THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

ACT V SCENE I
Extract 1
i. Who were Troilus and Cressida?

Ans. Troilus was the son of Priam, King of Troy and Cressida was the daughter of
Calchas, the Trojan priest. Troilus fell in love with Cressida. But Cressida forsook him
and preferred hero Diomede. Therefore, she is regarded as the typical faithless woman.

ii. How does Lorenzo describe the beauty of the night?

Ans. On a moonlit night when Lorenzo met Jessica, he was reminded of the greatest
pairs of lovers in myth and tradition. The moon was shining brightly and wind was
blowing gently over the leaves of the trees. There was perfect calmness.

iii. Explain: “Troilus methinks mounted the Troyan walls/ And sigh’d his soul
toward the Grecian tents, where Cressid lay that night”.

Ans. On that moonlit night Lorenzo was reminded of Troilus and Cressida. He
described how Troilus, son of Priam, King of Troy mounted the walls of the city of Troy
breathed out in sight the deep and passionate love (for Cressida) with which his heart
was filled to overflowing. On such a night, Troilus must have looked anxiously in the
direction of the Greek camps where Cressida lay, for Cressida had decided to forsake
Troilus and preferred Diomede to Troilus.

iv. What does Jessica say about Thisbe?

Ans. Jessica too had knowledge of classical legends. She, confining in the sprain
of Lorenzo, her lover, remarked that on such a moonlit night, Thisbe went to the tomb
of Venice where she was to meet her lover Pyramus. But as soon as she heard the roar
of a lion, she fled leaving her cloak behind her. The lion took Thisbe’s cloak in his
mouth and left it stained with blood. When Pyramus saw this cloak, he concluded that
the lion must have devoured Thisbe. So he slew himself.

v. What is the occasion for this conversation between Lorenzo and Jessica?

Ans. Lorenzo and Jessica are in Belmont Avenue to Portia’s house. They are
enjoying the beauty of nature on that moonlit night.

Extract 2

i. How is the stillness of the night suitable for sweet notes of music?

Ans. It is the time of night. Moonlight is falling on the mound where Lorenzo and
Jessica are sitting. Peaceful silence and quietness of night form an appropriate setting
for sweet music. The sky above looks like a gorgeous floor decorated with plates of
bright gold.

ii. What light does Lorenzo’s speech throw on his character?

Ans. Lorenzo’s speech reveals that he is very sensitive to the appeal of beauty. He
admires the beauty of moonlight and the stars. He loves music too.
 iii. Explain: “Look how the floor of heaven/ is thick inlaid with patines of bright
gold”.

Ans. These lines describe the beauty of the sky on a moonlit night. The sky looks
like a gorgeous floor, decorated with plates of bright gold.

iv. What does Lorenzo say about the stars?

Ans. As Lorenzo looks at the stars above, he is reminded of the Pythagorean

conception of music of the spheres. Lorenzo thinks that the stars, as they move along
their orbits, produce a wonderful music. Even the smallest star in the heaven shines
like an angel. The songs of the stars are in harmony with those of the cherubim or the
heavenly beings. Lorenzo argues that if a man has an impure heart, he cannot hear the
music of the stars. Only those whose hearts are free from evil thoughts can hear the
wonderful music of the stars above. Ordinary mortals whose minds or souls are
imprisoned in bodies that are subject to disease and decay cannot enjoy the music of
the stars.

v. Comment on the significance of the last two lines.

Ans. The last two lines mean that there is not the smallest star among all that does
not produce music as sweet as an angel’s song, as it travels through the sky.

Extract 3

Contextualisation of the extract:-

These lines are taken from The Merchant of Venice act V scene I. Lorenzo and Jessica
are talking to each other of moonlight and love, while music is going on in the garden at
Belmont. Lorenzo here dwells upon the virtue of music.

Music, says Lorenzo, has an irresistible appeal even for beasts. That is why,
according to a Greek myth, Orpheus is said to have drawn trees, stones and rivers towards
himself by the bewitching music of his flute. Music has the power to soften even hard,
cruel and fiery natures, at least for the time being. The man who can neither produce
music himself nor is charmed by music has much evil in him and is capable of treachery,
deception and other crimes. Such a man is dull as night, his soul is as dark as hell
(Erebus) and he is untrustworthy.

Extract 4

i. Whom did Gratiano give Jessica’s ring? Why?

Ans. Gratiano gave Nerissa’s ring to the judge’s clerk, who was none other than
Nerissa herself disguised as a boy. He gave it to her as fee for preparing legal
documents.

ii. Why does Portia blame Gratiano?

Ans. Portia blames Gratiano because he had so carelessly parted with his wife’s
first gift.
 iii. Explain: “A thing stuck on with oaths upon your finger/ And so riveted with
faith unto your flesh.”

Ans. These lines mean that the ring was placed on his finger to the accompaniment
of solemn vows. Gratiano should have kept the sanctity of the promise he made at that
time.

iv. How does Portia express her confidence in Bassanio?

Ans. Portia says that she has also given a ring to her beloved husband. When she
gave it to him, she made him swear that he would never part with it. She is sure that
Bassanio would never part with the ring even for all the wealth in the world.

v. Explain: “Nor pluck it from his finger, for the wealth/ That the world
masters”.

Ans. These lines express Portia’s confidence in her husband. She says that she has
given a ring to Bassanio and she is confident that he would never take it from his finger
for all the wealth in the world.

Extract 5

i. Why does Bassanio swear that he had given the ring to a doctor of law?

Ans. Bassanio swears that he gave the ring to a Doctor of law, not to any woman. In a way
he is telling the truth because he did not know that the doctor of law whom he gave the ring
was Portia disguised as a man.

ii. Explain: “And suffer’d him to go displeased away.”

Ans. This line means that Bassanio refused to give the ring and thus allowed the doctor
of law to go away angry with him.

iii. Why was Bassanio forced to send the ring after the doctor of law?

Ans. When the doctor of law i.e. Portia had gone unhappy with Bassanio for not parting
with the ring, Antonio put him to shame. He compelled Bassanio to send the ring after the civil
doctor. Finally Bassanio was impelled by feelings of shame and natural promptings of courtesy.
So, he sent the ring to the doctor of law.

iv. What opinion do you form of Bassanio from his speech?

Ans. We feel that Bassanio is a weak-willed man. He loves Portia, his wife very much. But
he also loves Antonio, his best friend. He cannot tolerate that his honour should be stained
with the stigma of ingratitude.

v. How does Portia react to Bassanio’s speech immediately after he finishes it?

Ans. As soon as Bassanio finishes his speech, Portia says in a melodramatic way that the
doctor of law should never be allowed to come near her house. If that doctor of law comes to
her, she will be as liberal with him as Bassanio has seen. She will not deny him anything.