Drama -ERM Acts 3-5

Play: The Merchant of Venice, Act 3 ; Act 4, Sc 1,2

Act 3 scene -1
The rumors of Antonio's losses grow more frequent and circumstantial. Shylock is torn apart with rage at Jessica's reported
extravagance with his long-hoarded wealth, and with malignant joy as he hears of Antonio's misfortunes and impatiently awaits
the forfeit of his bond.
Summary and Analysis
● Solanio and Salerio discuss the unlucky events that have befallen Antonio. It is rumoured that another of Antonio's
ships has been wrecked. Solanio and Salerio worry that Antonio will be ruined because of the "cruel bond" (contract)
that Antonio has made with Shylock. Just then, Shylock himself appears.
Though Shylock and Antonio have made a perfectly legal contract, the Christians see Shylock's actions as "cruel." The scene
also suggests that weeks or months have passed since the end of Act 2
● Shylock accuses Solanio and Salerio of having helped Jessica elope from his house. They boast that, indeed, they did
help. Shylock damns them. When Solanio says that Jessica was old enough to choose her own husband and leave home,
Shylock responds that, no, she is his "flesh and blood" (3.1.33) and should have stayed. Salerio taunts him that there is
"more difference between thy flesh and hers than between jet (a deep black stone) and ivory" (3.1.34–5).
In 2.3:, Jessica pondered whether you are related to someone because you share blood or because you share similar "manners."
Shylock here argues that "flesh and blood" are the true measure of relatedness. But Solanio and Salerio's response that the
beautiful "white" Jessica is completely unlike the "black" Shylock indicates that they believe one's manners, or even one's
willingness to be Christian, define relatedness.
● Solanio then asks whether Shylock has heard any more news of Antonio's losses at sea. Shylock says he has, and
ominously adds that Antonio can look forward to the "extraction" of his bond. Solanio can't believe that Shylock would
really want a pound of Antonio's flesh, but Shylock affirms that he wants it to "feed" his "revenge" (3.1.54) on Antonio
for mocking him, causing him to lose money, and insulting the Jewish "nation" (3.1.50).
In 1.3, Shylock argued that charging interest is just like breeding sheep. Now Shylock explicitly states that his desire for
revenge will involve manipulating a legal obligation (the "bond," or contract) in order to treat Antonio like a piece of meat, an
animal carcass, that is used as food.

● Shylock goes on to say that a Jew has "hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions" and is "fed with the
same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by
the same winter and summer as a Christian is" (53–7). If you prick a Jew, he'll bleed, if you tickle him he'll laugh, if
you poison him, he'll die. It follows, just as logically, Shylock argues, that if you wrong a Jew, he will seek revenge,
just as a Christian would. Shylock promises to use the same "villainy" that the Venetian Christians "teach," and to beat
them at their own game.
Shylock argues that what he's doing—using the legal system to persecute the Christian Antonio—is exactly what the Christians
have done to him and to all Jews, which is true. And in arguing for the justice of his revenge, Shylock denies any distinction
between Christians and Jews. They're all humans, he argues, based on their identical animal functions: bleeding, dying, etc.
Shylock treats the need for revenge as another animal need.
Extract I.
Q1. Where does this scene take place? Whom does 'she' refer to in the first line of the extract? What is said about her in the
extract?
Ans. The scene takes place in a street in Venice. In the first line 'she' refers to the rumour or report which is personified as an
old woman. When Salarino talks about Antonio's ship, Salanio wishes that rumour may prove to be a big liar in this case as any
old woman who ever gossiped with our neighbours over her gingerbread cakes and made her neighbours believe that she
mourned sincerely for the death of her third husband.

Q2. What was said earlier about the place where Antonio’s ship was wrecked? Where did the news about the ship-wreckage
spread?
Ans. Earlier, it was told that Antonio's ship was wrecked in the sea, at a spot known as Goodwin. The news about the ship's
wreckage spread at the Rialto, the place where the merchants met for transactions.

Q3. Give the meaning of: "without any slips of prolixity or crossing the plain highway of talk".
Ans. The given words mean: without speaking much. That is, coming directly to the point without wasting much time.

Q4. How does Shylock react to the loss of Antonio's ship?

Ans. Shylock was pleased to hear about the loss of Antonio's ship. He calls Antonio a beggar who used to come to market with
a huge smile. He says that Antonio must keep his promise of paying back the loan.
 Q5. What feelings for Antonio are expressed by Salarino and Salanio in this scene? Who enters the scene at this
time? What does Salanio say about his daughter?
Ans. In the scene, Salanio and Salarino express their feelings of concern and sympathy for Antonio.
Shylock enters the scene at this time. When Shylock blames Salarino and Salanio for his daughters' elopement, Salarino says
that there is difference between him and his daughter as there is between the colours black and white or as there is between red
wine and white wine.
Extract II.
Q1. Whose flight is being talked about? Where has the person flown? With whom has the person flown?
Ans. The flight of Jessica is being talked about. She has flown to Belmont. Jessica has flown with Lorenzo.

Q2. What bad news, besides the flight of the bird, is given just before the arrival of Shylock?
Ans. Just before the arrival of Shylock, the news about the wreckage of Antonio's ship is given.

Q3. Give the meaning of: the bird was fledged; and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam.
Ans. The given words mean that it is the nature of a fully feathered young bird to leave the nest when it is old enough. He
means to say that Jessica was old enough to leave her parents and start her own life.

Q4. What steps has Shylock taken to get back the flown bird?
Ans. Shylock took all possible steps to get back his daughter. He asked the Duke for justice and even persuaded him to check
the ship in which Bassanio left for Belmont. Later, it was said that someone saw Lorenzo and Jessica in a gondola. Shylock took
the help of his friend Tubal to find and bring back Jessica to him.

Q5. How does Salarino compare after the extract, the character of the flown bird with that of Shylock?
Ans. After the extract, Salarino compares the character of Jessica and Shylock. He says that Jessica is a complete contrast to
Shylock just as black is to white or as ordinary red wine is to expensive white wine.
Extract III.
Q1. What is meant by a 'bankrupt' as well as a 'prodigal'? Why has the man gone bankrupt? Why is he called a prodigal?
Ans. A 'bankrupt' means a person who does not have enough money to pay off his debts.
'Prodigal' means a spendthrift who spends money carelessly.
The man has gone bankrupt because his ship was wrecked in the sea. He is a spendthrift who has spent his money carelessly and
has gone bankrupt. That is why he is called a prodigal by Shylock.

Q2. What is known as Rialto? Why was the man said to go 'so smug upon the mart'?
Ans. The Venetian stock exchange, where the merchants used to meet to do their business deals, was known as the Rialto. The
man used to go to Rialto smiling and satisfied, because he was sure of his financial position as he owned a number of ships.
Shylock says these words to compare Antonio's financial position in the past with his present condition.

Q3. Give some incidents to show that the man referred to in the extract used to insult Shylock?
Ans. The man referred to in the extract is Antonio. He used to insult Shylock. Antonio insulted Shylock's business, made fun of
his profit, spat on him, kicked him, heated his enemies and cooled his friends. Antonio hurt Shylock by doing these things
because Shylock was a Jew.

Q4. How did the bankrupt cause loss to Shylock in Venice?

Ans. The bankrupt caused loss to Shylock in Venice by lending money without interest, and affecting Shylock's business of
lending money at high rate of interest.

Q5. How is the bankrupt likely to go into a loss? How will such a loss affect Shylock as far as his revenge and financial position
is concerned?
Ans. The bankrupt is likely to go into a loss as his ship has been wrecked. Besides he needs to pay back the 3000 ducats he had
borrowed from Shylock for Bassanio. Such a loss will help Shylock to get his revenge.
Extract IV.
Q1. Who is the thief referred to in the extract? What had the thief stolen? What loss has Shylock suffered due to the theft?
Ans. The thief referred to in the extract is Shylock's daughter Jessica. The thief has stolen his money, gold and gems. After the
theft, Shylock has to spend money to find Jessica. So he has suffered loss upon loss due to the theft.

Q2. Who is Tubal? Why did he go to Genoa?

Ans. Tubal is a friend of Shylock. He is also a Jew. He went to Genoa to search for Jessica who had eloped with Lorenzo.

Q3. What news did Tubal bring from Genoa about the thief?
 Ans. Tubal brought the news that he went to the places in Genoa where he heard some news about Jessica but
could not find her.

Q4. The extract refers to 'satisfaction' and 'revenge'. In what context are the expressions used by Shylock?
Ans. Shylock uses the expressions satisfaction and revenge in the context of his efforts to find his daughter and his money
stolen by her. His efforts to find her and get the money back were failures. So he doesn't have the satisfaction of getting back his
daughter and money. He also can't get revenge on the people who hurt him.

Q5. State what ill-luck befell Antonio. Why was Shylock happy over the news?
Ans. One of Antonio's large ships has been wrecked in the sea. This was the ill-luck that befell Antonio. Shylock was happy
over the news as he could now take revenge on Antonio, if Antonio couldn't pay back the loan.
Extract V.
Q1. Why does Tubal say that Antonio is undone? What makes him say with certainty that Antonio is undone? Who is Leah?
Why is she referred to in the extract?
Ans. Tubal says that Antonio is undone because he has heard from some sailors that one of Antonio's large ships has been
wrecked in the sea. Leah was Shylock's wife. She is referred to in the extract because she had given a ring to Shylock, which
was stolen by Jessica, who later sold it to buy a monkey.

Q2. In what mood is Shylock in the scene? How is Tubal said to be torturing him?
Ans. In this scene, Shylock is very sad. Tubal is said to be torturing him when he tells the news about his daughter. Tubal tells
Shylock that he could not find his daughter, that his daughter spent eighty ducats in one night and that she exchanged his wife's
ring for a monkey.

Q3. What is Shylock's reaction on hearing about Antonio's misfortune? How is he going to punish Antonio? What would he
gain by his revengeful action?
Ans. Antonio's misfortune makes Shylock happy because he will be able to take his revenge on Antonio. He will punish
Antonio by exacting a pound of flesh from any part of his body. By his revengeful action, he can remove Antonio from Venice,
which will help to increase his business.

Q4. What is a synagogue? What can you conclude from Shylock's journey towards the synagogue?
Ans. A synagogue is a place of worship of the Jews. Shylock's journey to the synagogue shows us that he is a religious man and
that he feels pride in his Jewish heritage.

Q5. In what way, by the end of the scene, does Shylock convince the audience that his attack on Antonio is without any mercy?
Which character trait of Shylock is shown in this scene?
Ans. In this scene Shylock explains the insults he has suffered, for years, from Antonio. He says that he will do the same as his
enemies. He says that he will take Antonio's heart. This shows that Shylock is a vengeful man who will suffer patiently and wait
for the perfect opportunity to take his revenge.
Act 3, Scene 2

Synopsis:
Portia advises Bassanio to postpone choosing for fear he should make the wrong choice. Bassanio declares himself unable to
live in uncertainty. Portia is overjoyed when Bassanio correctly chooses the lead chest containing her picture. Giving Bassanio a
ring as a symbolic act to indicate her giving to him both herself and everything that is hers, Portia insists that he treasure the
ring. Gratiano announces that he and Nerissa will also marry. Salerio, Lorenzo, and Jessica arrive with the news of Antonio’s
financial ruin and the apparently certain destruction that he will soon suffer at Shylock’s hands. Portia offers to pay the debt
many times over and tells Bassanio to return to Venice immediately after their wedding to save Antonio.

The Merchant of Venice Act 3 Scene 2 Summary Questions and Answers

1. Portia :
I pray you, tarry, pause a day or two
Before you hazard; for, in choosing wrong,
I lose your company : therefore, forbear awhile.
There’s something tells me (but it is not love)
I would not lose you; and you know yourself,
Hate counsels not in such a quality.
But lest you should not understand me well
And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought
I would detain you here some month or two
 Before you venture for me. I could teach you
How to choose right, but then I am forsworm

Question 1.To whom are these words addressed? What request does the speaker made to the person addressed?
Answer:These words are addressed to Bassanio. Portia requests him to wait for a couple of days before making the choice of the
caskets.
Question 2.What’s the meaning of ‘forbear’? Why is the person asked to forbear?
Answer:‘Forbear’ means, to show patience or wait for a while before making the choice. Portia is scared that if Bassanio makes
a wrong choice, he’ll have to leave immediately as per the conditions and she’ll be deprived of his company. There’s something
that tells her that she should not lose him.
Question 3.Explain ‘a maiden hath no tongue but thought’.
Answer:A maiden’s modesty prevents her from expressing her love directly. A young girl has no choice. She only thinks of her
feelings but cannot express them.
Question 4.What does the given passage tell you about Portia’s attitude towards her father?
Answer:The above given passage portrays Portia as a devoted and loving daughter. Even though her father is not alive, yet she
is deeply attached and very much loyal to his memory. She is determined in marrying only as per her father’s will even at the
risk of losing the man she loves.
Question 5.Why does Portia wish that she had not forsworn?
Answer:Portia wishes that she had not taken the oath to reveal the right casket because after meeting Bassanio she wishes to
guide him in the right choice of the caskets as she loves him and wants to be his wife.

2. Bassanio :
Let me choose;
For as I am, I live upon the rack.
Portia : Upon the rack, Bassanio ! then confess
What treason there is mingled with your love.
Bassanio : None but that ugly treason of mistrust,
Which makes me fear th’ enjoying of my
love : There may as well be amity and life
’Tween snow and fire, as treason and my love.
Portia : Ay, but Ifear you speak upon the rack,
Where men enforced do speak anything.
Bassanio : Promise me life, and I’ll confess the truth.
Portia : Well, then, confess, and live.

Question 1.Why does Bassanio want to make the choice as soon as possible?
Answer:Bassanio can no longer bear the suspense and the uncertainty. He wants to make the choice and know if Portia can be
his.
Question 2.What’s the meaning of ‘rack’? Explain in detail its significance.
Answer:‘Rack’ here means torture of not knowing the outcome of choosing the caskets. The rack was an instrument in the old
times used to torture the suspects and make them confess their sin. The person used to be tied to a frame which was stretched
and the pain of stressing the limbs was unbearable. Here Portia and Bassanio are also tortured as their feelings are stretched to
the limit.
Question 3.What’s the ‘treason’ mentioned here? Explain the comparison in the extract. How is this reference relevant here?
Answer:Treason is disloyalty. Portia playfully asks what disloyalty has Bassanio committed to be on the rack. Bassanio says the
torment is due to the doubt whether he will be able to choose correctly. This is taking away his peace of mind; so he wants to
make the choice fast.
Question 4.What has been spoken by Portia earlier that reveals her feelings for Bassanio?
Answer:Portia had revealed her feelings by asking Bassanio to stay back and wait a while before making the choice. She says
his eyes have cast a spell on her and divided her. One half is his and the other half is also his as she gives herself to Bassanio.
Question 5.What’s the significance of this scene?
Answer:This is the famous casket scene that makes the drama very popular. The theme of appearance and reality culminates in
this scene. All that glitters is not gold; even humble and not so good looking things have value. The others who chose gold and
silver were blinded by pride and desire for worldly things. It is Bassanio, guided by true love makes the right choice and wins
the hand of Portia.

3. Portia :
Away then ! I am lock’d in one of them :
If you do love me, you will find me out.
 Nerissa and the rest, stand all aloof.
Let music sound while he doth make his choice;
Then, if he lose, he makes a swan-like end,
Fading in music : that the comparison
May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream
And watery death-bed for him.

Question 1.What does Portia mean by, ‘Away then’? Is she happy in saying this? Give reason.
Answer:Portia is asking Bassanio to go ahead with the choice of the casket. She is not very happy as she is anxious about the
outcome. She wants to enjoy his ‘ company at least for a month or so, but if he makes a wrong choice, he’ll have to leave her.

Question 2.Explain ‘I’m locked in one of them’. What is Nerissa and others asked to do?
Answer:Portia shows the caskets and says that her portrait is locked in one of them. The one with her portrait is the right choice.
Nerissa and others are asked to stand a little distance away, so that Bassanio can make the choice.
Question 3.Why should the music sound?
Answer:The music should sound so that the right atmosphere is created for the choice. It is also to soothe the tension. The music
may be to warn Bassanio against giving importance to appearance over less showy things.
Question 4.What contemporary belief about swans is expressed here?
Answer:The contemporary belief expressed is that swans sing only once, just before they die. In fact, swan just disappears into a
distance, singing its last song.
Question 5.What does Portia want to do to make the comparison more proper?
Answer:Portia compares Bassanio to a swan. To make the comparison more proper, she says that her tears will become the
stream in which the swan will drown itself. If he fails to make the right choice, he’ll have to leave and that will drown Portia in
grief. The stream will be Bassanio’s grave, as he’ll be seen no more.
Question 6.
What music will be played if Bassanio wins?
Answer:
If Bassanio makes the right choice, the music will be like the sound of the trumpet, when loyal subjects bow before the newly
crowned king. It will be like the melodious sound that reaches the ear of a dreaming bridegroom at dawn, to call him for his
marriage.

4. Portia :
Now he goes,
With no less presence, but with much more love,
Than young Alcides, when he did redeem
The virgin tribute paid by howling Troy
To the sea-monster.
Question 1 .Who is the ‘he’ mentioned in the first line? Who is Alcides?
Answer:The ‘he’ mentioned here is Bassanio who is venturing to make his choice of the caskets. Alcides was Hercules, the
Greek hero who saved the daughter of the Trojan king from a sea monster. He was famous for his courage.
Question 2.Why is the ‘he’ compared to Alcides?
Answer:Bassanio is being compared to Hercules or Alcides as he is also venturing for a prize in the form of Portia. His mission
is also adventurous and risky as the attempt of Alcides who had to rescue the princess who was being given as a sacrifice to a
sea monster.
Question 3.What adventurous deed did Alcides do? How is his act is compared to the act ‘he’ is going to make?
Answer:Alcides rescued Hesoine, the virgin princess of Troy, from being sacrificed as a virgin tribute to a sea monster. Alcides
did it not for love, but for the horses offered as a reward. Portia imagines herself as Heroine and Bassanio rescuing her with
more love than Alcides had for the girl.
Question 4.Give the meaning of ‘virgin tribute’ and ‘howling Troy’.
Answer:Virgin tribute is the sacrifice of unmarried daughter of the Trojan king to appease the sea monster. The women of Troy
were grief stricken to see this pitiable sight and cried loudly in miseiy.
Question 5.In what state of mind is Portia now?
Answer:Portia is full of anxiety about the outcome of the choice. Bassanio’s success will give her life and happiness. She will
watch the choice with more anxiety than Bassanio shows although he is the one going to make the choice.

5. Bassanio :
So may the outward shows be least themselves :
The world is still deceiv’d with ornament.
In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt
 But, being season’d with a gracious voice,
Obscures the show of evil ? In religion,
What damned error, but some sober brow
Will bless it and approve it with a text.
Hiding the grossness with fair ornament ?
There is no vice so simple but assumes
Some mark of virtue on his outward parts.

Question 1.Bring out the context of the passage.

Answer:Bassanio is about to make the choice in this last of the casket scenes. He was shown the caskets by Portia and was
asked to wait before making his choice, but Bassanio can’t stand the tension and decides to go for it. Portia orders for music to
ease the tension. It warns Bassanio against choosing according to appearance.

Question 2.What major theme of the play is dealt with in this extract?
Answer:The theme of appearance against reality is the theme dealt within the extract. The world is always misled with outward
show.
Question 3.What two examples are given by Bassanio to prove his point?
Answer:Bassanio gives examples from the Law and religion. In the law court, a case most dishonest may be pleaded with
utmost eloquence to conceal the face of the evil. In religion some pious looking person may do a sin but justify it with verses
from the scriptures. A vice is concealed by the appearance of virtue.
Question 4.Explain the last two lines of the extract.
Answer:The last two lines means that an evil may not have the least element of goodness in it and not the least touch of grace
about it; but it is possible for that evil to wear some mark of virtue on its outward appearance.
Question 5.What does Bassanio say about cowards soon after this?
Answer:Bassanio says that cowards with hearts are as deceptive as a sand staircase. They may wear a beard like that of Hercules
or the frowning Mars but on close observation; they turn out to be lily livered cowards. They show off as though they are most
courageous and hard to deal with.

6. Bassanio :
Therefore, thou gaudy gold,
Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee;
Nor none of thee, thou pale and common drudge
‘Tween man and man : but thou, thou meagre lead,
Which rather threaten’st than dost promise aught,
Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence,
And here choose I: joy be the consequence !
Question 1.What does the speaker say about beauty before this extract? What idea is brought out here?
Answer:Bassanio says that artificial beauty can be purchased by weight in a chemist’s shop and those who wear most of this
artificial make up are light, in character. The idea that one should not go by appearance is brought out. Gaudy things are for
show; they lack value.
Question 2.Why does the speaker talk about crispy golden locks earlier? What do they turn out to be at times?
Answer:The speaker talks about crispy golden locks again to reinforce the idea that appearance is deceptive. Beautiful, crispy
locks may be a wig, made by hair borrowed from another head that may be lying now in a tomb. Outward shows are treacherous
shores of a dangerous sea at times.
Question 3.Who is ‘Midas’? What was hard food for him? Why?
Answer:Midas was the mythical king of Phrygia from Greek mythology. He had asked for the boon that everything he touched
should turn to gold. When he touched his food, it turned to gold and he could not eat it. Gold was hard food for him. Therefore,
he remained hungry. Then he realized his foolishness

Question 4.Why does Bassanio not choose the golden casket?

Answer:Bassanio doesn’t choose the golden casket as he feels that, all that glitters is not gold. It may invite you to its outward
show but deceives you rvhen it comes to reality. Thus, he rejects the gold casket with its inviting inscription.

Question 5.What does Bassanio call the silver casket? Why? Why does Bassanio choose the lead casket?
Answer:Bassanio calls the silver casket ‘thou pale common drudge’. He considers it as an ordinary slave passing from hand to
hand as coins. He chooses the lead casket as the ugly material seems to warn rather than promise anything. The plain message
on it moves him than the eloquent words engraved on the other caskets.

Question 6.What does he find inside the lead casket? What does he say about the thing found inside it?
 Answer:Bassanio finds Portia’s portrait inside the lead casket. He says only a demy god could have created such
a lovely picture which is almost like the person herself. The eyes seem to move, lips be slightly parted as though
they fire in motion. Her hair is as though the artist has worked like a spider spinning a golden web to entrap the
hearts of men. But all his praises seem to do injustice to her portrait just as the portrait does underestimate the original beauty,
that is, Portia herself.

7. Portia :
Myself and what is mine, to you and yours
Is now converted : but now I was the lord
Of this fair mansion, master oj my servants,
Queen o’er myself; and even now, but now.
This house, these servants, and this same myself
Are yours, my lord’s. I give them with this ring;
Which when you partfrom, lose, or give away,
Let it presage the ruin of your love,
And be my vantage to exclaim on you.

Question 1.Where are Portia and Bassanio? Two other people are also present. Name them.
Answer:Portia and Bassanio are in Belmont, in a room in Portia’s house. Gratiano and Nerissa are also present there.

Question 2.Which possession does Portia want to transfer to Bassanio? What does this show of her character?
Answer:Portia offers herself, her house, her servants and a ring to Bassanio. She, like a true wife, generously offers everything
to Bassanio. This shows her deep love for her husband and desire to please him.

Question 3.In what ways does Portia want to excel herself?

Answer:Portia wants to excel herself in many ways. She wants to be a thousand times more beautiful, ten thousand times richer
and many times better in virtues, property and friends. She calls herself inexperienced, untrained and uneducated girl but she is
happy that she is young enough and capable enough to improve.

Question 4.On what condition does she give the ring to Bassanio?
Answer:Portia gives an expensive ring to Bassanio, saying that he should not part with it at any time, at any cost. If and when he
parts with it, it’ll be a sign of his diminishing love for her and that will give her an opportunity to accuse him for that.

Question 5.Explain the last two lines of the extract. How do these become significant later in the play?
Answer:The last two lines mean that if Bassanio gives the ring away that will be a sign that his love is dead and Portia will take
it as an opportunity to accuse him of that. These words become significant later in the play, as Bassanio feels obliged to give the
ring to the lawyer who asks for it as the fee for rescuing Antonio. Portia berates him for giving away the ring without revealing
herself as the lawyer. This is a source of humor in the ring episode.

Question 6.What does Bassanio say in reply to this speech of Portia?

Answer:Bassanio says that he is deprived of words. Only blood running in his veins can show his emotions. There is so much
confusion in his thoughts like the one that follows after the speech of a prince, amid the applause of the delighted audience. His
confused joy cannot be expressed. He promises that when the ring leaves his finger it’d be a sign that Bassanio is dead. In other
words, he’ll not part with that ring till he dies.
8. Salerio :
Not one, my lord.
Besides, it should appear, that if he had
The present money to discharge the Jew,
He would not take it. Never did I know
A creature, that did bear the shape of man,
So keen and greedy to confound a man.

Question 1.To whom is Salerio speaking? Where is he? Who else are with him?
Answer:Salerio is speaking to Bassanio. He is in Belmont, in Portia’s house where the caskets are kept. Lorenzo, Jessica and
Portia are with him.

Question 2.What is Salerio referring as ‘No one’? What has he brought for Bassanio? What’s the content of that?
Answer:When Bassanio asks Salerio to confirm that no ship of Antonio has escaped from getting lost, he says not a single one.
He has brought a letter from Antonio addressed to Bassanio. The content of the letter is that Antonio’s ships have miscarried,
 his creditors are mercilessly troubling him, his resources are very low, and the Jew is waiting for the forfeiture.
If he pays for the penalty, he will not be alive and he wants to meet Bassanio before he dies. If Bassanio fulfills
his wish, all debts owed to Antonio will be cleared.

Question 3.According to the speaker, what would not the Jew do? How is he describing the Jew in this extract?
Answer:According to Salerio, even if Antonio pays the money to the Jew, it’ll be too late, as the time for the forfeiture is over
and as per the condition, he will insist on taking one pound of flesh. He describes the Jew as a creature that has taken the shape
of a man, who is so keen and greedy to bring ruin to another man.

Question 4.What does the speaker say about the efforts of the Jew in extracting the forfeiture?
Answer:The Jew urges the duke at morning and at night to take speedy actions. He threatens legal actions against the country’s
legal system, if he is denied justice. Twenty merchants, the duke himself and the noblemen of the highest rank have tried to
persuade him but no one is able to prevent him from his revengeful claim.

Question 5.What does Jessica say about her father just after this extract?
Answer:Jessica says that she had heard her father conversing with Tubal and other Jews that he would rather have a pound of
Antonio’s flesh than twenty times the value of the debt. She says that she knows well that unless the law and the higher powers
intervene, it is going to be tough for Antonio.

9. Portia :
What, no more ?
Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond;
Double six thousand, and then treble that,
Before a friend of this description
Shall lose a hair through Bassanio’s fault.
First go with me to church and call me wife,
And then away to Venice to your friend;
For never shall you lie by Portia’s side
With an unquiet soul.

Question 1.To what information does Portia say, ‘What no more? In what way had Bassanio praised Antonio just before this?
Answer:When Portia comes to know that the debt owed by Antonio is only three thousand ducats, Portia says ‘What no more?’
Bassanio had praised Antonio as his dearest friend and kindest man with the best of intention who never gets tired of showing
kindness to others. He displays the old spirits of Roman honor more than any other person in Italy.

Question 2.What does Portia advice Bassanio regarding the bond? What does it show of her character?
Answer:Portia advises Bassanio to pay Shylock six thousand ducats and cancel the bond. If it is not enough, he should double
the six thousand and multiply that by three. This shows that she is generous at heart. As a true wife, she considers her husband’s
honor and problems as hers and she values his friendship.

Question 3.What does she tell Bassanio to do before he leaves? Why does she want Bassanio to leave immediately?
Answer:Portia tells Bassanio to go to church, marry her, and then go to the rescue of his friend. She wants Bassanio to leave
immediately as she knows that Bassanio’s mind will be troubled as long as his friend is in dire trouble. She doesn’t like her
husband to be in a distraught condition when he is with her. Moreover, it is his duty to be with his friend who has helped him in
spite of the risk to his life.

Question 4.How will Portia and Nerissa spend the days of separation? What does Bassanio promise his wife at the end of the
scene?
Answer:Portia and Nerissa will live as unmarried women or widows. Bassanio promises his wife that he will hurry up and come
back to Belmont as soon as possible. No bed will be guilty of his stay; no rest will keep him separated from his wife.

Question 5.What is Portia actually going to do? Does she succeed in her mission?
Answer:Portia along with Nerissa is planning to go to Venice dressed in male attire to argue the case for Antonio. Yes, she
succeeds in saving Antonio with her argument that not a drop of blood should be shed while taking the flesh.

Act 3, scene 3

Synopsis:
 Antonio seeks out Shylock in an effort to get the moneylender to listen to him. But Shylock insists that the terms
of the bond be fulfilled. Antonio is resigned to death provided Bassanio is there to see him die.

Question 1.
‘Thou call’dst me dog before thou hadst a cause
But since I am a dog, beware my fangs’. (Lines : 6-7)

Question1:Where is Shylock addressing Antonio ? Why is he in a revengeful mood ? What does he want ?

Answer:Shylock is addressing Antonio in a street in Venice. He is in a revengeful mood at this time chiefly because of his
daughter’s elopement with a Christian. He wants to satisfy his sense of outrage by harming Antonio.

Question 2.‘Pray God, Bassanio come

To see me pay his debt, and then I care not’! (Lines : 34-35)

Q1:In which context does Antonio want to see Bassanio for the last time ?

Answer:Antonio knows that Shylock being heartless and cruel will not spare his life, and the Duke will not be in a position to
go against the law. It is in this context that he wants to see Bassanio before he dies.

Merchant of Venice Workbook Answers Act 3 Scene 3 Passage Based Questions

PASSAGE 1.
Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow :
Antonia :
The duke cannot deny the course of law:
For the commodity that strangers have
With us in Venice, if it be denied,
Will .much impeach the justice of his state;
Since that the trade and profit of the city
Consisteth of all nations. Therefore, go:
These griefs and losses have so bated me,
That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh
To-morrow to my bloody creditor.
Well, gaoler, on. Pray God, Bassanio come
To see me pay his debt, and then I care not!

(i) Where is Antonio ? Who is he addressing ? Who has brought him there ?

Answer: Antonio is in the street of Venice, in the custody of the jailor. He is addressing Salarino, his friend. The jailor has
brought him there in order to have a talk with Shylock.

(ii) What does Shylock want the jailor to do early in the scene ? How does he react to Anotonio’s request to listen to him ?
Answer: Shylock wants the jailor to watch Antonio closely lest he should escape. He reacts angrily to Antonio’s request to
listen to him. He does not want to hear any petition – for mercy.

(iii) What makes Antonio say that the Duke cannot refuse to let the law take its course ?

Answer: Antonio says that the Duke cannot refuse to let the law take its course because then the laws of the state will become
suspect, especially in the eyes of the foreign merchants. The prosperity of the state of Venice depend its reputation as a free and
fair Merchant city.

(iv) What tells you that he has already suffered a lot ? What is his attitude at the moment ?
Answer: He has already suffered mentally and bodily and is reduced to a skeleton. His attitude is now of calm resignation to his
fate. He is now mentally prepared for any eventuality.
 (v) What is his last wish ? What does it tell you of his character ?
Answer: His last wish is to see Bassanio, his dearest friend, before he breathes his last. It reveals his intense love
for Bassanio. He is a sincere and devoted friend.
1. What does Shylock ask the jailer to do? Give two reasons from the extract to justify why Shylock was against Antonio.

Shylock asks the jailer to guard Antonio closely and see that he does not escape. He tells him not to plead with him to show
mercy to Antonio. The extract shows that Shylock was against Antonio. He insists on having the bond saying that he has taken
an oath to exact the full penalty of the bond. Besides, he says that since Antonio called him a 'dog’. Antonio should beware of
his teeth, as they can bite.

3. What does Shylock say after this extract, blaming the jailer for bringing Antonio out of prison?

After this extract, Shylock angrily tells the jailer that he is surprised at his being so foolish as to yield to Antonio's request and
to bring him out in the open. He censures the jailer for bringing him out.

4. How does this short scene show the determination of Shylock to extract the penalty as stipulated in the bond?

This short scene shows the determination of Shylock to extract the penalty as stipulated in the bond. His passion for revenge is
revealed in this scene, when he savagely cries to the jailer to guard Antonio closely and see that he does not escape. He refers to
the bond five times in the scene and refuses to listen to Antonio's pleas. His determination is sealed by his statement that he has
sworn an oath that he will have his bond.

5. Describe briefly how this scene prepares the audience for the climax of the Trial scene.

This scene is important because it brings the action near to the Trial Scene It adds suspense to the bond story as it shows that it
is impossible for Antonio to escape Shylock's revenge. This scene fills the interval before the Trial scene and allows time for
Bassanio's journey from Belmont to Venice

1. What has enraged Antonio to speak in this manner? According to Antonio, why does Shylock seek his life?

When Antonio's continuous pleas to Shylock to listen to him fail and he insists on having his bond, Antonio get enraged. He
says that Shylock wants to take away his life because he has frequently helped Shylock's debtors out of his clutches when they
approached him for help. This has made Shylock to hate him.

2. Who are the strangers referred to in the extract? What commodity do they have in Venice?

Strangers referred to in the extract are the traders and businessmen from other countries doing business in Venice. Here, specific
reference is to Shylock, a Jew, a foreigner. They do trade and business in Venice.

3.. Can the Duke deny the course of law to strangers? Why?

The Duke cannot deny the course of law to strangers. Firstly, the rights and privileges of trade that foreigners have in Venice
cannot be denied. If denied they will expose the justice system of the state to reproach. Secondly, the prosperity of Venice
depends on its trade with foreign nations. If injustice is done to Shylock, other foreigners will raise alarm and objections. They
will lose confidence in the justice system and it will affect the trade in the city.

5. What final wish does Antonio express before he would die? What does it reveal about his character?

Antonio's final wish is to see Bassanio before he dies. This shows his great love and affection for Bassanio, Antonio resigns
himself to his fate but takes comfort in the thought that he is going to die for the sake of his friend.
 Act 3, scene 4

Synopsis:
Portia entrusts the management of her household to Lorenzo and pretends to leave with Nerissa for a house of an order of nuns.
She sends a messenger to Dr. Bellario of Padua and tells Nerissa that they, in disguise as men, will follow their husbands to
Venice.

1. Portia :
I never did repent for doing good,
Nor shall not now : for in companions
That do converse and waste the time together.
Whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love,
There must be needs a like proportion
Of lineaments, of manners, and of spirit;
Which makes me think that this Antonio,
Being the bosom lover of my lord,
Must needs be like my lord. If it be so,
How little is the cost I have bestow’d
n purchasing the semblance of my soul.
Question 1.To whom is Portia replying in this manner? What has that person just said to Portia?
Answer:Portia is talking to Lorenzo in this manner. Lorenzo has just praised Portia’s decision to send Bassanio to Antonio. He
says she has a good understanding of spiritual friendship. That is why she willingly bears the absence of her husband; but if she
knew the person whom she has shown this kindness and honor, how good a man and a good friend of her husband, she’ll feel
proud of her action. In fact, this action is more valuable than her other generous actions so far.

Question 2.Explain the meaning of ‘companions that do converse and waste the time together’. What is meant by ‘equal yokes
of love’ and ‘lineaments’?
Answer:‘Companions that do converse and waste the time together’ means friends who spend time talking to each other. ‘Equal
yokes of love’ means bound to each other like a pair of oxen and ‘lineaments’ mean characteristics.

Question 3.What makes Portia come to the conclusion that Antonio and Bassanio are similar?
Answer:Portia feels when two friends spend their time together and interact with each other, bearing equal respect and love for
each other in their souls, there is bound to be some similarity in face, manners and disposition.

Question 4.What does Portia tell Lorenzo about her plans in the next few days, till Bassanio returns?
Answer:Portia tells Lorenzo that she has made a solemn vow to live in prayer and meditation, with no other attendant but
Nerissa, till their husbands return. They are going to live in a monastery two miles away.

2. Portia :
I thank you for your wish, and am well pleas’d
To wish it back on you : fare you well, Jessica.
[Exeunt Jessica and Lorenzo]
Now, Balthazar,
As I have ever found thee honest-true,
So let me find thee still. Take this same letter,
And use thou all th’ endeavour of a man
In speed to Padua : see thou render this
Into my cousin’s hand, Doctor Bellario;
And look what notes and garments he doth give thee,
Bring them, I pray thee, with imagin’d speed
Unto the traject, to the common ferry
Which trades to Venice. Waste no time in words,
But get thee gone : I shall be there before thee.
Question 1.Who is Balthazar? What is Portia’s estimation of him?
Answer:Balthazar is Portia’s trusted servant. Portia has always found him honest and trustworthy and she is sure that he’ll
continue to be so and will do the present assignment with utmost sincerity and responsibility.
Question 2.What job has Balthazar been entrusted with?
Answer:Portia entrusts Balthazar with the job of taking a letter to her lawyer cousin Bellario to Padua. He has to do this fast and
bring the papers and dresses given by the lawyer and reach the landing place of the ferry bound for Venice.
 Question 3.Give the meaning of ‘imagined speed’ and traject’. What reply does Balthazar give to these
instructions?
Answer:‘Imagined speed’ means quickly, with the speed that imagination takes and ‘traject’ is the landing place
for the ferry. Balthazar replies that he will fulfil all the instructions as fast as possible.
Question 4.What does Portia tell Nerissa just after this?
Answer:Portia tells Nerissa. she has work in hand which Nerissa need not know for the present. The only thing she should know
now is that they will see their husbands sooner than they think.

3. Portia :
They shall, Nerissa; but in such a habit
That they shall think we are accomplished
With that we lack. I’ll hold thee any wager,
When we are both acoutered like young men,
I’ll prove the prettierfellow of the two,
And wear my dagger with the braver grace,
And speak between the change of man and boy
With a reed voice, and. turn two mincing steps
Into a manly stride, and speak of frays
Like a fine bragging youth
Question 1.Explain ‘but in such a habit that they shall think we are accomplished with what we lack’.
Answer:Portia says that their husbands will see them in such a dress that they will think they are equipped with qualities of men
which they actually lack.
Question 2.For what does the speaker lay a bet with Nerissa? How does the speaker intend to behave to justify their disguise?
Answer:Portia bets that being dressed as a man, she would be the smarter of the two (Portia and Nerissa). She claims that she
would wear her dagger more gracefully and would speak like a man. She would convert her lady like steps into manly strides.
For her to brag and lie like a youth would be easy and she would claim to have caused many women to faint at the sight of this
youth. She would very easily learn a thousand tricks of these boasting fellows.

Portia will tell lies like how noble ladies sought his love but being rejected fell sick and died. Then she would wish she had not
done that and regret her behaviour. She has thousand raw plans in her mind, which brew in the minds of boastful school boys.

Question 3:What question does Nerissa ask thereafter? What reply does she get?
Answer:Nerissa is confused so she asks Portia whether they are going to dress as men? Portia pretends to think that Nerissa
means ‘take men for lovers’ so she ridicules Nerissa for asking such a question. She further says that someone with a dirty mind
would feel that they are ready to fall into the arms of men. She then assures Nerissa that she will disclose her entire plan to
Nerissa on their way to Venice.

The Merchant of Venice Act 3 Scene 5 Summary

This scene takes place in the garden of Portia’s house. The scene opens with a humorous dialogue of Launcelot for the
amusement of the groundlings. Launcelot says that Jessica will be damned for her father’s sins. Jessica replies she will be saved
because of the virtues of Lorenzo and also because she has converted into Christianity. Launcelot teases her by saying that the
Christian community will accuse her of doing wrong to them and they would increase the price of pork.

At this time Lorenzo enters and says that he is getting jealous of Launcelot for talking so much to his wife by getting her ‘into
corners’. He tells him to go inside and see that dinner is prepared.Lorenzo asks Jessica’s opinion about Portia. She praises
Portia, stating that she has no one even equal to her on this earth. Lorenzo says that the same thing can be said about him.
Jessica replies that they can talk about it over dinner. Lorenzo agrees that by talking about such romantic things they will be
able to digest the dinner better.

Act 3 Scene 5
In a garden at Belmont, the jester Launcelot is teasing Jessica that he fears that she is damned because she is a Jew ("the sins of
the father are to be laid on the children"), but she reminds Launcelot that her husband Lorenzo has made her a Christian by
marrying her. "The more to blame he," Launcelot jokes: "This making of Christians will raise the price of hogs."

Lorenzo joins them then and pretends jealousy on finding his wife alone with Launcelot. He orders Launcelot to go inside and
"bid them prepare for dinner." He suddenly turns to Jessica then and asks her, "How dost thou like the Lord Bassanio's wife?"
Jessica praises Portia as being without equal on earth. Lorenzo jokingly responds, "Even such a husband / Hast thou of me as
she is for a wife." Jessica is ready to comment on his teasing when he urges her to save her comments and they go for dinner.
laid upon – revenged upon
 plain – honest
agitation – wrongly used for cogitation which means thought
damned – fated to go to Hell
1. Launcelot :
Yes, truly; for, look you, the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children; therefore I promise you, I fear you. I was always
plain with you, and so now
I speak my agitation of the matter : therefore be o’ good cheer; for, truly, I think you are damned. There is but one hope in it that
can do you any good, and that is but a kind of bastard hope neither.
Jessica : And what hope is that, I pray thee ?
Launcelot : Marry, you may partly hope that your father got you not, that you are not the Jew’s daughter.
Jessica : That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed : so the sins of my mother should be visited upon me.
Launcelot : Truly then I fear you are damned both by father and mother : thus when I shun Scylla (your father) I fall into
Charybdis (your mother): well, you are gone both ways.
Jessica: I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a Christian.

Question 1.Who, according to the speaker, is the father here? What sins is he referring to? Who is the child?
Answer:According to the speaker, Shylock is the father here. He sins by lending money to people with heavy interest and shows
no mercy on anyone, as he is greedy for money. Jessica, the daughter of Shylock, is the child who is being talked about in the
above lines.
Question 2.Who is damned and why? What is the only hope, according to the speaker?
Answer: Launcelot believes that Jessica is damned because she is the daughter of the cunning Shylock. Being the daughter of
such a sinner, she will have to pay for her father’s sins. Though Launcelot feels that there is only one hope for Jessica and that is
to hope that her father had not begot her, which is a false hope.
Question 3.How does the person, who is ‘damned’, reacts? How can this person be saved?
Answer:If Jessica hopes that if she was not the Jew’s daughter then she will have to be punished for the sins of her mother
which means that she is doomed from both the sides i.e., from her father’s as well as from her mother’s side. Jessica says that
her husband, Lorenzo, who is a Christian and has made her a Christian, will save her.
Question 4. There are four complaints against the speaker. What are they? What does Jessica say in reply?
Answer:Seeing, both Jessica and Launcelot are talking to each other, Lorenzo points out to Launcelot that he will grow jealous
of him if he’ll find him whispering to his wife in the corners. Secondly, Jessica reports to Lorenzo that Launcelot very bluntly
stated that she is damned and that Lorenzo is not a good member of his community.

Lorenzo also holds Launcelot responsible for impregnating a Moorish woman. Finally, Launcelot is accused of playing with
words to his advantage, twisting and turning their meanings as he desires. Jessica replies that her husband needs no suspicion as
she and Launcelot have fallen out as he has flatly said that she has no place in heaven as she isn’t a Christian.

Question 5.What humorous remarks does Launcelot say about Christian community soon after this extract?
Answer: Launcelot says that Lorenzo is to be blamed for adding to the Christian community by adding one more Christian.
They have enough of Christians and this addition will create one more pig eater, thereby increasing the price of the pigs;
ultimately, the demand will be too much that there will not be a decent slice of bacon to be cooked on their fire.

2. Lorenzo :
O dear discretion, how his words are suited !
The fool hath planted in his memory
An army of good words, and I do know
A many fools, that stand in better place,
Garnish’d like him, that for a tricksy word Defy the matter.
How cheer’st thou, Jessica ?
And now, good sweet, say thy opinion;
How dost thou like the Lord Bassanio’s wife ?
Question 1.Who is the speaker talking about? What observation does he make about him?
Answer:The speaker is Lorenzo. He is talking about Launcelot Gobbo, the fool. Lorenzo laughs at Launcelot’s ability to use
words at his discretion and fit them for his purpose. Lorenzo also says that he knows of many fools better than Launcelot
(perhaps professionally) but he outruns them all.

Question 2.What is Jessica’s opinion of Bassanio’s wife?

Answer:Jessica feels that Portia, Bassanio’s wife, is beyond any comparison. He is blessed to have such a lady as his wife and
he should now, lead an honorable life. Having her as his wife, he’ll lead a heavenly life on earth. She always draws an example
 by saying that if there was a heavenly match between two gods and two earthly women were on the wager, one
being Portia, something else would have to be gambled for the other as there was no other woman in the world
to match Portia.

Question 3.What humorous exchange of words takes place between husband and wife at the end of the scene?
Answer:Lorenzo says that Jessica has a husband with all the qualities of an ideal husband just as Portia has for an ideal wife,
Jessica replies that she should be allowed to decide that. When Lorenzo suggests that they should talk about it over dinner,
Jessica says that she’d prefer to talk about his qualities when she has the inclination to do so. Then Lorenzo says that it’ll be
better if they have such pleasant conversation while eating, as no matter what she says, he’ll be able to digest it along with the
other things on the table.
Question 4.How does the scene end? What impression do you get about the relationship between the couple?
Answer:The scene ends on a very sweet note with a romantic conversation between Jessica and Lorenzo. He claims that the way
Portia is the best wife, similarly Lorenzo has no match as a husband. Jessica insists on being given the opportunity of expressing
her opinion on that. Thus, continuing their love prate, they move to the dinner table. From this, we understand that the couple
shares a strong bond of love and are passionate about each other. They can spend hours together in each other’s company.

Question 5.In what way is the scene important to the play?

Answer:The scene is a light-hearted interlude that acts as dramatic relief before the commencement of the emotionally charged
court scene. The interaction between the newly married Lorenzo and Jessica provides romance and sweetness to the play. It
gives the time gap for Portia’s journey to Venice. Jessica’s superlative praises enhances Portia’s character. Launcelot’s
clowning and punning is to entertain the common crowd. The comedy would heighten the effect of the court scene.

Act 4 Scene 1
At the court of law in Venice, the Duke, Antonio, Bassanio, Salerio, Graziano, and various notable personages are gathered for
Antonio's trial. Shylock is called into court, where the Duke addresses him first. The Duke says that he and the whole world are
certain that Shylock has only let things get this dangerous out of malice. They're all sure that at the last minute Shylock will go
back on his cruelty and they even expect his mercy will extend to forgiving some portion of the debt, as Shylock
knows about Antonio’s crippling losses at sea.

Shylock speaks for himself at court, rather than having a lawyer. He says he's sworn by the Jewish holy Sabbath that he'll get
what he's owed for Antonio's forfeiture of the bond. Further, if the city should fail to enforce Antonio's oath, their charter and
their
freedom will be called into question.

Portia enters and is introduced to the court as "the learned doctor Balthazar." She's all business and immediately asks Antonio if
he admits to his oath with Shylock. Antonio does, and Portia immediately concludes, "Then the Jew must be merciful."
Shylock's retort is that he isn't asking for mercy—especially not from a Christian God, he seems to implicitly add. He reiterates
that he's here to see justice served according to the law, no more and no less.
As Shylock prepares to cut into Antonio’s flesh, Portia suddenly halts the process. She says the bond allows for a pound of
flesh, but not for the shedding of blood. If Shylock takes a drop of Christian blood from Antonio, then the law of Venice states
that Venice can confiscate his land and goods. Shylock is incredulous, but Portia points out that since Shylock was so keen on
following the letter of the law, he's got to follow all of
the law, including the law on assaulting Christians.
1. Duke :
I am sorry for thee : thou art come to answer
A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch
Uncapable of pity, void and empty
From any dram of mercy.

Question 1.Who is ‘thee’ in the first line? Where are they and why?
Answer:The ‘thee’ in the first line refers to Antonio. They are right now in the court for the case between Antonio and Shylock.
Antonio has forfeited the bond so Shylock is liable to take a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body.
Question 2.Who is being spoken about? Why is this person being described in such a manner?
Answer:The duke is talking about Shylock, the Jewish moneylender. As Shylock is an unfeeling and ruthless Jew and his hatred
for Antonio is so strong that he has forgotten humanity, and in spite of the duke begging for mercy for Antonio he is not ready
to give up his bond. His heart is filled with hatred with no place for mercy.

Question 3.Who is the ‘adversary’ referred to here? What does the Duke mean by ‘stony adversary’ and ‘in human wretch’?
 Ans.The adversary referred to here is Shylock. By ‘stony adversary’ and ‘inhuman wretch’ the Duke means that
Shylock is stone hearted and he does not possess the feelings of humanity.

Question 4.Who are the other people present? Who enters the scene next? What are his demands and why?
Answer:The other people present are Bassanio, Gratiano, Salerio and the officers of the court. Shylock enters the scene next. He
only wants his bond and nothing else. He was offered twice the amount due, but he only wants a pound of Antonio’s flesh. His
hatred for Antonio is so deep that nothing else can satisfy him but his life.

Question 5.Whose arrival is awaited? Does this person turn up? Why?
Answer:The duke is awaiting the arrival of a learned doctor, Bellario, from Padua whom he has called to determine the case.
Since Doctor Bellario is unable to come he sends a letter stating that he is sending a learned lawyer in his place. Therefore
instead of Bellario comes the learned lawyer.

Question 6.Give details of the person who comes. How does this person change the present situation?
Answer:The person who comes in place of Bellario is actually, Portia dressed as a lawyer. With her wit and intelligence, she
turns the tables against Shylock. Antonio wins the case and he also gets half of Shylock’s property. As per the bond, Shylock
can have a pound of flesh, nothing less and nothing more and while cutting this pound of flesh he has to make sure that he
doesn’t shed even a single drop of blood. This, of course was not possible, therefore, Shylock has to accept what the state of
Venice decides.

2. Antonio :
I am a tainted wether of the jlock,
Meetestjor death : the weakest kind offruit
Drops earliest to the ground; and so let me.

Question 1.Under what circumstances does this dialogue take place?

Answer:This dialogue takes place when Shylock’s case against Antonio seems to be going against Antonio. The Duke’s
personal appeal to Shylock has produced no effect on Shylock; and Bassanio’s pleading with Shylock has also failed to serve
any purpose.

Question 2.The listener has been given a task by the speaker. What is it? Why does he say that?
Answer:Antonio asks Bassanio to write his epitaph because that would be the most suitable task for him as he is his best friend
and no one can understand him better than Bassanio.

Question 3.Why is Antonio willing to die?

Answer:Antonio thinks himself to be a useless man now when he was bankrupt, and has completely lost his flourishing
business. He compares himself to a sheep, which gets infected with some disease, and his continued presence in the flock of
sheep can prove to be dangerous to the other sheep as well. It would be better if the infected sheep dies. In the same way,
Antonio would like to die instead of continuing to live and cause endless anxiety to his friends like Bassanio.

Question 4.What feelings does this piece of dialogue arouse in your heart?
Answer:This piece of dialogue provokes sympathy for Antonio and respect for Bassanio. A deep pity has been aroused at the
fate, which Antonio is on the edge of meeting; and we certainly admire Bassanio for his sincerity towards his friend who is in
profound dilemma.

Question 5.Who enters the scene next? What news does this person bring?
Answer:Nerissa, dressed as the lawyer’s clerk, enters the scene next. Nerissa has come with a letter from Bellario, a renowned
Doctor of law. The letter states that since Bellario is unwell he is sending a learned lawyer by the name of Balthazar to handle
the case.

3. Portia :
Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh.
Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less, nor more,
But just a pound offlesh : if thou tak’st more,
Or less, than a just pound, be it but so much
As makes it light or heavy in the substance,
Or the division of the twentieth part
Of one poor scruple, nay, if the scale do turn
But in the estimation of a hair,
 Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate.

Question 1.Who are the two people in conversation? The speaker lays down a condition, what is it?
Answer:The two people in the conversation are Portia, dressed as the lawyer and Shylock, the Jewish moneylender. As per the
bond, Shylock can take only a pound of flesh. It does not permit him to take a single drop of blood. He must weigh a pound of
flesh, accurately, without shedding even a ‘jot’ of blood.

Question 2.
Another person, present here, applauds the speaker for his judgment. Who is this person? Why does he react in this manner?
Answer:
Gratiano, a friend of Bassanio and Antonio, also present in the court, is very happy when Portia comes out with this condition.
When Portia allows Shylock to cut a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body, nearest to his heart, Shylock is very happy and calls
Portia a great judge, Daniel. But now seeing that the tables have turned against Shylock, he applauds and makes fun of Shylock
and ridicules him.

Question 3.
What would be the penalty if the law is broken? Give details.
Answer:If Shylock sheds a single drop of blood while taking his pound of flesh, as per the bond, then all his property would be
confiscated, and he would have to face a death sentence. His life would be at the mercy of the Duke.

Finally, the duke spares Shylock’s life and half his property goes to the state of Venice and the other half, which was to go to
Antonio, is given to Lorenzo and Jessica, on Antonio’s request. Shylock is made to sign a deed in which half his property is
bequeathed to his daughter and son-in-law. Also, Shylock has to turn into a Christian. Therefore, he is left completely defeated
and drained.

Question 4.The tables have turned. How? Who is responsible for it?
Answer:Portia’s wit and intelligence turn the tables against Shylock. Antonio has lost all hope and is sure that the Jew will take
his revenge and Antonio will have to pay the penalty of breaking the bond with his life. Shylock is all ready to take his pound of
flesh when he is stopped by Portia, stating that Shylock can only have a pound of flesh and without shedding a single drop of
blood.

Shylock has no choice but to let go of his dearest enemy. In fact, he not only has to forget about getting his principal but also
loses all his property and has to face the humiliation of turning into a Christian. All this happend because of Portia.

Question 5.Characterize the speaker.

Answer:The speaker, Portia, is a woman of substance. Her beauty matches her intelligence, clearly defying the phrase, ‘beauty
without brains’. She is quick¬witted, beautiful and intelligent and comes as an antidote to Shylock’s malice. However, in the
beginning of the play, we do not see her potential because she is engrossed in her father’s will. But here also we realize that she
is an obedient daughter. She is fun-loving as we can see in the ‘ring episode’, but here also she is sensible enough to stop the
fun before it goes too far.

4. Portia :
You press me far, and therefore I will yield.
Give me your gloves, I’ll wear them for your sake;
And (for your love) I’ll take this ring from you.
Do not draw back your hand; I’ll take no more,
And you in love shall not deny me this.

Question 1.Who is pressing whom and why?

Answer:Portia, in the garb of a lawyer, yields to the offer made by Bassanio, her husband. He insists that the lawyer (Portia)
must accept a token of remem¬brance from them for saving his dearest friend Antonio, from the clutches of the unfeeling Jew,
Shylock. Bassanio feels indebted to the lawyer, wants to show his gratitude, and thus makes this offer.

Question 2.Whose gloves does the speaker wear and whose ring is demanded? What is the intention behind this?
Answer:Portia, the speaker of the above lines agrees to wear Antonio’s gloves as a token of his remembrance and demands
Bassanio’s ring, which has been gifted to him by his wife, Portia, which he had sworn never to part with. Portia, knowing that
Bassanio cannot part with this ring, still demands for it just to have a little fun. Though towards the end of the play she reveals
her real identity but plays around with Bassanio just to add to the humor of the play. It’s all for fun.
 Question 3.Who draws back his hand? Why is he so reluctant to part with the ring?
Answer:Bassanio, Portia’s husband, draws back his hand, as he, under no circumstances, can part with this ring
because when Portia had given this ring to him she had put down a condition that if ever Bassanio parts with this ring it would
mean an end of their love and relationship.

Question 4.Why is the speaker adamant to have the ring? What offer is made by the owner of the ring? How does he justify
himself?
Answer:Portia insists on having this very ring because she claims that she has a fancy for it and wouldn’t accept anything else.
Actually, she is playing around with Bassanio, her husband, which of course, he is not aware of. Bassanio tries to convince
Portia by saying that this ring is too trivial and that he would find the most expensive ring in Venice for the lawyer. Finally,
Bassanio comes out with the truth that since this ring was a gift from his wife he couldn’t part with it. Also while giving it to
him, she had made him vow that he should never sell, give or lose this ring. Therefore, he must be excused for this.

Question 5.How does the scene ends?

Answer:The scene ends with Portia succeeding in getting the ring from Bassanio on Antonio’s request. Antonio tells Bassanio
that he should give more importance to his friend’s love and the lawyer’s ‘deserving’s’ than to his wife’s commandments.
Finally, Gratiano runs behind Portia to give her the ring and invite her to dinner. Bassanio and Antonio finally make plans to
leave for Belmont the next day.

The Merchant of Venice

Act 5, scene 1

Synopsis:
Portia and Nerissa return to Belmont. When Bassanio and Gratiano also return, bringing Antonio with them, Portia and Nerissa
“discover” that their husbands have given away their rings. Antonio steps in and pleads with Portia to forgive Bassanio. At this
request, the women return the rings to their husbands and reveal that Portia was the lawyer who saved Antonio. Portia also tells
Antonio that three of his ships have successfully returned and tells Lorenzo that he is Shylock’s heir.

Analysis
Jessica and Lorenzo quietly enjoying one another's company, making jokes about the features their love story shares with the
doomed couples of legend, provides a sharp contrast with the drama that unfolds between the other newlyweds in Belmont.
Jessica and Lorenzo have overcome tremendous obstacles to be together; they have—to paraphrase the lead casket's inscription
from Act 2, Scene 7—given all and hazarded everything for their love. Neither of them questions the others' loyalty, nor do they
rely on symbols or objects as proof of their bond. The bond between them just is, and they value one another above all else.

Portia's marriage to Bassanio and Nerissa's to Gratiano lack the simple affection visible between Jessica and Lorenzo. Bassanio
and Gratiano do have divided devotion. If their rings are meant to symbolize the bond they have with their wives, they were
wrong to give those rings away to men they believed to be strangers. Bassanio gives away his ring in Act 4, Scene 1 because on
some level he does value Antonio's opinion and love over Portia's. In fairness to Antonio, Bassanio knows Antonio has
sacrificed more for him than Portia has, and their relationship has a much longer history. But in fact, Portia has made similar
sacrifices for Bassanio and Antonio. She offered Bassanio her whole fortune to save his friend's life. She then took the risk of
disguising herself as a man and lying about her identity to the Duke of Venice to ensure Antonio's safety because she did not
want her husband to lose his friend. If she had been caught in this deception, she would surely have faced punishment herself.
Bassanio does not understand these truths until Portia reveals her identity as the young doctor of law who saved Antonio.

Antonio also makes a final sacrifice on Bassanio's behalf. Seeing that his involvement in Bassanio's life has divided Bassanio's
loyalty and created strife in his marriage, Antonio tells Portia that the lost ring is his fault. She still holds Bassanio solely
responsible, as she should, but Antonio swears his soul to helping preserve the integrity of Bassanio's marriage. To him this oath
is more significant than the sacrifice of his body, and it represents a profound change in the relationship between Antonio

and Bassanio. They may remain friends, but Antonio will no longer be first in Bassanio's loyalty. Antonio knows the love he
bears Bassanio—whether that love is romantic or not—must evolve now that his friend is married.

LORENZO
 The moon shines bright: in such a night as this (on one such night of full moon),
When the sweet (fragrant) wind did gently kiss the trees (Wind personified: wind ‘kisses’ the trees: slowly and
gradually moves the trees)
And they did make no noise (and the kissing, the movement produced no noise) ,
Reference I
Reference 1: Troilus and Cressida
In such a night (Lorenzo repeats the phrase ‘in such a night)
Troilus methinks mounted (climbed) the Trojan walls (the walls of Troy)
And sigh’d his soul (cried in pain) toward the Grecian tents (Grecian camp),
Where Cressid (Cressida) lay that night (where Cressida was that night)
There is a series of references drawn on here. The references are as follows:
• The full moon light is being compared with the night on which Troilus went over to the Grecian camps after the war of Troy
had been concluded.
• Troilus was Priam’s son, in love with Cressida, to whom he swore eternal fidelity. After Cressida was taken into the enemy
camp, Troilus would stand on the walls of Troy looking at the Greek camp.
Reference II: Thisbe and Pyramus
JESSICA
In such a night
Did Thisbe fearfully (anxiously) o’ertrip (walk lightly over)the dew (the wet grass)
And saw the lion’s shadow ere himself (and saw the shadow of the lion before the lion)
And ran dismay’d away (ran away surprised)
The reference has three points:
• Pyramus and Thisbe were lovers in Babylonia and their story is retold by Ovid in Metamorphoses
• They had decided to meet under a tree, where Thisbe arrived, saw the shadow of a lion and ran away, dropping her scarf
• Pyramus, who arrived later saw the blood smeared scarf (that had the blood of an ox), thought that Thisbe had been killed and
stabbed himself. Thisbe, who returned to the spot later stabbed herself too, seeing dead Pyramus.
Reference III Dido and Aeneas
LORENZO
In such a night (on a night such as this one)
Stood Dido with a willow (a tree; symbolises Loss) in her hand (holding a willow)
Upon the wild sea banks (on the banks of the stormy sea) and waft her love (waved to her love, Aeneas)
To come again to Carthage (to return to Carthage)
Note:
• The Queen of Carthage, Dido, fell in love with Aeneas, the Trojan Hero. She would wait on the banks of the stormy sea after
Aeneas had gone to found the city of Rome, anticipating his return.
• The story is told by many poets in literature
Reference IV Media and Aeson
JESSICA
 In such a night
Medea (an enchantress) gather’d the enchanted herbs (magical herbs)
That did renew old Aeson (Jason’s father Aeson; see note).
The reference has the following points:
· Aeson was the father of the Greek hero Jason, mentioned also
in the context of the Golden fleece in Act I
· Medea was an enchantress who loved Jason and helped him get the Golden Fleece
· Medea was said to have restored Jason’s father Aeson to life. Ovid wrote about it in Metamorphoses
· The Elizabethans believed that herbs, esp. certain herbs, gained special qualities when gathered on a moonlit night
LORENZO
In such a night (on a night such as this one; Lorenzo means to be jovial in comparing their situation with that of the great
historical figures they have mentioned before)
Did Jessica steal (pun: rob her father and run away herself) from the wealthy Jew (Shylock)
And with an unthrift love (pun again; the expression implies ‘careless devotion’ and ‘penniless lover’) did run from Venice
(escape from Venice)
As far as Belmont (for Belmont).
JESSICA
In such a night
Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well (Jessica outwits Lorenzo; another example of women characters in Shakespeare’s
comedies being smarter than the male
characters. She tells Lorenzo that he made her promises in love that he never kept),
Stealing her soul with many vows of faith (He captured her heart with declarations of love)
And ne’er a true one (and did not keep his promises).
LORENZO
In such a night Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew (complaining woman),
Slander her love (insult her ‘love’ here her love for Lorenzo),
and he forgave it her (he forgave her for it).
JESSICA
I would out-night you (Jessica is confident she would outwit Lorenzo further if they were undisturbed), did no body come (if no
one would disturb them);
But, hark, I hear the footing of a man (But they hear the steps of a man).
Notes on the above interaction:
The above interaction shows us the romantic relationship between Jessica and Lorenzo
It re-establishes the elements of Love and Romance in the play
The allusions point to the one common feature in the relationships of all the archetypical lovers: the difficulties they faced in
their union
4. Jessica and Lorenzo’s case is no different from that of the historical lovers
Stephano enters the scene and announces:
 Portia will be back before dawn
Nerissa and she wander about the ‘holy crosses’ small roadside shrines
Portia and Nerissa have been in prayer for happy wedlock hours (a happy married life)Lorenzo asks who is with Portia and
Stephano mentions Nerissa’s ‘a holy hermit and her maid’
Stephano asks Lorenzo if he has had any news from Bassanio. Lorenzo tells him that they have had none.
Lorenzo asks Jessica to move in the Belmont house and take personal charge of the preparations to welcome Portia
Launcelot enters and announces the arrival of a post (a messenger) with his horn (post-horn: it was a custom for the messengers
to blow horns before they announced the news) full of good news. They have finally heard from Bassanio. He will be in
Belmont before the morning.
Lorenzo calls Jessica his ‘sweet soul’ and tells her to move in the house and await the arrival of the master and the mistress of
the house
He doubts his own decision: there is no need for them to move in at all as they are almost into the early morning.
He asks Stephano to go into the house and tell the servants and the attendants of the arrival of the owners of the house
He tells Stephano to play music in open air to mark the happy reunion about to take place in the morning hours
Lorenzo makes the following observations about the night and
music:
The moonlight sleeps sweetly upon the bank (personifies the moonlight)
They will sit out in the open and music will gradually ‘creep’ in their ears (a weak personification and a metaphor; music is
said to creep and thereby is compared with a creeping insect. It can also be implied that it is the creeping saint trying to spread
good feeling and harmony)
The soothing calm and peace of the night suit the notes of melodious ‘harmony’(music)
He asks Jessica to gaze at the sky and the floor of heaven (a strong metaphor continues in the next lines; heaven (the visible
sky) is compared with the floor)
The floor of heaven (surface of heaven) is richly decorated with ‘patines of bright gold’ (pieces of shiny metal; the stars).
Explanation: as the surface of a room would have the beautiful pattern of metal and stone on it, so has the sky got the stars
decorating it.
Even the smallest orb (planet) that the human eye can see sings like an angel in its path and motion (simile and personification
here; the planets sing ‘like’ angels and they ‘sing’, which is a human character)
They sing together as if in a quire/concert with the ‘young eyed cherubins’ (A cherubin was the second in the order of angels,
portrayed as a winged child)
Explanation: Lorenzo gets highly philosophical in his observations. He refers to the ideas of Pythagoras in observing that the
planets and the stars have an inherent music. The Elizabethans too believed that the motion of the stars and the planets produced
sounds and the combination of these sounds created harmony.
The harmony of the planets and the stars is also present in the immortal human soul
It cannot, however, be heard as long as the ‘muddy vesture of decay’ (the perishable human body) ‘grossly’ (rudely/ roughly)
‘close it in’ (holds the ‘immortal soul’ captive)
Note: What Lorenzo is saying is as follows: the music and harmony of the stars and the planets is found also in the immortal
soul. Yet, man is unable to hear it as the soul is the prisoner of the perishable body.
The musicians enter and Lorenzo asks them to arouse Diana (the moon Goddess) from her slumber by their music
He asks them to play welcoming notes for Portia
Jessica observes that she is never ‘merry’ (in the jovial mood) when she hears serious music
 LORENZO
The reason is (Lorenzo tries to explain Jessica’s behaviour), your spirits are attentive (Jessica is never jovial
when she hears sweet music as she is a receptive/sensitive listener):
For do but note a wild and wanton herd (He asks her to observe the behaviour of an in disciplined, uncontrollable herd of
cattle),
Or race of youthful and unhandled colts (or the breed of immature and untrained young male horses), Fetching mad bounds
(jumping around madly), bellowing
(producing loud sounds) and neighing loud (high sounds), Which is the hot condition of their blood (which is the true nature of
their wild blood);
If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound (if they hear perhaps the sound of a trumpet),
Or any air of music (song) touch their ears (if the animal mentioned, the youthful and unhandled colts, hears the melodies and
the sound of music),
You shall perceive them make a mutual stand (it is seen that they all stand together still),
Their savage eyes (wild eyes) turn’d(are transformed) to a modest gaze
By the sweet power of music (harmonious influence of music): therefore the poet (here, Ovid, the great Roman poet) Did feign
(depicted) that Orpheus (the famous musician in
Greek myth, son of Caliope, was presented with the lyre of Apollo and sang and played so beautifully that animals, plants and
even the lifeless objects moved from their places)
drew trees, stones and floods (moved trees, stones and influenced natural phenomenon);
Since nought so stockish, hard and full of rage (as there is nothing so stubborn, insensitive and aggressive), But music for the
time doth change his nature (that it cannot be
influenced by the sweet melodies of music). The man that hath no music in himself (a man with no music in him), Nor is not
moved with concord of sweet sounds (and someone
who is not moved by the harmony of sweet sounds),Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils (is suited only for crime, trickery
and robbery);
The motions of his spirit are dull as night (such a man has nonspiritual life and is mentally dull)
And his affections dark as Erebus (and his feelings are as evil as the home of the dead. Erebus in Greek myth is the home of the
dead):
Let no such man be trusted (such a man is not worthy of anyone’s trust). Mark the music (he asks Jessica to listen to the music).
Note: Lorenzo’s argument is that music has great humanizing qualities and the sensitive react very gravely and sombrely to it.
Music has the potential to discipline and order even those forms of life that are naturally wild and insensitive.
Enter PORTIA and NERISSA
· Portia observes the light burning in her hall
· She remarks on the light of the candle. The little candle, she says, throws out its beams of light
· She compares the beams of candle light with charitable, good deeds in a corrupt world
· Nerissa responds that the moon light had quite eclipsed the candle’s beams
· Portia compares the moon light with the greater glory. She adds that a King’s substitute can never be the King. That a king’s
substitute impresses us as long as the King is not around.
· The presence of the king dims and lessons the radiance of the substitute.
· She uses a simile to tell Nerissa that the substitute disappears before the king as ‘the inland brook’ (the river) vanishes into
‘the main of waters’ (the sea).
 · They suddenly hear the music in the air.
· Nerissa points out that the music is of Portia’s band of musicians (it used to be a custom for the rich to employ
their own musicians)
· Portia opines that things are lent a charm and novelty by their contexts. That nothing is perfect without favourable
surroundings.
· The music, Portia says, sounds more melodious at night than it does by day
· Nerissa says that it is the silence of the night that lends music its greater melody.
PORTIA
The crow doth sing as sweetly (the crow sings as sweetly) as the lark (the lark is a bird of Alaudidae family, found worldwide
and universally acknowledged for its melodious
song),
When neither is attended (when they are not heard; Portia hints at the silence of the night that makes the song of the lark as
melodious as that of the crow), and I think
The nightingale, if she should sing by day (if the nightingale were to sing during the day),
When every goose is cackling (when geese made loud and unpleasant sounds) would be thought
No better a musician than the wren (the nightingale would not be any more melodious than the wren).
How many things by season (here, environment/surroundings/ right time) season’d (textured/defined/given a shape) are
(By the above example Portia hints at the contextual propriety of all that is pleasing to human nature. Melody lost in chaos is
noise. And silence makes the unpleasant
sounds tolerable.)
To their right praise and true perfection! (things earn their right praise and true perfection by the time and place in which they
are born and prosper)
Peace, ho! the moon sleeps with Endymion (Classical allusion: in Greek myth: a beautiful youth, loved by the moon, who
visited him every night to bathe him in her silver light)
And would not be awaked (and should not be aroused).
· Lorenzo recognizes Portia’s voice and announces her arrival for the audience
· Portia remarks that Lorenzo recognizes her much in the manner of a blind man knowing the cuckoo (by its bad voice). The
figure of speech is a simile: ‘as the blind man knows the
cuckoo’.
· Lorenzo welcomes Portia home
· Portia tells them that Nerissa and she have been in communion with God for better health of their husbands and asks whether
Bassanio and Gratiano have returned.
· Lorenzo tells them that they have not yet returned. He informs them of the messenger whom they sent to announce their
arrival in advance
· Portia tells Nerissa to instruct the servants at home not to let out the fact of their absence from Belmont to her husband. She
requests Lorenzo and Jessica for the same and they readily oblige.
· Lorenzo can hear the trumpet of Bassanio’s followers. He promises Portia that they are no ‘tale tellers’
· Portia replies that:
1. The night is not true to its character as it is the time of happy family reunion.
2. It is more like the ‘daylight sick’ (a day without much light), it looks a little dimmer
 3. The night is very like the day that is when the sun is concealed in the clouds
· Bassanio enters with Antonio, Gratiano and his followers
· Bassanio remarks that Venetians will share their day time with ‘the Antipodes’ (Australians) if Portia (who is as great a source
of light as the sun) walks at night
· Portia puns on the word ‘light’, saying that she would love to give light (be a source of light) but not be light (light and
shallow of character)
· She remarks that a ‘light’ wife (a woman of shallow character) makes a heavy (sad) husband
· Bassanio should never have a reason in Portia to be heavy
· She thanks God for their safe and sound return
· Bassanio introduces her to Antonio and asks her to welcome him. He describes Antonio as someone to whom he was very
indebted
· Portia puns on the word bound. She says that Antonio was ‘bound’ (in chains) for his friend, and, therefore, Bassanio should
be much ‘bound’ (grateful) to Antonio.
· Antonio expresses his satisfaction over having got acquitted and does not want the past to be talked about. There is optimism
in his heart.
· Portia welcomes Antonio home. She says she is eager to host him not merely in words but in deed. She will ‘scant’ (cut
short)‘this breathing courtesy’ (this verbal welcome)
· By this time Nerissa has already cornered Gratiano and he defends himself loudly:
· Gratiano is prepared to swear that he has done no wrong and that Nerissa’s accusations are unjustly made
· Gratiano declares that the ring was indeed given to the clerk of the lawyer who represented Antonio
· He also declares that he has no interest in the matter and that the clerk’s welfare is of no concern to him
· Had he known that Nerissa would take the matter so offensively he would not have given the ring away to the clerk
· Portia interjects and asks what the quarrel is about
· Gratiano informs them of Nerissa’s grievance. He dismisses her plaints as useless and being about ‘a hoop’ (a ring) of gold
· He calls it a ‘paltry’ (useless) ring, one that had ‘cutler’s poetry’(the common inscriptions that the knife-makers decorated
their knives with) on it
· He even quotes the inscription on the ring (comparing it with those on the knives) as ‘Love me and leave me not’
· Nerissa answers him thus:
NERISSA
What talk you of the posy or the value (Gratiano should not be the one talking of the poetry and its value)?
You swore to me (Gratiano gave Nerissa his word that he will keep the ring with him and defend it), when I did give it you (at
the time the ring was given him),
That you would wear it till your hour of death (he promised her that he will wear the ring till his death)
And that it should lie with you in your grave (and that even his death will not separate him and the ring):
Though not for me, yet for your vehement oaths (Nerissa shows her displeasure by according greater importance to Gratiano’s
oaths. He should have kept the ring with him to keep his word, if nothing more),
You should have been respective and have kept it (Gratiano should have kept his oath).
Gave it a judge’s clerk! no, God’s my judge (Just to take the quarrel forward, she doubts Gratiano’s explanation that he gave
the ring away to the judge’s clerk),
The clerk will ne’er wear hair on’s face that had it (the clerk who got Gratiano’s ring will never have facial hair on him).
 NOTE: Nerissa’s grouse and Portia’s arraignment of Bassanio is the mock revenge the two extract from their
husbands. The two women have clearly outwitted their husbands in every
department. The ring episode is their masterstroke.
· GRATIANO protests that the judge’s clerk will grow beard on his face if he grows to be a man. Nerissa however is far from
convinced. She mocks him wondering how a woman will grow to be a man.
Gratiano swears again affirming that he gave the ring to a young man Gratiano swears again affirming that he gave the ring to a
young man

Gratiano describes the man he gave the ring to. The man, he says, was only a boy, short in stature, talkative, and he begged the
ring of him. Gratiano could not say not to him.
· Portia finally gives her opinion and criticizes Gratiano. In her opinion Gratiano is guilty. He should not have given away the
first gift of his wife so carefreely:
1. The ring was held on with promises and pledges of love
2. It was also fastened with faith to Gratiano’s very flesh
3. She points out Bassanio’s ring that she had committed to him at the time of their marriage.
4. Bassanio swore that he would never part with it and Portia is confident that he will neither leave the ring nor remove it off his
fingers for all the wealth the world has to offer
5. She snubs Gratiano, alleging that he has given Nerissa a very unreasonable cause of grief.
6. To take the point further, she places herself in Nerissa’s shoes and declares that she would have been equally furious had she
been in her place
· Bassanio in an aside wishes that he had never given the ring away. If only he could cut off his finger and say that he lost it in
defending the ring
· Gratiano tells them that Bassanio gave his ring away too. That the Judge who asked for it deserved it:
1. That it was only after Bassanio’s act that he gave his ring to the clerk
2. That the boy, his clerk, who made the effort to prepare the deed of gift (for Lorenzo), asked Gratiano his ring
3. That neither the judge (the lawyer) nor his assistant would accept anything but the rings
· Portia asks Bassanio what ring Gratiano has alluded to: is it the ring she gave Bassanio and the one he swore to keep for life
· Bassanio confesses that he cannot add a lie to an error he has already committed. He points to his finger that does not have the
ring upon it
· Portia accuses Bassanio of having a false and empty heart
· She declares that she will not be Bassano’s wife till she sees the ring
· Nerissa also vows not to consider Gratiano her husband till she sees the ring she gifted him
· In his defence Bassanio says that Portia would not have objected to the rings being given to the Judge and his clerk if:
1. She knew the person who was given the ring (implying Balthasar, the lawyer)
2. She knew the person for whom the ring was given (implying Antonio, his dearest friend)
3. She knew why the ring was given (implying the impossibility of saving Antonio and the ease with which Portia brought it
about)
4. She knew how all his offers fell on deaf ears and nothing but the ring would be accepted
 · If she knew all of the points, she ‘would abate the strength of her displeasure’ (decrease her anger and plaints
against Bassanio)
· Portia, in mock humour between Nerissa and herself, further expresses her deep displeasure with her husband on the following
grounds:
1. That Bassanio did not know the ‘virtue’ (true value) of the ring
2. That he did not know half the value and the worth of Portia who had given him the ring
3. That he forgot his own honour with which he had sworn to keep the ring with him
· She questions Bassanio’s version and wonders why any man would be so stubborn as to insist on the ring if Bassanio defended
it with any ‘terms of zeal’ (determination)
· The ring, she tells us, was held by Bassanio as ‘a ceremony’ (sacred symbol of marriage)
She is bound to agree with Nerissa that Bassanio gave the ring away not to man but a common woman and she bets her life on it
NOTE: Portia’s speech is a further reflection on the Merchant of Venice being an Elizabethan comedy. The woman holds the
man defensive. Portia is calling the shots here, and Bassanio
must defend himself.
BASSANIO
No, by my honour, madam, by my soul (Bassanio swears by his honour as a gentleman and his soul),
No woman had it, but a civil doctor (that he did not give it any woman but a doctor of laws),
Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me (the same doctor who refused three thousand ducats that Bassanio offered him)
And begg’d the ring (and asked Bassanio for the ring); the which I did deny him (and Bassanio refused the ring to him initially)
And suffer’d him to go displeased away (and the lawyer, being offended by Bassanio’s refusal, walked away initially);
Even he that did uphold the very life (and Bassanio did suffer the displeasure of the very person who saved the very life)
Of my dear friend (of his closest, dearest, friend). What should I say, sweet lady (he tells Portia with regret)?
I was enforced to send it after him (that he was compelled to send the ring to him);
I was beset with shame and courtesy (his refusal to the lawyer had shamed him as a gentleman);
My honour would not let ingratitude (he could not let his honour be tainted by his own inability to bestow a small reward)
So much besmear it (taint/stain his honour). Pardon me, good lady;
For, by these blessed candles of the night (a metaphor: he swears on the stars, comparing them with the candles),
Had you been there, I think you would have begg’d The ring of me to give the worthy doctor. (Had Portia been there she would
ask Bassanio to give the precious ring away
to the deserving doctor who saved the life of his dear friend.)
· Portia angrily tells him not to let the deserving doctor ever visit her.
· The doctor, she says, has got the one thing she so dearly loved. And the one thing Bassanio swore to keep for her and failed to
keep his word in.
· Taking her cue from her husband, she will more than generously bestow all that she has upon the learned and talented doctor
· She will not deny the doctor any favours
· Nerissa tells Gratiano that she will be uninhibitedly generous with the lawyer’s clerk and that she should be left to her own
protection.
NOTE: Portia and Nerissa tell Bassanio and Gratiano in their mock humour that the men have lost their absolute claim over
their women now. Since they could not suffer the shame of denying the doctor and his clerk the one precious thing their wives
 had given them, the wives will not be ashamed to deny the doctor and his clerk the most precious thing the
husbands gave them. The husbands’ absolute claim over their wives is their most precious achievement. Portia
and Nerissa threaten Bassanio and Gratiano that they will treat the doctor and his clerk as liberally and
attentively as they do them.
· Antonio finally interjects and says that he has been the cause of the unhappy quarrels between husbands and wives
· Portia finally realises that she is taking the joke too far and assures Antonio that he is welcome
· Bassanio apologizes to Portia and asks her to forgive him
· Before his dear friends and keeping them as witness he swears to her on her beautiful eyes, in which he sees his reflection

Portia holds the argument there and asks the assembled party to notice that Bassanio’s oath is flawed
· In her two eyes Bassanio ‘doubly’ sees himself (his two images). He, therefore, swears by ‘his double self’ {Pun on ‘doubly’.
Bassanio sees two images ‘doubly’ and behaves
like a ‘double’ self (false person)}.
· Such an oath cannot be trustworthy
· Bassanio asks for her forgiveness again and swears her that he will never break any of his promises
· Antonio now breaks in with his own assurance and tells Portia that he once lent his body for her Bassanio’s wealth
· He tells Portia that he almost lost his life for Bassanio and that he was saved by the young judge who took the ring
· Antonio pledges his soul for Bassanio’s sake again. Once he put his physical safety at stake for his friend; now he is willing to
put his spiritual safety at stake for him (note the use of the word ‘soul’). The phrase ‘soul upon the forfeit’ means that Antonio
commits his soul to Portia as the penalty if Bassanio fails her in his promises.
· Antonio tells Portia that Bassanio will never break his oaths in future
· Portia requests Antonio to be his friend’s guarantor and hands him the ring
· She asks Antonio to tell his friend never to lose the ring again. Antonio hands the ring to Bassanio and tells him to swear never
to lose it
· Bassanio looks at the ring with a sense of shock. The ring is the same that he gave the young doctor
· Portia tells Bassanio that she took the ring from the doctor
· At this Nerissa offers Gratiano a ring too, saying that she obtained it of the ‘scrubbed boy’, the doctor’s assistance
· Portia finally addresses all her guests:

PORTIA:
You are all amazed (she refers to their surprise and consternation):
Here is a letter; read it at your leisure (she shows them a letter, asking them to read it);
It comes from Padua, from Bellario (the letter was written by Bellario, her cousin, and came from Padua):
There you shall find that Portia was the doctor (that letter proves beyond doubt that Portia was the doctor of laws and Nerissa,
the clerk),
Nerissa there her clerk: Lorenzo here Shall witness I set forth as soon as you (Lorenzo’s testimony is now called upon. He being
a friend of Antonio, Bassanio and Gratiano shall prove that Portia and Nerissa left the house as soon as their husbands)
And even but now returned (and have returned only a little before the men); I have not yet
Entered my house (she has just entered the house). Antonio, you are welcome;
 And I have better news in store for you (there is something better Portia has to share with Antonio)
Than you expect: unseal this letter soon (she presents Antonio a separate letter that she asks him to open);
There you shall find three of your argosies (three of his ships) Are richly come to harbour suddenly (have returned to the
harbour safely and unexpectedly):
You shall not know by what strange accident I chanced on this letter (she does not intend to get in the detail of how she got the
letter and from where).
NOTE: The above speech is the speech of resolution. Shakespeare must conclude the comedy on the positive note much as he
began it on a sombre note of Antonio’s grief. The Merchant of Venice is rich again and his fortune is restored to him. For
reasons of Dramatic Convenience the speech does not detail how and where Portia came across Antonio’s letters)
· Antonio expresses that he is dumb
· Bassanio and Gratiano wonder if Portia was the doctor and Nerissa his attendant
· Antonio reads the letter and conveys that his ships are back indeed. He calls Portia ‘sweet lady’ who has given him ‘life and
living’
· His ships, he tells us, have safely come to road (back to the harbour)
· Portia tells Lorenzo that she has some good news for him and Jessica too
· Nerissa addresses Lorenzo and Jessica and says that she will give them the bounty without charging them a fee.
· Nerissa hands them the deed of gift that Shylock signed and that entitles them to all his property and money on his death
· Lorenzo thanks them and refers to ‘manna’. Portia and Nerissa drop ‘manna’ (the bread from heaven in the Bible) on starved
people. (Note: Lorenzo compares Portia and Nerissa with the angels from heaven and the others with the starving Hebrews,
who nourished by ‘manna’ survived for forty years before they got to the promised land)
· The morning has approached and Portia knows that the men are still amazed by the sudden discoveries they have made.
· She asks them all to go in and question the ladies there on oath so that their answers dim curiosities. She promises them that
Nerissa and she will answer all questions faithfully.
· Gratiano gets to make the concluding remarks. He tells the audience that the only thing he will be wary of ever is losing his
wife’s ring.

Sample Question 1 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
Portia : If you had known the virtue of the ring,
Or half her worthiness that gave the ring,
Or your own honour to contain the ring,
You would not then parted with the ring.
(i) To whom is Portia talking here? What is the point of their talk?
Answer : Portia is talking to her husband Bassanio here. They are talking about the loss of Portia’s ring which she had given to
Bassanio with the instruction that he must never part with it.
(ii) Which ring has been mentioned here? What has happened to the ring?
Answer : The ring here is the ring that Portia gave to her husband Bassanio when their marriage was solemnised. She wanted
Bassanio to keep the ring with him always. However, Bassanio was claiming that he had given it to a lawyer.
(iii) Portia appears to be very angry here. Is she really angry? Give reasons to support your answer.
Answer : It may appear that Portia was very angry with her husband. He had claimed that only death can part him from the
ring. However she was playing the fool with him. She had demanded the ring, when disguised as a Doctor of Law in Venice, in
return for the favour she had done by saving Antonio’s life. It was her own idea to tease her husband.
 (iv) What does Antonio tell Portia to convince her?
Answer : Antonio tried to convince Portia by saying that Bassanio was not telling a lie and he had given the
ring to the lawyer who saved Antonio’s life. He told her that it was he would persuade Bassanio to give the ring to the lawyer.
(v) Earlier, Nerissa had taken the ring from her husband too. Why had their husbands given the rings back to them?
Answer : Nerissa and Portia had disguised themselves as men and went to Venice to help Antonio win his case. After they were
successful, Bassanio wanted to give them a parting gift. Portia demanded the ring. Bassanio was reluctant to give the ring but
Antonio persuaded him and Bassanio sent Gratiano with the ring to Portia. There Nerissa took her ring back from Gratiano on a
similar pretext.
More QuestionsQuestion 1.
What does Lorenzo suggest to his sweet heart?
Answer:
Lorenzo suggests to his beloved that they should go inside and wait for the arrival of Bassanio and Gratiano. Then he drops the
suggestion.

Question 2.
What does Lorenzo tell Stephano to signify?
Answer:
Lorenzo tells him to go and tell the servants that their mistress was about to come and they should bring their musical
instruments in the open air.

Question 3.
Describe the moon-light scene and the playing of music.
Answer:The moon-light is falling gently on the bank. Musicians are playing on the musical instruments. A soft silence and the
time of night befit the playing of musical instruments.

Question 4.Describe briefly the beauty of the sky.

Answer:The sky is studded with the bright, golden stars. Even the smallest planet produces an angelic music.

Question 5.Why cannot human beings hear the music of spheres?

Answer:Human beings cannot hear the music of the Spheres because their bodies are made of insensitive clay.

Passage – 2 (Act V, Sc.I, Lines 70-87)

Read the above passage and answer the following questions

Question 1.What effect does music produce on wild horses?

Answer:Wild horses become on hearing music all stand still and their savage eyes would be turned into a modest gaze by the
sweet power of music.

Question 2.What impact did Orpheus create by the power of his music?
Answer:Orpheus had the power to draw trees, stones and floods to him with his music.

Question 3.How does Lorenzo characterise a man who does not like music?
Answer:Such man is fit for treacherous actions, plots and acts of plunder. The impulses of the mind of such a person are dull as
the time of night. His feelings are as dull as the regions of hell.
 Question 4.Is a man also does not love music reliable?
Answer:He is not reliable. He is prone to commit treason, make tricky plots, and steal things. His spirit is dull
and he has an affinity for things dark as hell.A man like that should never be trusted.

Question 5.What do you understand by treasons, stratagems and spoils?

Answer: Treasons mean treacherous deeds, Stratagems are Conspiracies and spoils are looting.

Passage – 3 (Act V, Sc.I, Lines 147-158)

Read the above passage and answer the following questions
Question 1.Which quarrel is referred to in the extract? What does Shakespeare want to show by introducing a quarrel
among the lovers?
Answer:The quarrel referred to in the extract is between Gratiano and his wife Nerissa. This is about the ring
given by Nerissa to her husband which he does not have in his possession now.
Shakespeare introduces a quarrel among the lovers to produce the comic effect in the serious atmosphere’ of
the play. ‘The Merchant of Venice’ assumes the seriousness of a tragedy, particularly in the Trial Scene when
Antonio’s life is threatened by the forfeiture of the bond. The playwright introduces the ring episode to relieve
the tension. Thus, the play concludes happily. „ The quarrel itself is a practical joke played by Portia and
Nerissa on their husbands.
Question 2.Give the meaning of :
(a) a hoop of gold
(b) cutler’s poetry.
Answer:
(a) A ‘hoop’ is a circular band of metal or anything, here made of gold. It is contemptuously used for the ring. Gratiano
wants to minimise the importance of the ring so that there may not be much fuss about it.
(b) It was customary to have inscriptions on spoons and table knives. They were perhaps not so poetical in tone. Gratiano
says humorously that the motto inscribed on the ring was like the one on a piece of cutlery. It was the least poetic.
Question 3.Who had given the ring to Gratiano? What promise was made by him at that time about the ring?
Answer:Nerissa had given the ring to Gratiano soon after their marriage. At that time. Gratiano had made the promise to his
wife that this ring was a token of her love, and he would never lose it.

Question 4.To whom did Gratiano give the ring? Why? What is the practical joke about the ring episode?
Answer:Gratiano gave the ring to the lawyer’s clerk. The practical joke about the rings is that he actually gave it to none other
than his own wife. Nerissa who was disguised as the lawyer’s clerk. Nerissa had herself demanded it in order to tease his
husband on returning home. Gratiano was unable to recognise the lawyer’s clerk in the new outfit.

Question 5.What does Portia say about the quarrel referred to in the extract?
Answer:On hearing the sharp exchange of words between Nerissa and Gratiano; Portia comments that there is a quarrel so soon
after their marriage. She does not expect such a development.

Question 6.Why did Portia join in accusing Gratiano of doing wrong? what did she say about the ring she had given to
Bassanio, before she had finished speaking against Gratiano?
Answer:Portia soon joins Nerissa in accusing Gratiano for so non-seriously parting with his wife’s first present to him. She
does so to caution Bassanio that a similar attack is going to be launched on him for a similar lapse. She concludes her speech by
saying that if Bassanio ever behaved in this manner, she would go mad in grief.
There is a dramatic irony in this speech of Portia’s. She naturally takes the side of the woman in this loving battle between
sexes. Thus she cleverly introduces the parallel quarrel about her own ring, reminding them that there was a ringing similarly
given by her to Bassanio. She is deliberately making the situation uncomfortable for Bassanio, and increasing the effect of irony
for the delight of the audience.

Passage – 4 (Act V, Sc.I, Lines 200-212)

Read the above passage and answer the following questions

 Question 1.What defence has Bassanio given in the lines preceding the passage, for losing the ring?
Answer:In the lines preceding this passage, Bassanio makes an earnest plea while explaining the circumstances
in which he was compelled to part with the ring. He is sure that Portia will excuse him if she comes to know to
whom the ring was given away. She will understand if she learns for whom it was done, and last of all, the reluctance with
which it was finally given to the lawyer.

Question 2.How does Portia reject his argument to magnify his offence?
Answer:Portia seems to reject her husband’s argument. She is equally vehement in magnifying his offence of parting with the
marriage ring soon after his marriage.
Portia rejects Bassanio’s plea as incredible. She thinks that if he had zealously defended the ring, no man would have been so
unreasonable and unmannerly to ask for the ring which was a ceremonious gift.

Question 3.What effect the repetition of the word ‘ring’ achieves?

Answer:Portia succeeds in seriously embarrassing her husband. She achieves the effects of strong emphasis by repeating the
word ‘ring’ at the end of each line four times.

Question 4.Is Portia right in accusing her husband that he gave the ring to some other woman?
Answer:Portia is right in accusing her husband for giving away the ring to ‘some woman’. But, as the audience know, the
woman whom he gave the ring was no other than Portia herself, without knowing it.

Question 5.How far is Bassanio truthful in saying that he did not give the ring to any woman?
Answer:Bassanio is truthful when he swears that he did not give the ring to a woman. He gave it to the lawyer, who appeared to
be a young man. He gave it unwillingly under pressing circumstances. This too is true. And yet he gave it unknowingly to the
‘young man’ who was actually a young woman’, i.e. Portia herself.

Question 6.What is the source of amusement in this dialogue?

Answer:This dialogue should be very amusing for the audience. The pleasure is derived from the fact that what Bassanio and
Gratiano do not know, is well known to the audience. It is a delightful situation to watch young husbands being be fooled and
teased by their newly-wedded wives.

Passage – 5 (Act V, Sc.I, Lines 267-279)

Read the above passage and answer the following questions

Question 1.“Speak not so grossly, you are all amazed,” Portia advises not to speak ‘grossly’. What have they been talking?
Why are they amazed? Who are the other people present there.
Answer:They had been talking something indecent. Portia said that she would sleep with the young lawyer if he came there.
Nerissa said that she would have relations with the lawyer’s clerk. All this was said to tease Bassanio and Gratiano. At last,
Portia decides to stop talking in that manner.
All are amazed to see that Portia has got the ring which Bassanio presented to the doctor of the laws. Similarly. Nerissa has the
ring which Gratiano gave to the lawyer’s clerk. This amazement changes into embarrassment to hear from the two woman that
they slept with other men to secure these rings.

Question 2.Which letter is being shown by Portia? What is the need of showing this letter?
Answer:Portia is showing them a letter written by Dr. Bellario of Padua, authorising Portia to act as his representative while
arguing the case in the court of the Duke in Venice.
She needs to show this letter to those present there to prove to them that the doctor who defended Antonio in the court was no
other person that Portia herself. Bassanio, Gratiano, Antonio and others are listening to her account in sheer amazement.

Question 3.What are the new facts revealed by Portia? Where has she come from?
Answer:Portia springs a surprise on everybody by telling everybody that she and Nerissa have just returned from Venice. They
had left the house soon after Bassanio and Gratiano left for Venice. – This fact can be confirmed from Lorenzo, who was left
in charge of the house in her absence.
 Tire new facts revealed by Portia are that she herself acted as the doctor of laws in the court of the Duke.
Nerissa stood beside her as her clerk. After concluding the case in the court and extracting the rings from
Bassanio and Gratiano, these two clever women rushed back to Belmont to overtake their husbands.

Question 4.What good news does Portia have for Antonio?

Answer:Portia has a good news for Antonio. She has a letter with her which gives the information that three of Antonio’s
merchant ships laden with merchandise have reached home safely. Antonio had earlier been told that all his ships have been
destroyed in the sea. This means that Antonio is once again a rich merchant of Venice.

Question 5.Does she have any good news for Lorenzo and Jessica? Is Portia anyway responsible for bringing this good
news for them?
Answer:Portia does have a very good news for Lorenzo and Jessica. She has with her a deed signed by Shylock bequeathing his
share of the property for his daughter and son-in-law. He would have disinherited Jessica who had eloped with a Christian.
Portia has played a vital role in not only saving Antonio’s life, but, also in interpreting law in a manner that pushed Shylock into
a tight comer. Half of the Jew’s property went to Antonio and the remaining was left to be used by Shylock in his life time.
Thereafter, it goes to Jessica and Lorenzo. In this, Antonio has also played a gracious role. He is to hold half the Jew’s property
1 only as a trust, to pass it on to the Jew’s daughter and son-in-law.
ERM -Poetry and Prose ( 2023-24)

1. Abou Ben Adhem by Leigh Hunt

Abou Ben Adhem" is a poem by Leigh Hunt, a key figure of the Romantic movement in England.
The poem focuses on an event in the life of the Sufi saint Ibrahim bin Adham (anglicised to Abou
Ben Adhem). Ben Adhem encounters an angel, who is writing a record of those who love God.
Learning his name isn't on this list, Ben Adhem instructs the angel to mark him down as one who
loves his "fellow men." The next night, the angel returns with a second list: those who are blessed
by God. Ben Adhem's name is at the top this time, suggesting that God favours those who love their
fellow human beings—indeed, that love for other people is the best way to express love for God.
Vocabulary -
● Tribe -Tribe here means "people like Abou Ben Adhem." Exceeding -abundant
● Writest -archaic form of write
● Accord - Agreement and harmoniousness.
● lo-An exclamation meant to draw attention to something, often noteworthy of surprise, alarm,
or wonder.
Summary of the two stanzas
The angel’s two separate visits to Ben Adhem present two different religious perspectives,
drawing a distinction between love of other people and what the poem suggests is a more
superficial love of God.
The first visit wakes Ben Adhem from a “deep dream of peace.” This hints to the reader that
there is something fundamentally right about Ben Adhem’s worldview—after all, there are no
moral dilemmas or anxieties keeping him up at night! The wish in the first line that his
“tribe” may increase also suggests that this is a man worth emulating; in other words, the
world could use more men like Ben Adhem.
Yet Ben Adhem isn’t on the angel’s first list, which records the names of those who love
God. That a man filled with such “exceeding peace” would be missing suggests that there’s
something off about this list itself. And the fact that this list is printed in “a book of
gold”—a flashy and expensive material—further hints at its superficial nature. There is
a gentle suggestion that these are people who act out of self-interest and self-preservation,
and, in contrast to Ben Adhem, focus their faith on flattering a higher power. The poem
implies by its end that this book is a shiny ledger filled with people who are very
concerned with looking like they love God.
That’s why, when Ben Adhem learns from the angel that he is not down as one of those who
“love the Lord,” he doesn’t grow worried or panic. In fact, his response comes to him
readily—instead, he wants to be recorded as “one that loves his fellow men.” Ben Adhem
knows that because God created human beings, loving God isn’t meaningful without also
loving other people.
The poem, then, can be seen as a kind of test—instead of begging to have his love for God
officially acknowledged and confirmed, Ben Adhem chooses instead to demonstrate his love
of God by prioritizing his love for humanity. In other words, he charitably puts others before
himself.

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Term -1 - ERM -Poetry and Prose ( 2023-24)

Second stanza-The second stanza brings with it God's reaction to Ben Adhem's
commitment to universal love.
In its short final stanza the poem clearly endorses Ben Adhem’s perspective and urges its
readers to look at the world in the same way. By embodying the principle of universal love—
and trusting that this brings him closer to God—Ben Adhem gains God’s approval ahead of
everyone else( his name is on top of the list ). Love of humanity isn’t better than love of
God—it is love of God, and God blesses Ben Adhem because he understands this core
religious principle. The poem, then, is unambiguous in terms of its moral argument.
Beautifully and succinctly expressed, it asks its readers to place love of humanity at the
forefront of daily life—and argues that, through this, they become closer to God. In times of
entrenched religious differences, this message is perhaps more relevant than ever.

Short answer questions

Explain the lines -
1. may his tribe increase -The speaker feels there should be more people who prioritize a
love of humanity.
2. Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold-He champions the great value of peace and
has a great faith in God. He has done no wrong and so is not scared or frightened at the
presence of the angel in his room. He is a brave person who can even face the most unusual
things in life.
3. book of gold -signifies a divine book of records including the names of all people who love
God. Its significance lies in the fact that it keeps the list of only those people who love God
with pure hearted devotion and dedication. The book lists people who love and follow the
greatest ideals that lead one to the path of God.
4. making it rich …bloom- the natural shine of the angel make the room look even brighter-
birth of something pure and beautiful ( lily is a symbol of purity).
5. sweet accord -the purity and kindness of angel is reflected in its voice -she answers Abou
in a warm, kind voice.

1. What does the words ‘presence’ and ’vision’ refer to here? What made Abou bold?
Ans. In this stanza, the words ‘presence’ and ‘vision’ refer to the appearance of the angel that
is so illuminating or dazzling that it can’t perhaps be felt quite tangibly as in case of some
human being. Abou’s unflinching dedication to the great ideal of peace made him bold.

2. What is the vision doing? Why is Abou Ben curious? What does he say to the vision?
Ans. The vision is writing something in a book of gold. Abou Ben is curious as he wants to
know that what the vision is writing in the book of gold. After this Abou questions the vision,
“What writest thou?” or what are you writing?

3. Why does the vision raise its head? What did you note about its nature?
Ans. The vision raises its head to reply to Abou’s question when he enquires about what it is
writing in the book of gold. The vision has a sweetness and composure when it faces Abou.
This indicates that it is not perturbed or disturbed by Abou suddenly intervening in its work.

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Term -1 - ERM -Poetry and Prose ( 2023-24)

4. What does the vision reply to Abou? What made Abou low?
Ans. The vision replies that it is writing in the book the names of those who love the Lord,
i.e., God. When the vision says that Abou’s name is not one of them, it makes Abou low. He
probably feels slightly disheartened at this revelation because he is genuinely devoted to God.

5. What does Abou request for? What happens next?

Ans. After coming to know that his name was not on the list, Abou maintains his calm and
requests the vision to write his name as someone who loves God’s fellow men. After this, the
angel writes something in the book and disappears without saying anything but also reappears
the next night.

Q. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blest,
And lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest.

1. What happens after the angel disappears? What did it show Adhem?

2. Describe the effect of “a great wakening light”.

Ans. The phrase “a great wakening light” essentially implies an extremely powerful and
luminous light capable of guiding the people on the path of righteousness. Here, the word
‘wakening’ is used to signify a state of supreme consciousness or complete awakening of
senses. Following the reappearance of the vision, Abou experiences this state.

3. How can you look at the extract as the climax in the poem?
Ans. The climax comes in the concluding line, when the angel shows Abou the list of those
who are blessed with divine love. As the use of the phrase ‘And lo!’ suggests, Abou is visibly
surprised to see his name on top of the list. This gives an unexpected twist to the poem, but
it’s like a poetic justice in the context of a great man with such a pure, unadulterated
devotion.

4. What did you understand about the character of Abou Ben Adhem?
Ans. Abou Ben Adhem is a perfect personification of faith in its purest and most practical
form. He has no pompous perception about his great deeds and he is most concerned about
the weal and welfare of his people. The poet himself acknowledges his virtues in the end as
he comes to be regarded as the blessed one.

5. What message does the poem bring?

Ans. The poem clearly brings it to the fore that true love for God lies in the spirit of selfless
service of the humankind. A number of people perform rituals and prayers to express their
faith in God. However, God blesses and loves those people more who love and practically
adopt the greatest of ideals and values. Thus, in this poem, the stress is on following the
practical rather than dogmatic aspects of faith.

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Term -1 - ERM -Poetry and Prose ( 2023-24)

Theme of the poem Faith, Love, and Humanity

“Abou Ben Adhem” is a short, fable-like poem that suggests people can best express love
for God by simply loving their fellow human beings. Compassion and empathy are
presented as the true principles of religion. In fact, the Lord in this poem is so approving
of Abou Ben Adhem’s commitment to his fellow man that it is Ben Adhem who becomes the
most “blest” in the end—and not those who have focussed their efforts in demonstrating their
love for God. The poem ultimately argues that love of humankind is love of God—because
people are God’s creation. In essence, the poem is saying that anyone who claims to love
God, without putting this into practice first through a love for their fellow human beings,
doesn’t really love God at all.

2. Daffodils by William Wordsworth

1. Wander (Verb) : To walk slowly around or to a place, often without any particular sense of
purpose or direction.
2. Float (Verb) : To move slowly on water or in the air.
3. Vale (Noun) : Valley
4. Fluttering (Noun) : A quick, light movement.
5. Toss (Verb) : To move one’s head this way or that.
6. Sprightly (Adjective) : Full of life and energy.
7. Outdo (Verb) : Surpass.
8. Glee (Noun) : A feeling of happiness.
9. Gay (Adjective) : Happy and full of fun.
10. Jocund (Adjective) : Cheerful
11. Gaze (Verb) : To look steadily at somebody /something for a long time.
12. Pensive (Adjective) : Thinking deeply about something, especially because you are sad or
worried.
13. Bliss (Noun) : Extreme happiness.
14. Solitude (Noun) : The state of being alone, especially when you find this pleasant.
Summary

Summary
The speaker walks alone, similar to a solitary cloud in the sky floating over hills and valleys.
Suddenly, the speaker sees a long and bustling row of daffodils. They are near the lake and
the trees and flutter and shift as they are blown by the breeze.

Comparing the daffodils to stars in the sky, the speaker notes how the flowers seem to go on
without ending, alongside a bay. The speaker guesses there are ten thousand or so daffodils,
all of their heads moving as if they were dancing.

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Term -1 - ERM -Poetry and Prose ( 2023-24)

Near the daffodils, the waves are glinting on the bay. But the daffodils seem more joyful to
the speaker than the waves. A poet couldn't help being cheerful, says the speaker, in the
cheerful company of the daffodils. The speaker stares at the daffodils lingeringly, without yet
realizing the full extent of the positive effects of encountering them.

After the experience with the daffodils, the speaker often lies on the couch, either absent-
minded or thoughtful. It is then that the daffodils come back to the speaker's imaginative
memory—access to which is a gift of solitude—and fills the speaker with joy as his mind
dances with the daffodils.

Theme -Nature and Humanity

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” explores the relationship between nature and humanity. In
doing so, it makes two key points. Firstly, it argues that humanity is not separate from nature,
but rather part of it. And secondly, it suggests that the natural world—and a strong bond with
it—is essential to human happiness. Though the reader might be fooled by the suggestion of
solitude in the title, this is an optimistic poem with a positive outlook on the world. This
happiness is drawn from the speaker’s interaction with nature, in turn encouraging the reader
to appreciate the natural majesty that is all around them.

The poem introduces the idea of loneliness in the first line, but the speaker is not really alone
at all. The speaker is in the presence of “a host of golden daffodils,” whose delicate
“dancing” in the wind has a long-lasting effect on the speaker’s mind. This set-up introduces
a sense of togetherness between humanity (represented by the speaker) and nature
(represented by the daffodils).

Short answer questions:

Stanza 1-
The poem introduces the idea of loneliness in the first line, but the speaker is not really alone
at all. The speaker is in the presence of “a host of golden daffodils,” whose delicate
“dancing” in the wind has a long-lasting effect on the speaker’s mind. This set-up introduces
a sense of togetherness between humanity (represented by the speaker) and nature
(represented by the daffodils).
The speaker by the usage of a simile is compared to a natural object, a cloud—“I wandered
lonely as a cloud / That floats on high...”, and the daffodils are continually personified as
human beings, dancing and “tossing their heads” in “a crowd, a host.” This technique implies
an inherent unity between man and nature.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
They are like the constellations in the sky, forming a long ‘continuous’ line or pattern. They
seem, like the stars, to go on forever: a ‘never-ending line’.

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Term -1 - ERM -Poetry and Prose ( 2023-24)

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance -Wordsworth emphasises the joyous quality of the
daffodils as they are almost personified: they have ‘heads’ that seem to ‘dance’ in the breeze.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

Again, the daffodils are both seamlessly part of the surrounding landscape (the waves of the
water dance like the daffodils) and yet somehow transcending their surroundings (the dancing
of the daffodils is more joyous – both full of joy and inspiring it in the observer – than the
dance of the waves).
The speaker liked the “sprightly dance” of the daffodils so much that he, in the third stanza,
says that the sparkling waves of a lake beside them cannot match their beauty. The waves are
sparkling due to the sunlight. This image is contrasted with the dance of daffodils. Besides,
the speaker imagines the tossing of their heads to a wave. So, the contrast presents the
resemblance of the lake’s water to the daffodils.

Witnessing the scene, the romantic poet became so gay that he was not able to move from the
location. The flowers were a “jocund company” to him that he could not find in humans.
“Jocund” means cheerful and light-hearted. Their silent presence told more than the words
of humans could convey to him. They had a purity that made the poet spellbound.
Inward eye -looking into his memories; his mind -remembering and reliving them -
experiencing the same pleasure

‘gazed and gazed’—The repetition of the word “gazed” in the next line points at the poet’s
state of mind at that moment. His eyes were transfixed at the golden beauty of the daffodils.
That’s why he kept on gazing until he could drink their serenity to the lees. The second half
of the line quickly catches readers’ attention. Wordsworth is now asking them what wealth
the flowers had brought him on that day. Thus, he quickly comes into reality from his
imagination to inform readers about his viewpoint.

Later, when the experience ‘flashed’ - he remembered -looked back,delved into those
memories) again in the speaker's mind, that the speaker realised its full significance. In this
quiet moment, the speaker draws on the experience of the daffodils as an avenue to happiness
Heart with pleasure fills -everything that the daffodils represent—joy, playfulness, survival,
beauty—"fills” the speaker with “bliss” (joy) and “pleasure” (happiness). In the speaker’s
mind, the speaker is again dancing “with the daffodils.” The poem, then, is arguing that
communion with nature is not just a momentary joy, but something deeper and long-
lasting.

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Term -1 - ERM -Poetry and Prose ( 2023-24)

In vacant or in pensive mood -When the poet is either feeling listlessly empty of thoughts or
even in a highly thoughtful and ‘pensive’ mood, he sees, in his mind’s eye, the daffodils
again which cheers him up and lifts his spirits.
‘the bliss of solitude’: being on one’s own and remembering happy memories and reliving
joyous experiences.
His heart fills with pleasure and he feels happy at the thought of the flowers dancing and
fluttering in the breeze.

3.Nine Gold Medals by David Roth

Summary
Athletes had traveled from all over the world to compete for first, second, and third
place. They had trained long and hard in anticipation of the Olympic Games.
The opening stanza establishes the event's stakes: athletes have come from all over the world—"from
so many countries"—to compete for a medal at the "games." They've trained long and hard, for
"many weeks and months." All of this work has been"building up to" one thing: "the games." These
games are the culmination of immense effort, and these athletes are, presumably, under a huge
amount of pressure.

Crowds gathered around the race track to root for these young athletes, and the final race of
the day was just about to start.

As the names of the competitors for the 100-meter race were announced through the
loudspeakers, nine young runners waited at the starting line, focused and ready for the sound
of the pistol that would signal the race.

The gunshot rang out, and the runners sprinted forth down the train—but the youngest runner
in the group slipped and tumbled down to the ground.

The young man cried out in heartbreak; everything he'd worked so hard for had suddenly
come tumbling down. But, I swear to you, unbelievable though it may sound, this is what
happened next.

The other runners all came to a halt—even though they'd trained so long and hard for this
race. Then, every single one of them went back to help the fallen runner; together, they pulled
the young man back up.

Next, all nine of the runners linked arms and headed for the finish line together. The 100-
meter sprint slowed to a walk. The "Special Olympics" banner hanging above the track could
not have been more accurate.

The race then finished with nine winners. The athletes crossed the finish line together, hands
still linked. The "Special Olympics" banner and their beaming faces tell you everything you
need to know.
Explanation of some phrases-

Now it's a strange one- Getting to the Special Olympics, the speaker knows, is the
culmination of a long and difficult effort for the nine runners. The athletes have spent
"manyweeks and months" training for this moment, and they've traveled from "many
countries" to be here. Their efforts have all been "building up to the games" and there are
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 lots of people watching! The stakes, in other words, are high: the runners have trained long
Term -1 - ERM
and hard to get -Poetry
here, andand Proseeager
they're ( 2023-24 )
to win.
Given how much is riding on this race, then, one might expect the other runners to pay no
attention when one of their number "stumble[s] and stagger[s]," falling down not long after
the event begins. However, as the fallen young man cries out in "frustration and anguish,"
hisfellow runners all respond to his suffering. In a display of astonishing—and
unexpected— empathy, the eight other runners stop, turn around, and come back to "lift[]
the lad to his feet."
Theme –
The Power of Empathy and Compassion
As the race begins, the poem's speaker recounts, one runner stumbles and falls over.
Instead of trying to win the race as might be expected, however, the other runners turn
around to picktheir fallen colleague up, and all nine competitors end up crossing the finish
line hand in hand. The poem praises this act of kindness, suggesting that the runners'
display of empathy is a far greater victory than merely winning the race would have been.
All nine runners join hands and cross the finish line together, the race ends with an
unconventional kind of victory: the triumph of empathy over competitiveness. Through
their simple but remarkable act, the speaker suggests, all nine athletes become winners in a
bigger, more meaningful sense than they would have been if they'd simply taken the "gold"
for themselves. These "Special Olympics," then, are truly special: the race becomes a
poignant and powerful demonstration of a rare, beautiful kindness, something far more
valuable than any individualistic victory could be.
Title - The Nine Gold Medals
Gold medals are a standard symbol of victory. At the Olympics, as at other sporting
competitions, they're given to those athletes who win first place.
In this poem, they represent something more specific: the triumph of empathy and
compassion. All the nine athletes are given medals in recognition of this fact and not for
just completing the race.
The nine gold medals reflect a different type of victory altogether: that of humanity's better
nature over its more competitive instincts. Community and kindness win out over the
desireto beat everyone else—and that's what the speaker feels deserves celebrating.

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
All round the field spectators were gathered Cheering on all the young women and men Then the final event of the day was
approaching
The last race about to begin.
— Nine Gold Medals, David Roth
(i) Where had the ‘young women and men’ come from? [3] What had brought them together?
How had they prepared themselves for the event?
(ii) What was the last event of the day? [3] How many athletes were participating in this event?
What signal were they waiting for?
(iii) What happened to the youngest athlete half way through the race? [3] How did he respond?
(iv) What ‘strange’ turn did the story take at this point? [3]
(v) Why does the poet say that the banner – ‘Special Olympics’ could not have been nearer the mark?
What human quality does the poem celebrate? [4]

4.The Patriot by Robert Browning

It is a dramatic monologue in which the patriot who narrates his story -his rise and his downfall.

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The poem has been divided into six stanzas having five lines each. In the first two stanzas, the patriot remembers the days
Term
of his glory -1the
and in - ERM -Poetry
remaining four and Prose
stanzas, he (discusses
2023-24his
) downfall while going to the place where he will be executed
publicly.

The Patriot" is English poet Robert Browning's reflection on human fickleness and frailty. Only a year before he tells his
tale, this dramatic monologue's speaker was honoured as a patriotic hero; now, he's on his way to his execution for
unspecified crimes, as vilified as he was once idolised. The winds of public opinion, the poem suggests, can shift in a
moment—and people are often both changeable and cruel.

Metaphor
Line 4. The church-spires flamed, such flags they had
Line 14. And you see my harvest, what I reap
Simile
Line 2. With myrtle mixed in my path like mad
The word ‘mad’ refers to the state of extreme or intense feelings or acts. Here in the poem this simile is used to describe the
passionate and welcoming feelings of the public for their leader.
Alliteration -
The sound 'm' is repeated in this line.'Myrtle' is a flower. 'Myrtle' symbolises the love shown to the speaker by the
townspeople. To welcome the speaker, the people had thrown Myrtle flowers on the road.

Personification
In this poem house roofs have been personified:
Line3. The house-roofs seemed to heave and sway

In this poem the house-roofs have been presented as living being. They are not static but rather moving to and fro.
Irony
The poet talks about the poor mentality of illiterate common masses ironically as:
Line 24. For they fling, whoever has a mind
The dramatic irony lies in the situation of the popularity and downfall of the political leader. It springs out from; how the
people who were at the beck and call of their leader, treat him as a traitor after passing a year.

Questions;
Stanza -1
. What is the significance of the line ‘A year ago on the very same day’?
He is reminiscing about the past, and he builds a picture for us as he remembers that day. His walking path was covered
with lots and lots of rose petals, with myrtle mixed in them. It was "a year ago on this very day" that the speaker made his
procession over those roses, and these celebrations are only a memory now.
‘The house tops seemed to heave and sway ,The church-spires flamed, such flags they had’,Explain the meaning of this line
The whole city where the speaker walks, in other words, seems practically to be dancing. It even seems to be on fire,
metaphorically "flam[ing]" with bright "flags." Everything is energy, colour, and movement

Which figure of speech is prominent in ‘With myrtle mixed in my path like

mad’? What does myrtle symbolise here?
Extract 2
Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun,
To give it to my loving friends to keep!
Naught man could do have I left undone:
And you see my harvest, what I reap
This very day, now a year is run.

1.Explain the line,’leaped at the sun’

'Leaped at the sun' is a reference to the story of Icarus. In Greek mythology, Icarus made wings of wax and flew to the sun.
When he reached close to the sun, the wings melted and he died. The story is used to refer to stupid acts done by the people.

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In the poem, the narrator says he was stupid like Icarus, which caused his downfall.
Term
The speaker -1 - ERM
'leaped -Poetry
at the sun' for hisand Prose ( 2023-24
countrymen. ) 'Alack' shows the speaker's regret. He did every heroic thing
The word
a person possibly could. And now, exactly a year later, one can see the fruits of all his labours.

2. Explain ‘And you see my harvest, what I reap This very day, now a year is run.’
The word 'harvest' refers to the treatment the narrator receives from the people, a year after his grand welcome. He had done
his best for his friends and people, but the result that he got was ill-treatment from the people.

Extract 3

1. A year ago on his arrival, the rooftops were full of people. The old walls of the buildings shook due to the noise. But
now, there is no one to welcome him. He is treated as a criminal. There is no one on the roof except for the people suffering
from palsy.

2. The poem doesn't mention the reason for the speaker's present condition. We can assume that the speaker did something,
which greatly offended the people. Maybe, in the name of helping his 'loving friends', he crossed the line and committed a
grave crime. Or maybe he was ignored by the people and didn't receive any support from them. He had become so poor that
he had to commit crimes to survive.

3. There was total contrast in people's attitude towards the patriot, a year later. They had welcomed him by throwing
flowers, but now they throw stones at him. The roofs were full of people to welcome him, but now they are empty. The
streets were filled with people cheering for him and asking him his wishes, but now the people abuse him and want him
dead.

4. "The best of the sight" refers to the sight of the speaker's execution. The people were ready to worship him and fulfill his
wishes, but now they want to kill him.

5. The speaker is being taken to the scaffold to be executed for his 'misdeeds'. We cannot justify this action because the
reason for the speaker's execution is not revealed in the poem. We do not know the whether he is innocent or guilty. Thus,
we cannot justify or condemn his execution.

1.Describe the reception the patriot received last year from the people
The first two stanzas of the poem gives an account of the grand reception that the patriot received one year ago. His walking
path was covered with lots and lots of rose petals, with myrtle mixed in them. The path was festooned with these flowers for
him.

People standing on the roofs of their houses cheered for him as he passed by. They were overjoyed to see him. The spires of
the church were covered with flaming flags that the people had put up for a celebration. People were overwhelmingly
delighted to greet their hero and were enthusiastic to see him as he passed by.

Theme of the poem-

Fickleness of Public Opinion

“The Patriot” reflects on just how quickly—and unjustly—public opinion can change. The poem’s speaker was once the
man of the hour, honoured as a great “patriot” and paraded in the streets for some heroic feat in service to his country. But
now, exactly a year later, the very same people who cheered him throw rocks at him. The political winds have shifted, it
seems, and the man so recently hailed as a hero is about to be executed as a traitor. This tale suggests that people’s
memories are short and that people themselves are often merciless. Public opinion, the poem implies, has a lot more to do
with the emotion of the moment than with sincere feeling or justice.

Comparing his two different marches through the city, the speaker marvels at just how much has changed over the course of
a year—and at just how cruelly his fellow citizens are treating him now. Once a hero in a parade, he’s now a convict being
dragged to the gallows. His country people, who once threw “roses” in his path, now hurl “stones” at him until his
“forehead bleeds.” They’ve clearly forgotten all his past good works, and they show no flicker of kindness to their former

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idol.
Term -1 - ERM -Poetry and Prose ( 2023-24)
The poem thus suggests that it doesn’t take more than a shift in the political winds—or a compelling enough spectacle—for
the public to decide that a person who they once considered a patriot is really a traitor (or that a bad man is a hero, for that
matter).
Rhyme Scheme:
With six stanzas, each consisting of five lines, The Patriot by Robert Browning has a rhyme scheme ABABA. This makes
this poem a Sicilian Quintain. This poem has an Iambic Pentameter.
Pathetic fallacy:
“I go in the rain”: The rain here is symbolic of several things. The Patriot gets wet by the rain, losing his dignity. Also, it
can be viewed that the rain washes him clean, representing his innocence. The rain also works to create a tense atmosphere.
Juxtaposition:
The image projected at the beginning of the poem is juxtaposed with the current scenario. This can be seen when the
rooftops were swaying with people in the first stanza, but in the fourth stanza, it is empty. This shows how the Patriot went
on from becoming loved to hate.
This effect works in creating a contrast, which is actually the central idea of this poem.

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
There’s nobody on the house-tops now--- Just a palsied few at the windows set; For the best of the sight is, all allow, At the
Shambles’ Gate---- or, better yet, By the very scaffold’s foot, I trow.
— The Patriot, Robert Browning
(i) Who is the speaker? Where is he being taken? Why? [3]
(ii) Describe the scene when he had walked down the same street a year ago. [3]
(iii) Where does the speaker think all the people had gathered that day? [3] Why does he think so?
(iv) Describe the speaker’s physical condition. [3]
(v) What is the central message of the poem? [4] Does the poem end on a note of hope or despair?
Give one reason for your answer.

Extract -I go in the rain, more than needs,

A rope cuts both my wrists behind;
And I think, by the feel, my forehead bleeds,
For they fling, whoever has a mind,
Stones at me for my year's misdeeds.
Thus I entered, and thus I go!
In triumphs, people have dropped down dead.
Paid by the world, what dost thou owe
"Me?"—God might question; now instead,
'Tis God shall repay: I am safer so.
(i) Explain the humiliation the patriot is made to undergo. [3]
(ii) How was the patriot welcomed a year ago ? [3]
(iii) What does the speaker say about his entry and exit? Explain 'In triumphs, people have dropped down dead.' [3]

(iv) Give the meaning of—(a) misdeeds (b) scaffold (c) shamble’s gate [3]
(v) Why does the speaker say he will feel safer in God's hands? What does this reflect about the speaker' character?
[4]

5. I Know why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

‘Caged Bird’ is a 1983 poem by the African-American poet and memoirist Maya Angelou (1928-2014). The poem
originally appeared in Angelou’s collection Shaker, Why Don’t You Sing? The poem uses the image of a caged bird to
explore issues of confinement, oppression, and restriction.

‘Caged Bird’: summary

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The poemTerm -1 - into
is divided ERM six-Poetry and
stanzas. In theProse ( 2023-24
first stanza, )
Angelou describes a free bird leaping in the wind, floating through
the air until its wing appears to touch the rays of the sun. She likens this to the bird ‘claiming’ the sky, like someone
claiming a particular territory as their possession.

By contrast, the second stanza describes the caged bird which provides the poem with its title. This bird’s horizons are far
narrower than the free bird’s: he (Angelou describes the bird as male) has been rendered almost blind by his anger at having
his wings clipped so he cannot fly away. His feet are tied together to limit his movement further. All he can do is sing – so
he opens his throat to do so.

The third stanza tells us what the caged bird’s song consists of. He sings in a frightened manner, about things he doesn’t
know or hasn’t experienced (such as freedom, we assume) but which he longs to have. Although he is imprisoned in his
cage, the bird’s song can travel beyond the bars of his cage and be heard on a hill far away.

In the fourth stanza, Angelou returns to the free bird, who, she imagines, thinks of the territory of the air and sky which he
had claimed as his own in the opening stanza. This bird also thinks of the worms waiting for him on a lawn somewhere,
which he will be able to eat.

The fifth stanza once again contrasts this free bird’s existence with that of the caged bird. The caged bird stands upon a
grave which represents the death of dreams (for instance, of a better life, such as that enjoyed by the free bird). The bird’s
shadow is cast upon the wall behind it where it stands in its caged, its feet tied and wings clipped, and it once again prepares
to sing.

The sixth and final stanza is a word-for-word repetition of the poem’s third stanza, in which the caged bird sings in a
frightened manner, about things he doesn’t know or hasn’t experienced but which he longs to have. Although he is
imprisoned in his cage, the bird’s song can travel beyond the bars of his cage and be heard on a hill far away.

‘Caged Bird’: analysis

In this poem, Maya Angelou gives voice to a common theme of the American Civil Rights movement: the longing for
freedom and equality. The free bird is able to live as a free agent, and has dominion over the sky that is his natural habitat.
By contrast, the caged bird is bound and his wings are clipped to restrict his movements, so he cannot live the life he was
born to live.

Angelou’s contrast and juxtaposition between the free and caged birds offers a powerful metaphor, or analogy, for the
struggle of African Americans to win their freedom: freedom from discrimination and oppression, and freedom to live as
white Americans live.
Birds as metaphors
The poet uses two bird metaphors. The free bird symbolizes white Americans or all free people who enjoy equal rights. The
caged bird is a metaphor for/symbolizes oppressed Black Americans who are kept captive through racist policies.
The poem describes the opposing experiences between two birds: one bird is able to live in nature as it pleases, while a
different caged bird suffers in captivity.
The latter bird sings both to cope with its circumstances and to express its own longing for freedom.

STANZA 1-This stanza describes life as someone who has freedom.

on the back of the wind’ demonstrating the freedom it has to move about and glide freely through the air.
floats downstream; dips his wing in the orange sky - the free bird spends its time living, and doing what it wants.
It leaves no stone unturned and is not afraid to try new things. It has a sense of adventure that is unparalleled and has a
fighting spirit.

Dares to claim the sky -When the writer says that the free bird “dares to claim the sky” she saying that the free bird doesn’t
wait for anyone to tell it to do something before it does. It does what it wants and this defines its freedom. Asserts it -the
world belongs to them.

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The white Americans have the freedom to make choices and lead a life which they want ; they have all the opportunities
which theyTerm -1 - ERM
are denied to the-Poetry and Prose ( 2023-24)
African Americans.

STANZA-2-The poem now shifts to someone living repressed without freedom. The bird in the cage is moving angrily in
the cage as it denied the freedom which is intrinsic to its nature.

But ..-used to indicate contrast

Narrow cage- limited opportunites
Bars of rage - angry at being denied basic rights and freedom
Wings clipped and feet tied -the caged bird is suppressed
Opens his throat to sing-since he cannot fly,the bird sings .

The African Americans were treated as slaves and were denied freedom of choice.
The only way they could express their pain and anguish was by singing songs while working or late in evenings -the songs
gave them hope.

STANZA -3
With fearful trill ,Things unknown but longed for still
Trill’ means a quavering or vibratory sound,the song has tremors of fear as even though it is longing for freedom –it fears it
too.
The word ‘fearful trill’ makes us realise that the caged bird is not singing a happy song but is scared and desperately hoping
for freedom It was fearful because of all the uncertainty of his life, whether he would be free someday, whether he will get
the unknown things that he longs for.

Although the singing is full of pain, anger and fear, the bird sings of “things unknown.” ( unknown -the freedom ) The
caged bird dreams of a better life.
The distant hills the song echoes all across; everyone can hear it and be inspired.( the other African Americans)
His cries are heard only as a distant noise( by people in power). His voice is like one being heard but no action being taken.
It illustrates that despite holding equal importance, freedom and liberty, some individuals are deprived of their basic rights
as a result of discrimination.

STANZA –4- The fourth stanza of ‘Caged Bird’ continues the parallel between the free bird and the caged bird. This stanza
speaks about the privileges that the white people of America enjoyed over the African Americans who used to lead their
life like the caged bird in the poem.
The white people are not restricted by anyone ; free to make choices and live life on their terms

Thinks of another breeze- freedom to explore and have better opportunities

Trade winds soft through sighing trees- symbolise the freedom of movement, the free will of the free bird to go anywhere it
pleasesThe trade winds are air currents closer to Earth's surface that blow from east to west near the equator. The trade
winds have been used by sailors for centuries. Sailors traveling from Europe or Africa used the trade winds to travel to
North or South America.
Fat worms means that opportunities are always present at the hands of the free bird. He even doesn’t have to find foods here
and there. He gets anything and everything at will.
Names the sky as his own- right to enjoy life, and especially the freedom to the fullest.

STANZA –5-Discrimination and racism made up her cage, and although she sang, she felt her voice was not heard in the
wide world but only by those nearest her cage, who did nothing.
the grave of dreams
Grave which is symbolic to death shows that the caged bird has no scope in life of pursuing its dreams. In this
condition(caged) , all his dreams seem to be unachievable in his life. He has probably given up on his dreams of liberty and
flying freely in the sky. His dreams are now ‘dead’.
his shadow shouts –shadow -the caged bird’s ‘shadow’ gives a sense as if it is powerless-since it is not getting what it wants
–the freedom
‘Nightmare scream’ is the shout of the caged bird who is having a frightening dream (nightmare) of never getting his

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freedom from his confinement. He has probably given up on his dreams of liberty. And hence the scream is a cry of
Term
desperation -1 - ERM -Poetry and Prose ( 2023-24)
and frustration
STANZA –6

This refrain recurring as a stanza justifies the bird’s stout determination to keep going after his dream of freedom.
Moreover, the caged bird chooses to sing as this is the only freedom available to him, that he can enjoy without any
restriction. His wings are clipped, feet are tied, but his throat is not chocked yet. This is something the poet have felt at heart
and that’s why she uses the title ‘I Know Why the Cages Bird Sings’.
This might be seen as the poet’s message to raise our voice, to express ourselves even though the stronger wants to suppress
the weaker and to never ever give up, no matter what situation we are in.

THEMES

Oppression, discrimination and prejudice

African Americans were segregated by law and were heavily discriminated against. These unfair laws are similar to the way
the cage keeps the bird locked in. Also the caged bird sings and screams a dreaded tune. This was a way of rebellion and
protest of the enslavement. A lot of African Americans at this time also used music as their means of defiance against
unlawfulness. These songs although insignificant to outsiders served as a means of freedom and kept the hope for a better
future alive .
Freedom as a Universal and Natural Right- Black lives matter movement etc.
Questions
Why has the poetess repeated the last stanza?
Ans. The free bird is enjoying his freedom by flying high in the sky.
has the liberty of choosing his way of life and food. Free to explore any and every part of the sky.
However, the condition of the caged bird remains the same- the freedom ,liberty and equity which it enjoys –the caged bird
is deprived of it
It does not improve. His wings and feet are tied. The poetess emphasises his situation and thus repeats the last stanza for
greater effect about the caged bird's imprisonment.
*Despite being caged, the bird sings. What is the poet trying to convey by this?
Ans. Never gives up hope for a better future
In spite of the prevailing conditions -The fate of the caged bird will be unrelenting misery and death if the imprisonment and
oppression continue.
However, he does not give up and uses his only strength to express his longing for freedom. By this symbolism, the poet is
trying to convey the idea of raising one’s voice against injustice. It also states that the caged bird wants to taste freedom
which he is completely unaware of.

The caged bird sings

With a fearful trill
Of things unknown
But longed for still
And his tune is heard
on the distant hill
---I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou

(i) Under what circumstances does the caged bird sing? What does it tell us about his condition? [3]
(ii) Why does the caged bird sing of “things unknown”? [3]
(iii) What is meant by: “fearful trill”? Why is it said to be fearful? [3]
(iv) What song is he singing? Why? [3]
(v) Why is his singing heard on a distant hill? What does this signify with reference to the poet’s life? [4]

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 PROSE /SHORT STORIES
1.An Angel in Disguise by T.S. Arthur
Vocabulary
● Idleness -laziness and negligence
● Vice -misconduct
● Intemperance- overindulgence
● an impressiveness - quality of being convincing or believable
● Irrepressible -in suppressible
● impatience -restless while waiting for, or dealing with, something
● Ruffling feathers -causing irritation or annoyance

Reference to Context
A.“What is to be done with the children?” That was the chief question now.
1. What happened on the day of the woman's burial? 2.What did Thompson quote from the Bible? Why?
B.“Yes, sir.” What a sweet patience was in her tone!
1. What was Mrs Thompson's attitude towards the little girl?
C.’As for Joe Thompson, there was not a man in all the neighbourhood who drank daily of a more precious wine of
life than he.’
1.How did life ‘blossom’ for Thompsons?
D.’Mrs. Thompson saw him approaching from the window, and with ruffling feathers met him a few paces from
the door, as he opened the garden gate, and came in.
1. Explain the phrase ‘ruffling feathers.
Short answer questions
1.What kind of relationship did the woman have with the villagers? 2.What happened to each of her children upon
her demise?
3. What was a good omen for Joe Thompson?
4. Describe Maggie/ Joe Thompson /Jane Thompson
Long answer questions (4 marks)
1. ‘Death touches the spring of our common humanity.’ Explain what the author meant by this statement.
The line simply means that death is the only moment when everyone laments for the dead one. (Give examples
from the story to support your answer -at least 4)

2. Who is ‘An Angel in Disguise’? Why do you think that ‘An Angel in Disguise’ is an apt title for the story
?/Justify the title of the short story.
Answer: Arthur’s story “An Angel in Disguise” is all about a little crippled orphan girl called Maggie and how she
brought back joy and happiness to the childless Thompson family. Though she was a sick, helpless, and miserable
child at the beginning of the story, in the end she filled the lives of Joe and Jane Thompson with the “sunshine of
love”. Maggie turned out to be an angel in disguise for the Thompson family.

Again, When the girl was unattended after her mother’s death and was in a sad state, Joe Thompson reached to her
as an angel in disguise, took her to his home and gave her a completely new life. Though he knows his stern wife
will protest, his heart melts when the child pleads with him in fear. He carries her home, and day by day both
Thompsons warm to her. And there she remains, an angel in disguise that has brought love to their home.
From both angles, the title is symbolic and suggestive of the theme of the story. Thus, the title of the story “An
Angel in Disguise” is just and apt.
3. What did Joe Thompson quote from the Bible? Why?
Ans. In the story ‘An Angel in Disguise’, the writer T.S. Arthur has described how selfless efforts bring content to
oneself. When Maggie was left alone by everyone, Joe Thompson did not leave her and took her to his own house.
He knew his wife would not approve of this decision. Mr and Mrs Thompson were childless, and years of
loneliness had made Mrs Thompson vinegar tempered.
Joe gives the example of Jesus and his attitude towards children while making a case for having Maggie in the
house and not sending her to the poorhouse. He refers to the Bible to soften her heart and says that he read in the
Bible and found that much is said about little children—how the Christ rebuked the disciples who would not
receive them, how he took them up in his arms and blessed them and how he said that whosoever give them even a
cup of cold water would not go unrewarded. This reference from the bible puts an end to the argument which she
was having with Joe Thompson and compels her to soften her stance towards Maggie. She agrees to have Maggie
in her house till the time she can be sent to the poorhouse.
4. How does the story explore the theme of self-interest and hypocrisy?
Angel in Disguise also acknowledges the fact that most of the actions undertaken by people are based on self-
interest and that there is a certain degree of hypocrisy lodged between people’s actions and their intentions. The
hypocrisy of the society is revealed the day after the mother’s death when John and Kate are quickly adopted by
farmer Jones and Mrs. Miller respectively for the cheap labour they bring along with them and by the virtue of
which they can be ‘of use’. Maggie however is abandoned by all. Their hypocrisy is revealed in the chasm between
their explanation for adopting the kids and their intention behind it.
Consider Mrs. Ellis who says that she “must act from a sense of duty” and that it would be “charitable” on her part
15
 to choose Kate when in fact, she had actually been “looking out for a bound girl”. The reason behind the adoption
of the children by the farmer and Mrs. Ellis is that they will be ‘useful’ to them . By their own admission, we see
that farmer Joe wants young John “now that his mother was out of the way ” and Mrs. Ellis takes Kate as she is in
need of a bound girl . It is only Joe Thompson who takes Maggie to his home because he felt pity for her and could
not leave her alone in the house.
Themes -The short story explores the themes of compassion, responsibility and the power of love It shows how the
power of love can not only transform the life of the less fortunate (like Maggie in this case) but also fill up the
emptiness in the lives of those who desperately need love without even realizing that they do (like Mrs. Thompson)

2.The Greatest Olympic Prize by Jesse Owens

The story is an autobiographical piece written in 1960 by the world-famous athlete Jesse Owens. The title
of the story refers to the friendship of Luz Long as the writer’s greatest Olympic prize. Though he won four
gold medals, the life-long friendship was much bigger achievement for him. The story is set in the backdrop
of Berlin Olympics 1936 where the writer first met his German rival in the board jump Luz Long and they
went on to become good friends. True friendship and true sportsmanship are the main themes of the story.
The narration and language used are rather simple and straightforward. The author has been able to draw the
two main characters well. Jesse has been a motivated athlete determined to prove his worth. On the other
hand, Luz Long represents the epitome of true friendship with his friendly blue eyes and firm handshakes. He
has shown great character in encouraging and helping his rival in difficult situation. Hitler is shown as a proud
and prejudiced administrator with his wily ways to prove his race superior. Jesse went on to prove him wrong.
But all this wouldn’t have been possible without the broad-mindedness of Luz Long.
Short answer questions
1. Which games are referred to here and who is the protagonist?
Ans. The Olympic Games which were held in the summer of 1936 in Berlin, Germany, is referred to in the
extract. Jesse Owens is the protagonist. This story describes a valuable lesson learnt by the protagonist.
2. Why was Owens surprised?
Ans. Owens had been striving hard in his sport category. He was not expecting any competition. He was startled
to see the tall German athlete Luz Long. It was said that Hitler had kept him under wraps, evidently hoping to
win the long jump with him.
3. Why were nationalistic feelings high during the Olympic Games?
Ans. Nationalistic feelings were high during the 1936 Berlin Olympics because of Hitler’s Aryan superiority
theory. Hitler believed that Germans were the purest in the human race, and therefore, they were entitled to win
beating all the others. This affected and irritated other participants of the Olympic Games.
4. What was the theory of Aryan supremacy?
Ans. Hitler believed in the theory of Aryan supremacy. According to him, the Germans were the purest stock of
Aryans and were meant to be the purest race in all of humanity.
5. What did Owens do the night he qualified?
Ans. Owens qualified for the finals with the help of Luz Long. He gave him a piece of advice which helped him
get through the trials after he fouled in the first two attempts. Jesse went to Luz’s room that night to thank him.
Long not only greeted him well but also hosted him for two hours, and thus, both of them became good friends
despite
6. How did Luz and Owens perform in the finals?
Ans. In the finals, Luz broke his own past record, and in doing so, he pushed Jesse Owens on to peak
performance. Owens set the Olympic record of 26 feet 5 5/16 inches, beating Luz Long.
7. What is the true spirit of the Olympic Games as per Coubertin?
Ans. Luz Long was a man of pure and genuine heart and soul. He represented the best example of Coubertin’s
message that the important thing at the Olympic Games was not winning but taking part and giving one’s best
performance. The essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.
Long Answer Questions
8. How has Owens focused on friendship over the competition?
ORWhat is referred to as 24-carat friendship in this story?
Ans. Jesse Owens had found a true friend in his competitor Luz Long.When Owens almost failed to qualify for
the finals, Luz spoke to him encouragingly and gave him a tip that helped him to qualify. He did not act as a
rival but understood Owens’ condition and guided him. He encouraged fair play. Later that night, when Owens
thanked Luz, they bonded and spoke for a lot of time.
This act of Luz eventually made Owens’ win the medal and set a record. Moreover, Luz was genuinely happy
when Owens’ won the gold medal and he was the first one at his side to congratulate him. Despite the fact that

16
Hitler glared at them from the stands, Luz shook Owens’ hand and it wasn’t one with a fake smile–broken heart
sort of grip. He was not disappointed with himself but happy for Owens.
This reflects that both of them valued friendship more than the competition understanding the true spirit of the
games. Long’s friendship and being congratulated by him was of greater value to Owens than the gold medal,
and Owens refers to it as his greatest prize.

9. What was the effect on Owens after he saw Long?

Ans. Hitler had kept his strong athlete hidden for a very long time. Owens was not expecting any competition
for his category. He was startled to see this tall athlete. Jesse Owens was hot under the collar as he did not
approve of Hitler’s Nazi way which boasted of Aryan supremacy. He was angry because of the racial prejudices
meted out to his community. The speaker was determined to go out on the field and he intended to show Der
Führer and his master race who was superior and who wasn’t. He wanted to uproot the individual segregation
according to Hitler’s theory of a master race. Moreover, being a Negro and the grandson of a slave, he wanted to
prove Hitler wrong by winning a gold medal in the Olympic Games. The feeling of hatred and anger overcame
the speaker in the first of his two qualifying jumps. Owens leapt from several inches beyond the take-off board
which was a foul. On the second jump, he fouled even worse.

10. Anger affects one’s performance. Justify this statement.

Ans. Jesse Owens had been preparing and training himself for the Olympic Games. He was sure of winning
some medals. He developed a feeling of anger when he came across Hitler’s theory of Aryan supremacy.
Hitler’s beliefs that Germans were the purest Aryans and his way of demotivating others occupied Jesse’s mind.
His feeling was further aggravated when he saw Luz Long, a German athlete, who was kept secret by Hitler. Luz
qualified in the trials in his first attempt. However, since all these feelings preoccupied Owens’ mind, his
complete focus was not in winning the game. His anger affected his performance, and as a result, he fouled in
his first attempt. Anger does not bode well for an athlete as it distracts focus. The same happened with Jesse in
the second attempt too. He fouled in his second attempt by jumping beyond the start-off line. However, he was
able to qualify after Luz gave him a piece of advice.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
An angry athlete is an athlete who will make mistakes, as any coach will tell you. I was no exception. On the
first of my three qualifying jumps, I leaped from several inches beyond the take-off board for a foul.
(i) When and where is this story set? [3] What reason does the narrator Jesse Owens give for the heightened
nationalistic feelings at this time?
(ii) In which event had Owens been confident of winning a gold medal? Why?
(iii) What had made Owens angry enough to make mistakes?
(iv) Name Owens’ rival who approached him at this point. What advice did this athlete give Owens?
(v) How did the two athletes perform in the finals?
What does Jesse Owens consider his ‘Greatest Olympic Prize’? Why?

3.The Blue Bead by Norah Burke

Vocabulary
1. Jostled - pushed against someone or something while moving forward.
2. Juggernaut - a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable.
3. Unimaginable and Irresistible power - impossible to withstand
4. Brainless craft and ferocity - instinctively cunning and dangerous
5. Putrid -decomposed
6. Starveling -undernourished, scrawny
7. Armoured- indestructible
8. dawdle a bit -linger ,take one's time, be slow,
Questions:
Explain the given phrases -
1. Happy, immature child -woman
2. This antediluvian saurian—this prehistoric juggernaut, ferocious and formidable.
3. marked for work -
Short answer questions:
A. Beside him in the shoals as he lay waiting glimmered a blue gem.
1. What is the ‘blue gem’ referred to in the given line? Describe it? Why do you think the author has called it
a ‘gem’?

17
B. There was no end to the wonders of the world.
1. What do you think the phrase ‘wonders of the world’ refers to?
2. Sibia refers to the things she sees in the market place as the ‘wonders of the world’. What does this tell
you about Sibia?
C. The big mugger did not move, and all the women crossed in safety to the other bank.
1. Why did the big mugger not move? What does it tell us about the mugger?
D. Silence fell. Sibia came down alone to the stepping-stones.
Identify the literary device used in the phrase “Silence fell’. Why do you think the author has used it here? Why
was Sibia alone?
E. In the boiling bloody water, the face of the crocodile, fastened round her leg, was tugging to and fro, and
smiling.
1.Identify the literary device used in the phrase ‘Boiling bloody water’.Why do you think the crocodile was
smiling? What happens to ‘her’?
F. She reached her arm down into a yard of the cold silk water to get it. Missing it first of all, because of
refraction.
Identify the literary device used in the phrase in bold. What is ‘it’ here?
How did she feel on finding ‘it’? Why?
Long answer questions -
Describe means to write about something/someone in such a manner that it sets out their characteristics.
● Describe the Crocodile and its surroundings. (Textbook pages- 93,94)
● Describe Sibia.
● Describe the Bazaar (pgs 95-96)
● Compare and contrast the lifestyle of the Gujars with that of the Villagers. (pgs 97- 98)
● How did Sibia save the Gujar woman? What was the most extraordinary thing that happened to Sibia that
day?
● Theme of the story. -extraordinary power of human will to survive against all odds
● How can you say that Sibia ignored her heroism?
● Why were the women going to the river?
● What is meant by ‘nomadic grazers’? How long do these people stay in one place?
● Describe the appearance of Gujar women as seen by Sibia?
● Where were the men and boys from the camp?
● Explain why the Gujars are called the “men in the wandering Pastoral Age”.
Extract based questions
“At the same moment a Gujar woman came down. Sibia saw them bob away in
the current.”
1. What happened when the Gujar woman walked on to the stepping stones?
2. Describe the struggle between the woman and the crocodile?
3. Briefly state the theme of conflict between human beings and wild nature as shown in thestory? “The
crocodile reared up in convulsion, he disappeared.”
Why did crocodile go into convulsion? What happened during his convulsion?
1. How did Sibia attend to the Gujar woman?
2. Where was Sibia’s sickle and fork? What strange object did she see in the water?
3. How did she take possession of the strange object? Describe the object.
4. State why Sibia was not excited at saving the Gujar woman but she was thrilled at finding the blue bead
4.The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen
Vocabulary
1. Hitherto -previously
2. Dreadfully (adverb) : extremely or very badly
3. An “urchin” is an old-fashioned term for a naughty young child, especially one who is poorly or raggedly
dressed. In many tales, “urchins” tend to be homeless.
4. Would do it capitally -In this sense, “capital” means excellent.
5.farthing - a coin once used in the United Kingdom, especially in England
6. Cower (verb) : to crouch down in fear
7. Venture (verb) : to dare to do something or go somewhere that may be dangerous or unpleasant
8.get blows - powerful hits with a hand, weapon, or hard object
9. Burnished -polished, shiny
10. Transparent (adjective) : allowing light to pass through so that objects can be seen
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11. “Porcelain service” is a ceramic set of dishes set on a table.
12. Reel (verb) : to lose one's balance and stagger

Imagery is a literary device that refers to the use of figurative language to evoke a sensory experience or create a
picture with words for a reader. By utilising effective descriptive language and figures of speech, writers appeal
to a reader’s senses of sight, taste, smell, touch, and sound, as well as internal emotion and feelings. Therefore,
imagery is not limited to visual representations or mental images, but also includes physical sensations and
internal emotions.
Use of imagery in the story -
Examples of imagery.
1.Use of ‘cold’ and ‘darkness’ -Andersen uses the words “cold” and darkness repeatedly throughout the story: (
to present the cold winter is a symbol of hopelessness. There is a parallel between the girl's condition and the
weather outside.darkness -pessimism ,loss of hope in the girl’s life
Examples -“Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite dark…”
• “In this cold and darkness…”
• “She crept along trembling with cold and hunger…”
• “…at home it was cold too…”
2.He uses the word “poor” several times in relation to the little girl:poor - needy girl,creates a feeling of empathy
in the mind of the readers for the girl
• “In this cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little girl…”
• “…so large were they; and the poor little thing lost them as she scuffled away…”
• “… She crept along trembling with cold and hunger, a very picture of sorrow, the poor little thing!”
3.He also makes us feel her cold in reference to the little girl’s cold feet and hands:conveys her helplessness and
‘cold’ not only because of the weather but also because of the heartlessness -the lack of warmth and love ( from
her parents) in her life.
• “So the little maiden walked on with her tiny naked feet, that were quite red and blue from the cold.”
• “Her little hands were almost numbed with cold.”
• “Her little feet she had drawn close up to her, but she grew colder and colder…”
4.Andersen contrasts her cold and hunger with the following images:
• “From all the windows the candles were gleaming, and it smelt so deliciously of roast goose, for you
know it was New Year’s Eve; yes, of that she thought.”
• “The fire burned with such blessed influence; it warmed so delightfully. The little girl had already
stretched out her feet to warm them too…”
5.At the end we feel her happiness at seeing the vision of her grandmother:

“She drew another match against the wall: it was again light, and in the lustre there stood the old grandmother,
so bright and radiant, so mild, and with such an expression of love…”

Questions :
A .Extract -
She rubbed another against the wall……could see into the room.She rubbed another against the wall……could
see into the room.
1. What happened when the girl lit the first match?
When she lit the first match, she had a vision of a large iron stove and felt its warmth and safety which she
longed for. It reminded her of the love and affection which she got from her grandmother.
2. Explain how the girl’s visions are symbolic of her undying hope.
Iron stove, the little girl felt as if she was sitting in front of the heat of the stove, which is symbolic of the
feelings of warmth and safety which she longed for and it reminded her of her grandmother.
The evergreen Christmas tree is a sign of undying life, rebirth and stamina needed to endure the winter months.
Falling star becomes a symbol of a soul ascending to God. Her vision is symbolic of her soul’s ascendance into
heaven.
The little girl views a shooting star creating “a line of fire across the sky” and notes that her recently deceased
grandmother (the only person to ever show her love or kindness) once told her that shooting stars represent “the
soul of a human being travelling to god.” Remembering this, she notes that someone somewhere is dying.(Her
subsequent wish to join her grandmother in heaven is granted).
3.. What does the light from the matches symbolise in the story?
It is for selling matches that the girl in the story was out on the street on a bitterly cold New Year’s eve. It is by
19
lighting the matches that the little girl tried to keep herself warm and it is in the light of the matches that she sees
the visions of an iron stove, a sumptuous feast, a twinkling Christmas tree and her late grandmother.
The matches for her are a symbol of a life which she wished to have a symbol of hope for her
When the Little Match girl strikes a match with each strike of a match (and the bundle) she sees a world in
which she would like to live. Each world is also in contrast to the world that the Little Match girl lives in.
The girl’s first vision being something as simple as a warm stove keys the reader into the fact that her wants and
needs are not magical or outside the bounds of reality. Rather, they are basic necessities that she is being denied
because of her low status in the class system.

The little girl strikes another match, and when the flame hits the wall of the building, she ses a bountiful holiday
feast with exquisite table settings,” featuring a roast goose that leaps up from its dish and waddles towards the
girl. When the girl reaches towards the goose, however, her match goes out and she touches only the cold wall
of the building- this is a quick cut to the harsh reality the girl inhabits brings the reader right back to the feelings
of hunger and cold she is experiencing.

The little girl burns yet another match, the flame this time conjuring a brilliant Christmas tree .It serves to
further highlight the wealth inequality between the little girl and the city’s upper class.

She burns the rest of her matches in an effort to keep her grandmother’s vision with her.She begs to accompany
her to heaven. The girl burns the rest of her matches so her grandmother “could not leave.” The grandmother
takes her in her arms and up to God, “where there is neither cold nor hunger nor fear”

4. Explain why the girl lit the whole bundle of matches at the end?
When she lit a match and saw her grandmother, she did not want to lose her and therefore, lighted the whole
bundle of matches. She found hope in the image of her loving grandmother.

Extract -
In the cold morning the little girl was found. Her cheeks were red and she was smiling. She was dead. She had
frozen to death on the last evening of the old year. The sun on New Year’s Day shone down on the little corpse;
her lap was filled with burned-out matches. “She had been trying to warm herself,” people said. And no one
knew the sweet visions she had seen, or in what glory she and her grandmother had passed into a truly new year.

Analysis -
Although the fate of the little girl is sad , it is portrayed as a happy ending, befitting the tone of a fairy tale
because the little girl is finally free of the suffering that she has lived with for her entire life as a result of her
poverty.
The way Andersen describes the reactions of the townspeople suggests that they are the ones missing out on the
glory of the afterlife, and that their “New Year” pales in comparison to the transition that the little girl has
undergone. This suggests that she is finally being rewarded for the suffering she endured in life, while the
townspeople are forced to continue their comparatively flawed, selfish lives on Earth.

Themes in the story -

Cruelty-By emphasizing the contrast between the little girl’s bleak, hopeless surroundings and her imaginary
visions of warmth and nourishment, Andersen draws attention to the stark divide between the lives of the poor
and the upper classes. When the girl burns the matchsticks (her only source of income), she finds that their
flames spark imaginary visions of comforts like a “big iron stove,” a “table spread with a damask cloth and set
with the finest porcelain,” and a Christmas tree with “thousands of candles.” These are comforts that are
available to the wealthier people who surround the little girl in the city, but she can only access them in her
imagination.
The city’s uncaring people —from the reckless carriage drivers “driving along awfully fast” to the little boy who
steals one of the girl’s slippers for himself—treat her with astounding cruelty and disregard. Furthermore,
Andersen’s characterization of the girl as being “cowed by life” extends to her home life; the drafty attic her
family lives in is described as being “almost as cold as the street,” and her father is so abusive that she won’t
return home even to escape the harsh cold. While holiday stories are traditionally lighthearted and feature
luxurious celebrations and feasts.
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 loneliness -The little girl's loneliness is at the center of the story. It is depicted through the images of cold winter
contrasting with the protagonist's fantasy. The girl is missing the only person who loved her—her grandmother.
As she lights the last match, she can see her late grandmother and somehow finds relief. The girl is wishing for
the time “when she will be surrounded by love, and filled with happiness
Struggle Another theme that the author incorporated is the theme of struggle. At a very young age, the girl in the
story struggles to make money to feed herself and her father. Although the girl is cold, hungry, and exhausted,
she does not give up and still tries to do her job. The author also mentions that the girl could not return home
without money as her father would beat her, which shows how difficult her this life is.

5.All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury

Summary and Analysis:

This story is set on the planet Venus, where the sun shines for only two hours once every seven years. It opens
on the day that the sun is due to make its appearance once again. Margot and the other children in her school
on Venus are nine years old. Margot came from Earth to Venus five years ago. Therefore she accurately recalls
the sun and the way it looked and felt as it shone on her when she was back in Ohio. However, this is not the
case with the other children. They were far too young to remember what the sun was like when last it shone
upon them. They can only imagine the warmness of that sun upon their arms and legs. Margot tells the others
that the sun is round like a penny and hot like a fire in the stove. The other children accuse her of lying, and
they show their resentment of her seeming superiority by locking her in a closet. When the Venus rains finally
stop and the sun comes out, it sends a flaming bronze color throughout the jungle growth. The children soak up
the life-giving sunshine until the rains start to fall again. The children now know that Margot was telling the
truth about the sun. Then and only then do they remember that Margot is still locked in the closet.
Prior to the sun's appearance, the children are described as being so pale that they are almost colorless. The
rain has washed the yellow from their hair, the blue from their eyes, and the red from their lips. The good
qualities in their personalities have also seemingly been washed away because the children are quick-tempered
and spiteful. That they are cruel by locking Margot in a closet never occurs to them. The sun, however, depicts
a restoration for the children. It gives color to their washed-out appearance, and it also enables them to possess
new encouragement, strength, and wholeness in their lives. Finally the children remember Margot, but for her,
it is too late — she must wait seven years to see the sun again.
1. Bradbury uses several metaphors and similes to create vivid images in this story. Locate six of these
metaphors and similes. In the left column, copy the simile or metaphor as it appears in the story (copy
the format of the example). In the right column, explain the comparison being made. Be detailed and
look beyond the literal.

Ex: “It’s like a fire, in the stove.” Line 69 (simile)
“with the sweet crystal fall of showers” Line 18
(metaphor)
“They turned on themselves, like a feverish wheel, all
tumbling spokes.” Line 47 (simile)
Margot is comparing the sun to a fire inside a stove.
The author is describing rain by comparing it to
crystals.
The author compares the children to an uncontrollable
wheel.

Feverish emotion is characterized by extreme

“The children pressed to each other like so many roses, so
many weeds, intermixed, peering out for a look at the
hidden sun.” Line 18 (metaphor)
“She was an old photograph dusted from an album,
whitened away, and if she spoke at all her voice would be a
ghost.” Line 50 (metaphor)
“But then they always awoke to the tatting drum, the
endless shaking down of clear bead necklaces upon the roof,
the walk, the gardens, the forests, and their dreams were
gone.” Line 31 (metaphor)
“She was a very frail girl who looked as if she had been lost
in the rain for years and the rain had washed out the blue
from her eyes and the red from her mouth and the yellow
from her hair.” Line 48 (simile)
nervousness or excitement.
The author compares the children to a bunch of weeds
that grow closely together as they had all bunched up
to get a better look at the sun.
The author is describing Margot as being frail and
quiet as she had been away from the sun for so long.
The author is comparing the sound of the rain to the
sound of bead necklaces shaking and to the sound of a
tatting drum.
The author is trying to show the audience that Margot
had once been happy but now from being in the rain, it
seems to have ‘washed away’ the brightness that was
once inside her.

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 Questions
1. What is the conflict between Margot and her classmates?
2. Why does Margot refuse to take a shower?
3.Significance of the title - All Summer in a Day has an apt title which captures the gist of the entire story.
Summer, a season of vacation and playtime, especially among schoolchildren is a season of fun and frolic as can
also be seen in the story.
However, the ‘summer’ lasts only for one day in planet Venus. It is one day of happiness after seven years of
gloom and dreary weather.
This precious time, this time for happiness and fun, which is most eagerly awaited by Margot, is snatched away
from her when the children bully her and shut her in the closet.
Thus, the title is not only apt but also a poignant one, especially when one considers Margot’s condition at the
end of the story.
4.Describe Margot.
• Margot, described as a "very frail girl" who the "rain had washed out the blue from her eyes and the red
from her mouth," is the central character of "All in a Summer Day."
• She came to Venus "only five years ago from Earth," which alienates her from the other children. As she
remembers the sun very well and describes it vividly.
• She accurately recalls the sun and the way it looked and felt as it shone on her when she was back in
Ohio.
• Margot's obsession with sun isolates her form the life at Venus and other children.She is not happy
at Venus and the only time she is filled with life is at the mention of Sun.
• Margot is privileged not just because she remembers the sun, but also because her parents are
wealthy enough that they may be able to move the family back to Earth.
• Wrote a poem about the sun
o I think it’s a flower that blooms for just an hour.(pg 109)
o It is like a penny.(pg 110)
o It is like a fire in the stove (pg 110)
5. How can you say that Margot is unhappy at Venus?
• Margot has not taken well to her new home on Venus: she is frail, quiet, and pale, as if “the rain had
washed out the blue from her eyes and the red from her mouth and the yellow from her hair.”
• She has lost all the spark –the blue from her eyes has paled; her golden hair has lost its brightness; she has
become quiet and reserved.
• For Margot, life on Venus is all but unbearable and the sun is all-important, and she makes no secret of
these feelings.
• Lately, she has begun to panic at the touch of water.
6.The school children at Venus are –
• The other children, namely William, play antagonistic roles opposite Margot.
• They came to Venus much earlier than Margot, and "they could not recall" the sun. While they all
speculate about what the sun is like, Margot can actually remember the sun quite well.
• Have faint memories –remember vaguely the sensation-( remembered a warmness like a blushing in the
face; dreaming and remembering gold or a yellow crayon or a coin large enough to buy the world-pg 109)
• have adjusted to the life at Venus -are happy and energetic.
• The other children came to Venus with their parents when they were just two years old- far too young to
remember what the sun was like when last it shone upon them.
• They had tried to play with Margot and involve her in their games but she remains distant.
• In a mob, the children exact their revenge on Margot’s perceived privilege, depriving her of the very thing
of which they feel deprived—time in the sun. The specific nature of this bullying shows just how much
the children are motivated by their sense of jealousy and longing.
• The children tease and antagonize Margot. William even shoves Margot.
• They lock her in the cupboard.
7. Why do other children tease her and are jealous of her?
• Children dislike her and are jealous of her she has memories of the sun that the other children lack and
covet—and sets up the jealousy that will drive the other children’s bullying.
• she refuses to participate in games or songs unless they relate to the sun. We can say that Margot seems to
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 have brought this isolation upon herself as she , For Margot, life on Venus is all but unbearable and the
sun is all-important, and she makes no secret of these feelings.
• The other children tend to tease her or avoid her, because they envy her childhood on Earth and the fact
that her parents may even spend thousands of dollars to move her back there.
8. Significance of Sun
life away from the sun seems to have had a physically draining effect on Margot. Deprivation from the sun has
made her a shadow of her former self—almost physically less than human—while it has also made the other
children seemingly less civil. The sun has power to make humans both physically and mentally stronger, while
its lack has the opposite effect.
• the fact that Margot has special knowledge of the sun that allows her to write poems and share detailed
memories. The children ,led by William, are jealous that Margot has had such experiences and use her as a
scapegoat for their own feelings of deprivation about the sun.
• The absence of sunlight had turned Venus into a tangled and inhospitable wasteland—just as it seemed to
have made the children unruly and cruel. Now, outside, they are joyful and energized, suggesting the
power of the sun to bring physical and mental health.
9.What changes come in the children after they( children) have felt the warmth of the sun ?
• When they feel the warmth of the sun it like they are "released from a spell" as they rush out the door.
They laugh, lay out, run, and play like wild animals, suggesting this carefree behaviour is a sign the
children have been revived.
• In the instant the sun disappears, sadness takes hold of them. One girl cries. Now they walk, not run, back
to the underground with their "hands at their sides" and their "smiles vanishing away." Now that they have
such a bright memory to compare it to, the normal day-to-day conditions of life on Venus seem
unbearable. A moment of intense happiness can make everyday life seem comparatively painful,
especially when the moment has been anticipated for so long.
• Already, the children seem transfixed by their brief memory of the sun, just as Margot is. They
comprehend how she feels only after living through the same experiences as her. Their humanity emerges
as they understand what Margot had left behind, why she acts the way she does, and how they took away
the little happiness she could have felt.
• The experience of seeing the sun and then losing it has enlightened them—they now understand the
weight of what they have done to Margot by locking her in the closet and are filled with regret. The effect
of the sun on the landscape, on Margot, and on the children symbolizes the power of nature—the sun's
light warms, renews, and gives life.
THEMES
• Jealousy, Bullying, and Isolation
• children ostracize and bully a child who doesn’t fit in.
• They are jealous of Margot, who moved to Venus from Earth several years before as she has real
memories of the sun, unlike her classmates who have seen only Venus’ constant rain. As sunlight is the
experience that the children on Venus cherish the most, Margot becomes a scapegoat for the children’s
frustration and longing.
• The Power of Nature
• “All Summer in a Day” imagines a world in which humans have left Earth for Venus, an inhospitable
planet where they must live completely indoors and can only dream about the pleasures of being outside.
This estrangement from nature changes humanity, both physically and emotionally, by draining people of
colour, vitality, and even empathy. In this way, Bradbury shows how central nature—and particularly the
sun —is to humankind.
SYMBOLS
• SUN
• represents life as it is meant to be, connected to a natural warmth and nourishment, both physically and
emotionally.
• Both the landscape and Margot are dull and "unhealthy" in appearance from lack of sun. Emotionally,
Margot is withdrawn and depressed.
• In the absence of the sun, the children at Venus have become cruel and unhappy.
• Outside in the sun, its revitalizing effects are immediately apparent: the children tumble and play with
newfound energy, laughing and wondering at how nice the sun feels and looks. Clearly, the sun has made
them physically and emotionally stronger, just as its absence weakened Margot.
• After this period in the sunlight, the sun has made them more self-aware and empathetic. With its power
to restore health as well as inspire empathy, the sun represents renewal, vitality, and the power of nature.
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 Without sunlight, the people on Venus seem slightly less than human.
• RAIN
• The good qualities in the personalities have also seemingly been washed away because the children are
quick-tempered and spiteful. That they are cruel by locking Margot in a closet never occurs to them.
• The rain has created a lush landscape, but the absence of sun has made it unwelcoming and out of control.
• WEEDS
• They are used to emphasize the damaging effects of deprivation from the sun: both the physical
environment and the inhabitants of Venus have become cruel and inhospitable in the absence of sunlight.
• Because of the constant rains, Venus is covered in sickly pale, overgrown vegetation, a jungle that “grew
and never stopped growing, tumultuously, even as you watched it.” The jungle is described in vivid,
uncanny detail as a “nest of octopi, clustering up great arms of flesh-like weed.” Venus is an untamed,
inhospitable environment which the constant rains have covered in tangled grey weeds.
• Just as the rains have created this hostile environment, they also seem to have fostered hostility among the
people of Venus

Answer the following questions with reference to Ray Douglas Bradbury’s short story, ‘All Summer in a Day’:
(i) Name the planet on which this story is set. [4] Describe everyday life on this planet.
(ii) Why was there so much excitement in the school room that morning? [4] What set Margot apart from the other
children?
(iii) Describe how the planet was transformed when the sun came out and shone [8] briefly over it.
Why was Margot not able to witness this phenomenon?
What emotion do you suppose the other children experienced when Margot emerged at the end of the story?
Extract based question:
The girl standing in the open, held out her hand
“Oh look, look,” she said, trembling.
They came slowly to look at her opened palm.
In the center of it, cupped and huge, was a single raindrop. She began to cry, looking at it. They glanced quietly at the
sun.
“Oh. Oh”
(i) How old were ‘they’? Where were they living? What had they been doing until the
girl called their attention to the raindrop? [3]
(ii) Mention any three ways in which their lives on this planet differed from life on earth. [3]
(iii) Why does the girl begin to cry when she looks at the raindrop? [3]
(iv) Describe the dramatic change in the weather immediately after the raindrop fell. [3]
(v) What feelings do ‘they’ experience at the end of the story? What had they done earlier that made them feel this
way?

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