The PSBB Millennium School,OMR

Class : 8 English Literature - Annual Exam

Merchant of Venice - Notes

Portions : ACt4 Scene 1 Versus 200 - 205

Summary
Portia enters and is introduced to the court as "the learned doctor Balthazar."

Portia asks whether Antonio can just pay off the debt, and Bassanio immediately offers to pay twice

what's owed. In fact, he's willing to pay ten times the debt, and he offers his own life as the guarantee.

Then he begs the Duke to step in, bend the rules, and save Antonio. But Portia (as Balthazar) says

bending the rules simply isn't an option; it would set a bad precedent.She looks over Shylock's bond and

declares that he has every legal right to what's owed to him because of Antonio's forfeit. Still, she again

asks Shylock to be merciful, and suggests he might forget the whole bond by accepting three times what

he's owed.

Shylock compliments Portia for her knowledge of the law, but again states that no man will move him.

He wants the flesh. Antonio is tired of all this talk and would rather just get the whole darned thing over

with, so Portia tells Antonio to bare his chest and be prepared to go under the knife for Shylock.She asks

Shylock if he has scales to weigh the flesh, and he does. Shylock is thrilled that Portia/Balthazar is

sticking to the wording of the bond and making sure the flesh comes from near Antonio's heart.

Portia asks Shylock if he has a surgeon ready nearby to stop the wounds so Antonio doesn't bleed to

death, but Shylock notes that this wasn't part of the agreement.Antonio and Bassanio then hold hands

and share tearful goodbyes. Antonio tells Bassanio not to be sad that he's dying on his behalf. He tells

Bassanio instead to be stoked that Fortune, usually a cruel wench, has allowed Antonio to die rather

than live in poverty, which would be worse.

He asks Bassanio to tell his new wife Portia the story of his death—so Portia will know how much

Antonio loved Bassanio. Antonio then instructs Bassanio only to be sad that he's losing a friend. Antonio

himself does not regret paying Bassanio's debt to Shylock with his life, so Bassanio shouldn't either.

Nerissa, disguised as Balthazar's attendant, mutters that if Gratiano's wife were around to hear this,

there'd be no peace in his household. Shylock says that's the way Christian husbands are (i.e., no good),

and laments that his poor daughter is marrying a Christian. Portia gets back to the legal proceedings,

laying out again the stipulations of the bond: the law gives up a pound of Antonio's flesh, and the law

allows Shylock to cut it from Antonio's breast.Shylock is excited to lop off Antonio's flesh, but before he

can start, Portia suddenly halts the process. She says the bond allows for a pound of flesh, but no blood.

If Shylock sheds a drop of Christian blood from Antonio, then the law of Venice states that Venice can

confiscate his land and goods. Oh, and kill him.

Shylock is stunned. Can this be true? Portia assures him it is, and since he's been so intent on following

the letter of the bond precisely, that's what they're going to do. Hearing this, Shylock quickly backpedals;

he'd rather just take three times the bond money and be on his merry way withoutmaking Antonio into

fish-bait. But Portia insists this is no longer an option—Shylock turned down the compromise when it

was on the table. Shylock, caught, asks only for the principal of the debt, the 3,000 ducats, hoping for

the whole affair to just be over with. Though Bassanio offers it up, Portia cuts him off again. Nope. Sorry.

All he's entitled to at this point is the flesh, which he can must take at his own peril.

Shylock is beat, and he knows it. He tries to leave, but Portia stops him again. There's another law that

says that if a foreign national seeks the life of a Venetian, either directly or indirectly, then the would-be

victim gets half of his stuff, and the other half goes to the state, while the fate of the would-be murderer

is in the hands of the Duke. Portia encourages Shylock to ask the Duke for mercy.
Gratiano, always helpful, says it would be nice if Shylock could beg for permission to hang himself, but

with his estate gone, he can't afford a rope. The Duke, who has apparently gone through more

sensitivity training than Gratiano, cuts in and pardons Shylock's life before Shylock even asks him to.

The Duke declares that half of Shylock's wealth now belongs to Antonio, and the state will be merciful

and only charge Shylock a fine instead of taking the other half of his wealth.Shylock says if they take

away his means of living, they may as well take his life. Portia asks Antonio what mercy he can offer

Shylock.Antonio says that he'd like his half of the money to go to Lorenzo and Jessica, as long as Shylock

does two things: (1) convert to Christianity; and (2) draw up a will leaving the rest of his wealth to

Lorenzo and Jessica upon his death. The Duke likes all of Antonio's conditions and says that if Shylock

doesn't accept them, he'll take back his pardon. Shylock, who is clearly getting the shaft left and right,

has no choice .

Questions and Answers

1. How does mercy confer a double blessing?

Mercy is a blessing for him. It is also a blessing for him who shows mercy. Thus it is a double blessing.

2. What did Bassanio offer? Why did he make such an offer?

Bassanio knows that his dear friend’s life is in danger. He is ready to do anything to save him. He,
therefore, assures Shylock that if he fails to pay ten times the sum, he will forfeit his hands, his head and
his heart. In short, Bassanio mortgages his own life if that can satisfy the Jew.

3. Why does Shylock refuse an offer of money?

Shylock refuses the offer of money because he wants to put an end to the life of a man whom he
regards as his enemy and whom he hates fiercely.

4. What causes a turn in the course of events?

The turn in the events is caused by Portia’s sudden announcement that the Jew can have a pound of
Antonio’s flesh but that the Jew must not shed a single drop of Antonio’s blood in the course of his
cutting off the flesh.

5. Why does the speaker think that fortune is kinder to him?

He thinks fate is kinder to him because it is always the custom of fate to let the wretched man live even
when he is absolutely penniless. He is being allowed by fate to die. Thus he would not live a life of
poverty.

6. What is the warning given to the Jew?

Portia warns the Jew that he may cut off a pound of flesh but he should not shed a drop of blood. If he
sheds one drop of Christian blood, he has to suffer a penalty of death, his lands, hjs goods shall be
confiscated by the state of Venice. This is the law of Venice.

7. What does Antonio suggest about the fine which was to be charged by the state from the Jew?
Antonio requests the Duke to remit that part of Shylock’s fine which is to go to the state. Shylock may be
allowed to retain half of his property by paying a fine only.

8. What would Antonio do with the other half of the property?

Antonio will receive the other part of the property belonging to the Jew, which he will keep in trust. This
he will give to – Lorenzo (who has married Shylock’s daughter) at the death of the Jew.