that's a colt" indeed, for he doth nothing He is a wild horse because he talks
only
but talk of his horse; and he makes it a about his horse. He thinks it a great
great
ppropriation" to his own good parts" that he addition to his other qualities that he can
can
shoe him himself: Lam afeard shoe his own horse. I saspect, his mother
my lady his mother pBayed had some relations with a smith.
alse uith-a smtr

Nerissa Nerissa
0 Then is there the
County Palatine. Next there is the County Palatine.

36. name
them one
3. guess at, judge by one 39. yes 42. qualities
58. 40. horse 43. to fit the iron shoe
belonging of Naples 41. addition 44. ruler of a country in Germany
 Portia
Portia
He doth nothing but froun"; as who should He always wears a frown on his face. The-
say, "An you will not have me, choose: he expression on his face means that I
may o
hears merry tales, and smiles not: I fear he may not choose him. He will not smile
will prove the even at the most amusing story. I am
weeping philosopher when he
55
55 grows old, afraid that in his old age he will be like
being full of unmannerly"
so

sadness" in his youth.I had rather be" married Heraclitus, the weeping philosopher,
because he is so full of unbecoming
to death's head with a bone in his mouth
sadness in his youth. I would rather marr
than either of these: God defend
to me from
a skull with a bone in its mouth than
these two.
either of these. May God save me from
these two suitors!

Nerissa Nerissa
60 How say you by the French lord, Monsieur Le What is your opinion about the French
Bon? Lord Monsieur Le Bon?

Portia Portia
God made him, and therefore let him pass Since he was made by God, therefore we
for d man. In truth, I know it is sin to be a should call him a man. Infact, I know it is
mocker but, he! - why, he hath a horse better a sin to make fun of somebody.
65 than the Neopolitan's, better bad habit of
a
Undoubtedly, he has a horse better than
frowning than the Count Palatine; he is every the one
belonging to the Neopolitan
man in no man; if a throstle" sing, he falls Prince: his frown is worse than that of
straight a-capering," he will fence" with his the Count: he has got
different qualities
own shadow: if I should marry him, of different men, yet he does not have the
I should
individuality of man, If he hears the song
7 marry twenty husbands. If he would despise of a throstle, he starts dancing; he starts
me, I would forgive him; for if he love me
fighting with his own shadow. Indeed, itl
to madness, I shall never
requite him. were to marry him, I will have a number

45. to become angy 50. skul

A6. do what you like 55. dancing
51. about
47. unsuitable 56. fight
52. to be known as
48. seriousness 57. man of many moods
53. maker of fun
49. prefer to be
58. respond
54. a
Song-thrush or mavis
 of husbands. I would forgive him. If he
loves me
madly, it would be very difficult
tor me to return his warm love.

Nerissa Nerissa
What say you, then, to Falconbridge, the young
What do you then say about
baron of England? Falconbridge, the young baron of
England?
Portia Portia
75 You know I say nothing to him, for he You know that I do not talk to him at all,
understands not me, nor I him; he hath because he does not understand my
neither Latin, French nor Italian; and you language nor do I know his. He does not
will come into the court and swear that I know Latin, French and Italian and you
have a poor pennyworth in the English. He would be prepared to swear that I have a
80 is aproper man's picture: but, alas, who can poor knowledge of English. There is no
comverse with a dumb-show"? How oddly" he doubt that he is a handsome looking
issuired! I think he bought his double in person but I regret to say that no one can

Italy, his round hose in France, his bonnet" in talk with a dumb picture. How strangely
70 he dresses himself: I think he got his coat
Germany, and his behaviour everyuwhere".
from Italy, his breeches, (tight trousers for

riding horses) from France and his hat

from Germany, and manners

everywhere.

Nerissa Nerissa
85 What think you of the Scottish What is your opinion of the Scottish
lord, his
Lord, his neighbour?
neighbour?

59. knows
67. coat
63. talk
Support me give
61. small quantity evidence 64. statue
68. breeches
62 69. hat
he is 65. strangely
70. in all countries
a
good-lóoking 66. dressed
 Portia Portia
That he hath a neighbourly charity'" in him; He is very generous and kind-hearted

he borrowed' a because when the Englishman gave him a

for boxof the ear of the
Englishman, and swore he would pay punch (blow) on the ear, the Scottish

90 him again when he was able: I think the Lord vowed to pay him back as soon as he

Frenchman became his surety, and sealed under was able to do so. And I think the French

for another. Lord became his surety, taking a similar

blow.

Nerissa Nerissa
How like you the young German, the Duke of How do you like the young German who
is the nephew of the Duke of Saxony?
Saxony's nephew?
Portia Portia
95 Very vilely" in the morning, when he is sober," T have a very poor opinion of him in the

and most vilely in the afternoon, when he is
drunk: when he is best, he is a little worse
than a man, and when he is worst, he is little
better than a beast. An the worst fall that
100 ever fell" I hope I shall make shift" to go
without him.
morning when he is not drunk. I hate
him in the afternoon when he is drunk.
When he is at his best, he is little better
than a man. When he is at his worst, he is
better than a beast. Even if the worst
were to happen I hope I shall manage to

go without him.

Nerissa Nerissa
If he should offer to chooss, and choose the But if he enters the contest and suppose
right casket, you should refuse to perform" also he, by chance, chooses the right
your father's will, if you should refuse to
casket, you would be going against your
105 accept him. father's will if you refuse im for
to accept
a husband.

71. kindness suiting a neighbour 76. fromn

72. because
81. ifthe worst possible happens
77. hit him back withour
73. got
82. manage without, do
78. became his
74. a blow
surety 83. enter the contest
79. badly
84. obey
75. on 80. not drunk
 Portia Portia
Therefore, for fear of
the worst, Ipray thee, Therefore, because I am afraid that the
wine" on the
deep glass of Rhenish
worst can happen, I request you to put a
a
contrary
casket"; for if the devil be within" glass of Rhenish wine on the wrong
without', I know he will casket. For I know that even if there is a
and that temptarion
it. I will do anything. Nerissa, ere" I devil inside that casket, and a glass of
10 choose
will be wine (which would be a great temptation
93
married to a sponge for the German) outside it, the German
would choose it. I am prepared to do
nything except to be married to a
drunkard.

Nerissa Nerissa
You need not fear, lady, the having any of Lady Portia, you need not be afraid of
there Lords: they have acquainted" me with having to marry any one of these lords.
their determination'; which is, indeed, to They have told me of their decisions.
Their decision is to return to their homes
return to their home, and
to trouble you
115
with no more suit", unless you may be won by d not trouble you by the offers of
other
.97
some other sort than your father's imposition," marriage, unless there is some way

of winning your hand, different from the

depending on the caskets. the lottery of
fixed by your father
-

one

the caskets.

Portia
Portia
Even IfT live to be as old as Sibylla, I will
IfI live to be as old as Sibylla," I will die as
remain as pure as
Diana (the goddess of
120 chaste" as Diana," unless I be obtained
someone wins my hand
this the moon), unless
by the manner of my father's will. I am glad father's
by the method described in my
parcel of wooers are so reasonable; for there
will. I am pleased to learn that the suitors
IS not one among them but I dote on his
mentioned are wise enough.
03
them a you have just
very absence; and I pray God grant There is not one among them whose
125 fair departure.

85. place, put 99. pure

92. before 100. the goddess of the moon
86. a full 93. a drunkard
87. a kind of 101. won
white wine 94. told
102. group of suitors
88 wIong casket 95. decisions
9. 103. like much
inside the casket 96. proposal method
90. wine 97. order, condition 104. safe
91. outside 98. a very old prophetess
 absence does not give me
great pleasure.
asure. I
pray to God that he may allow themto
leave this place without any
difficulty.
Nerissa Nerissa
Do you remember, lady, in your father's Lady Portia, do you not remember a man
time, a Venetian," a scholar and a soldier, that from Venice, a scholar, and a soldier,
who
came hither" in company of the Marquis of came in the company of the
Marquis of
Mountferrat? Montferrat, when your father was still
alive?

Portia Portia
130 Yes, yes, it was Bassanio: as I think, so was he Yes, I do remember, it was Bassanio, I
called. think he was called by that name.

Nerissa Nerissa
True, madam: he, of all the men that ever You are right, madam. Of all the men

my foolish eyes looked upon, was the best seen with my foolish eyes, he was the
deserving a fair lady. most deserving person for a fair lady.
Portia Portia
135 I remember him well, and I remember him T remember him well, and I also
worthy of the praise. remember that he deserved all that you
have said.
Enter a Servant Enter a Servant

How now! what news? What is it, now? What is the news?
Servant
Servant
The four strangers seek for
you, madam, to The four tor you,
strangers are looking
take their leave; and there is a
forerunner madam, to take your permission to leave.
140 from fifth, the
come a
prince of Morocco I here is an advance messenger who has
who brings word, the Prince his master will the
come from an other (the fifth) suitor,
be here tonight.
105. of Venice (as we say India 107. most fit for 110. message
Indian) 108. deserving
106. here 109. messenger
 Prince of Morocco. He brings the message
that his master will be here tonight.

Portia Portia
IfI could bid the fifth welcome with so good IfI could welcome the fifth suitor as
heart as I can bid the other four farewell, I
heartily as I bid the other farewell. I
145 should be glad of his approach"" If he have
should be glad to hear about his arrival. If
112
the condition of a saint and the complexion he happens to have virtues of a saint but
of a devil I had rather" he should shrive me
the dark complexion of a devil, I should
115
than wive me."
Come Nerissa, - Sirrah," go before. -
prefer to have him for religious
consolation than a husband.
150 Whiles we shut the gate upon one wo0er17
Come Nerissa, (to servant) lead, as we
another knocks at the door. shut the gates on one suitor, another
knocks at the door.
Exeunt Exit