The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice” is a play written by William Shakespeare. In

the Act 4, Scene – I, the court scene appears. The important characters are
– Antonio, Bassanio, Portia, and Shylock. Antonio is a merchant. Antonio
and Bassanio are good friends. Portia is wife of Bassanio. She is very
intelligent. Shylock is a cruel Money lender. He is a Jew. Antonio takes
money from Shylock. But Antonio fails to pay the money in time. The
agreement says that if Antonio fails to repay the money in time, Shylock can
take one pound of flesh from the body of Antonio.

In the Court scene, Shylock brings Antonio to the Duke’s court and
demands justice. He says that he will not accept repayment but wants
Antonio's flesh. Bassanio offers to give more money. But, Shylock’s evil
mind does not change. He demands only for a pound of flesh from the body
of Antonio. This means the death of Antonio.

At that time, Portia enters the court dressed as a Doctor of law,

Bellario (Lawyer). She asks Shylock to show mercy upon Antonio. She says
that mercy is a quality of the God. But, Shylock does not want to show
mercy. He still demands for Antonio’s flesh. At the last minute, Portia tells
Shylock that he may have the flesh, but he cannot draw even a drop of
blood as it is not written into the bond. Shylock realizes that he cannot take
flesh without drawing blood. So, he wants to take money. But Portia tells
him that he is liable to be punished. She says that he faces the death
penalty. Half of Shylock’s wealth goes to the Duke and the other half to the
victim. Duke spares Shylock's life. Antonio his share to Shylock's daughter.

Antonio and Bassanio do not know that the lawyer is Portia. She takes
Antonio's gloves and Bessanio's ring as gifts. Thus she saves the life of
Antonio by showing her intelligence.

Characters:

Example: (Portia): “The Merchant of Venice” is a play written by William Shakespeare.

In the Act 4, Scene – I, the court scene appears. Portia is the heroine of the Play. She plays
very important role in the Court Scene. She saves the life of Antonio by showing her
intelligence.

Example: (Antonio): “The Merchant of Venice” is a play written by William Shakespeare.

In the Act 4, Scene – I, the court scene appears. Antonio is the merchant of Venice. His life
falls in danger in the hands of Shylock. Then he is saved by Portia’s intelligent argument in
the court.
Example: (Bassanio): “The Merchant of Venice” is a play written by William
Shakespeare. In the Act 4, Scene – I, the court scene appears. Bassanio is one of the
important characters in the play. He loves and marries Portia. His friend Antonio’s life is in
danger. The cruel merchant Shylock demands flesh from the body of Antonio. Then
Bassanio’s wife Portia appears in the dress of a lawyer and saves the life of Antonio.

Example: (Shylock): “The Merchant of Venice” is a play written by William Shakespeare.

In the Act 4, Scene – I, the court scene appears. Shylock is the villain in the play. He is a
money lender. He is a Jew. He gives money to Antonio. When Antonio fails to repay the
money, he demands for one pound of flesh from the body of Antonio. Then, Portia comes in
the dress of a lawyer and saves the life of Antonio. Finally Shylock is punished. He loses all
his property.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. How does the Duke address Shylock in the court?

Ans: The duke of Venice greets Antonio and expresses pity for him, calling
Shylock an inhuman monster who can summon neither pity nor
mercy.

2. Shylock will show no mercy to Antonio. Why?

Ans; Shylock refused the money offered by Bassanio because he hated

Antonio and wanted Antonio to forfeit the pound of flesh as mentioned in
the bond. He did not show Antonio any mercy and was more interested in
getting rid of Antonio than getting twice the amount of money loaned from
Bassanio.

3. Who is Balthazar? Who sent him to the court of Venice?

Ans: Balthazar is Portia in disguise.portia has come to court dressed

as Balthazar to help her husband and his friend and he was sent to the court
of Venice by Bellario.

4. What does shylock claim as per what is written in the bond?

Ans: The term of the bond is if Antonio is unable to pay the three thousand
ducats specified on the paper on a certain date, in an agreed place, the
forfeit to be paid, will be an exact pound of Antonio's flesh which Shylock
will be at liberty to take from any part of his body which pleases him.

5. Why does shylock exclaim “A Daniel come to judgment!”?

Ans: Shylock said, ‘A Daniel has come to judgment 'because when Portia
said a verdict in favor of shylock ,he thought that he would now
be able to cut a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body thus in
exclamation he shouted out the above mentioned words.

6. How is shylock defeated by Balthazar?

Ans: Shylock's determination to have 'justice', Bassanio offering to pay

Shylock double the money he is owed, the arrival of Balthazar, Balthazar's
trick (Shylock can have the pound of flesh but can spill no blood), Shylock's
defeat and humiliation – he must give up all of his money and
convert to Christianity .

7. What is the verdict of the duke at the end of the trial?

Ans: the ending of the Trial Scene is satisfied. Shylock was compelled to
comply with the law and divide his properties equally between the city of
Venice and Antonio. The play ended with Bassanio and Portia getting
married happily. The merchant ships of Antonio returned to port safely.

8. Antonio is ready to forgive shylock on two conditions. What are they?

Ans: Antonio also forgoes his half of Shylock's wealth on two conditions:
first, Shylock must convert to Christianity, and second, he must
will the entirety of his estate to Lorenzo and Jessica upon his
death. Shylock agrees and takes his leave.

9. What reward does Balthazar claim from Bassanio for saving Antonio’s
life?

Ans: Balthazar/Portia asks for the ring as a thank-you gift in exchange for
having saved Antonio from Shylock, but Bassanio is initially reluctant
because he promised Portia never to take the ring off. However, after
Balthazar/Portia rebukes him and Antonio encourages him to give the ring
away, Bassanio relents.

10. How does the ring act as a symbol of conflicting loyalties?

Ans: The Merchant of Venice rings represent love and commitment

between partners. For example, when they agree to
marry, Portia gives Bassanio a ring that she says represents their bond of
love. She cautions him that if he loses the ring or gives it away, that will
represent the destruction of their love. Later she tricks him into giving her
the ring, but he only gives his disguised wife the ring after Antonio urges
him to do so, revealing how Bassanio's bond to Antonio remains stronger
that his bond to Portia. Only after Portia reveals her trick does Bassanio see
his error and shift his loyalty fully to his wife.

Part B

1. How does shylock justify his claim on the bond?

Ans: Shylock insisted on having the pound of flesh because he was merciless. He
hated Antonio because Antonio would insult him for cheating people with his
high rates of interest. Therefore, he wished that Antonio would die. Shylock did
not want to show mercy but wanted the law to take its course. As Antonio could
not repay the money he wished that a pound of flesh be taken from Antonio’s
body. Shylock believed that he was entirely within his rights. Eventually, it
was Portia's intelligent intervention that not only saved Antonio's life but
also irrevocably altered the Jew's destiny.

2. Examine the selfless friendship of Antonio and Bassanio?

Ans: Antonio and Bassanio were inseparable. The bond they shared was
loving and strong. Antonio loved Bassanio so much that he risked his own
life, so that he could give him three thousand ducats to marry Portia.
Antonio was quite calm when his ships did not return and was ready to give
a pound of flesh to Shylock. Antonio lets Bassanio use his money like it's his
own and Antonio is already more than willing to lend him. This proves
Antonio's selflessness and that he considers Bassanio a brother.
Their friendship is not for money, but they are intensely loyal to each other.
His friend's letter appears like Antonio's dead body to Bassanio.

3. Discuss the significance of mercy as explained by Balthazar.

Ans: Portia (disguised as Balthazar) tells Shylock, and the court, that
mercy is an essential human quality. Being kind and forgiving towards
those over whom we have some power is a noble pursuit. Portia begs
Shylock for showing mercy on Antonio by understanding his situation. So,
pleading for mercy, she describes the power of mercy that is above the
power of might.

According to her, mercy is like the rain that falls naturally. Mercy is a
humane thing. It does not come forcefully. The quality of mercy blesses one
who shows it and one who receives it.

Mercy is more powerful than the sway of the scepter or the gravity of the
crown. It places a king not only in the hearts of other kings but also in his
people’s hearts. By showing mercy, one can become like God as it is an
attribute to Him. In this way, Portia requests Shylock to have mercy on
Antonio as it can only save the defaulter’s life.

4. Shylock is triumphant on all the general charges that are leveled

against him, but fails through a legal flaw. Examine

Ans: Shylock actually means to inflict such a horrible penalty on Antonio,

who has already suffered the loss of his ships. Shylock reiterates his
intentions and says that should the court deny him his right, the city’s very
laws and freedoms will be forfeit. Shylock offers no explanation for his
insistence other than to say that certain hatreds, like certain passions, are
lodged deep within a person’s heart. Shylock hates Antonio, and for him
that is reason enough.

Hatred and predation, Antonio suggests, come as naturally to some men as

they do to the wolf. Bassanio offers Shylock six thousand ducats, twice the
amount of the original loan, but Shylock turns down the offer, saying he
would not forfeit his bond for six times that sum. When the duke asks
Shylock how he expects to receive mercy when he offers none, Shylock
replies that he has no need for mercy, as he has done nothing wrong. Just
as the slave-owning Christians of Venice would refuse to set their human.
Property free, Shylock will not relinquish the pound of flesh that belongs to
him.

5. Describe the circumstances which led Gratiano to cry out in delight

“A second Daniel! A Daniel, Jew!”?

Ans: This dialogue takes place in a court of law in Venice; and it takes place
after Portia has made it impossible for the Jew to cut off any flesh from
Antonio’s body, and when the Jew expresses his willingness to accept the
money and let Antonio go. Gratiano’s remarks are addressed to Shylock.
Gratiano’s remarks here are bitterly sarcastic. He is poking fun at Shylock
and tormenting him with his savage irony. Indeed, Gratiano’s irony now is
as savage as Shylock’s desire for revenge had previously been. Daniel is the
name of a Biblical personage. According to the Biblical account, Daniel was
a man of exceptional wisdom. He delivered judgments which were unique
in their wisdom and their justice.

6. Portia’s resourceful intellect saves Antonio how?

Ans: The scene opens in the court of Venice. Duke’s appeal for Mercy
and offer of six thousand ducats by Bassanio could not move Shylock.
Then Portia disguised as a male lawyer enters the court and is
permitted to plead the case. Her appeal for mercy and other pleas also
proved in effective. Then in the end Portia allows Shylock to take a
pound of flesh from Antonio’s body without shedding a drop of blood
and exactly one pound flesh neither less nor more otherwise all his
wealth will be confiscated by the state. At once Shylock recoils and
asks for mercy. Antonio suggests to pardon Shylock provided that he
turns a Christian and if his wealth is not used in usury and is given to
Lorenzo and Jessica. Heartbroken Shylock accepts these conditions
and goes home.
The scene has great dramatic significance. It is the climax and
conclusion of the Bond story it develops with continuous interest and
keeps the audience and readers breathless. Moreover there is an
encounter of two great characters—Shylock a cunning Jew and Portia
a great hero of law. Thus Portia saved Antonio’s life.