Act 4

1. Whose arguments are here more convincing: Bassanio’s or Shylock’s?

The arguments of both Bassanio and Shylock have considerable force. Bassanio
pleads for mercy from Shylock, while Shylock depicts Antonio as a man who had
done great damage to him financially and also in terms of reputation. However,
Bassanio’s arguments are certainly more convincing because it is extreme of
cruelty and savagery on the part of a man to try to take the life of another man, no
matter what his grievances against the other man might be.
2. Were they able to convince the Jew? What was the Jew’s main answer?
Both the duke and Bassanio failed to convince the Jew to have mercy on Antonio.
Shylock’s main answer was that it was settled hate and a strong loathing for
Antonio that he was pursuing a suit which involved a financial loss to him.
3. What does Antonio now say? Does he approve of any more pleading with the
Jew?
Antonio knows enough about Shylock’s obduracy and revengeful spirit. So he
realizes that arguing with the Jew is futile. The suspense of the trial is unbearable
to him, and he prefers to hear the verdict.
4. Why is Antonio willing to die?
Antonio thinks himself to be a useless man now when he has become a bankrupt,
and has completely lost his flourishing business. He compares himself to a sheep
which becomes infected with some disease dangerous to the other sheep as well. It
would be better if an infected sheep, and the continued presence of which in a
flock of sheep can prove dangerous to the other sheep as well. It would be better
if an infected sheep dies than that it should infect the other sheep as well. In the
same way, Antonio would like to die instead of continuing to live and cause
endless anxiety to his friends like Bassanio.
5. Why according to Portia, should we do deeds of mercy?
We pray to God for mercy. That prayer teaches us to perform merciful acts. To
deserve God’s mercy, we should show mercy to others
6. What is Portia’s opinion on the question of Venetian law?
Portia rejects Bassanio’s suggestion. She asserts that there is no power in Venice
which change law. It will set a bad precedent and this example will be quoted in
future to do wrong things. If this is allowed, other mistakes will find their way into
the administration of the state.
7. How does Shylock respond to Portia’s interpretation of law?
Shylock is delighted to Portia’s argument while rejecting Bassanio’s appeal to

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 interfere with law. He thinks that Portia is pleading in such a manner that he must
win the case. So he praises her skill and sense of justice. Shylock compares Portia
with Daniel, a young Jewish prophet who in case had exposed the falsity of certain
witnesses by cleverly cross-examining them.
8. Why does Shylock refuse an offer of money?
Shylock refuses the offer of money because he wants to put an end to the life of a
man whom he regards as his enemy and whom he hates fiercely.
9. What causes a turn in the course of events as depicted here?
The turn in the events is caused by Portia’s sudden announcement that the Jew can
have a pound of Antonio’s flesh but that the Jew must not shed a single drop of
Antonio’s blood in the course of his cutting off the flesh.
10.Give two reasons-one financial, the other emotional- which made Shylock
annoyed with his daughter.
Shylock is annoyed with his daughter for two reasons. One is financial. She stole
her father’s ducats and precious stones before leaving his house. Secondly, she
gave Shylock emotional pain by eloping with a Christian. Elopement of a daughter
is always scandalous for a father. But Shylock is twice pained because she ran
away with the member of a community whom he hates.
11.What has been laid down in the laws of Venice?
The law of Venice say that if a foreigner has tried directly or indirectly to take the
life of any native citizen of Venice, the victim shall be entitled to get one half of the
property of the defaulter. The other half will be attached by the state treasury. The
life of the defaulter would be at the mercy of the Duke.
12.Was Shylock earlier asked by Portia to show mercy to Antonio? What was his
response then? What is his situation now?
A short while ago, Portia had asked Shylock if he will show mercy to Antonio.
Then it was Antonio in the dock. He had failed to repay the loan, and he was to
lose a pound of his flesh to the Jew. The Jew then refused to have mercy on
Antonio. He was not willing to receive his money with interest. He was bent upon
cutting off a pound of flesh from the body of the defaulter. Now the situation has
reversed. Shylock who was in a winning position earlier, finds himself in a tight
comer. He is now charged with conspiring to take the life of a Venetian citizen,
i.e.’ Antonio. Antonio is now in a position to take mercy on the Jew’.
13.“There is more depends on this than on the value.” What is meant by this
statement? Why has Bassanio to say this?
Bassanio says these words to Portia who insists on having his ring as a reward
for her role in the trial before the Duke. Bassanio explains to the young lawyer

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 that the ring has a significance for him beyond its price. He wants to be true to his
oath to his wife.
14.What does Bassanio promise to give Portia? What for? What is he unwilling
to give her?
Bassanio promises to give Portia the most expensive ring available in Venice. He
will find it by openly announcing it in the city that he is ready to buy such a ring.
But he is unwilling to give her the ring he is at present wearing on his finger.
15.Why does Bassanio reveal the secret of the ring?
Portia will not listen to any of Bassanio’s entreaties. She must have the ring.
Bassanio is thus ultimately forced to reveal the secret of the ring. This is the ring
which his wife gave him with a pledge that he would not lose it, itt is for this
reason that the ring has its emotional value far beyond the actual value in terms of
money.

ACT 5
1. How does Lorenzo characterize a man who does not like music?
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.
2. Who had given the ring to Gratiano? What promise was made by him at
that time about the ring?
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.

3. To whom did Gratiano give the ring? Why? What is the practical joke about
the ring episode?
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 recognize the lawyer’s clerk in the new
outfit.
4. How far is Bassanio truthful in saying that he did not give the ring to any
woman?
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

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 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.
5. Which letter is being shown by Portia? What is the need of showing this
letter?
Portia is showing them a letter written by Dr. Bellario of Padua, authorizing 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.
6. What are the new facts revealed by Portia? Where has she come from?
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. The 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.
7. What good news does Portia have for Antonio?
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.
8. Does she have any good news for Lorenzo and Jessica? Is Portia anyway
responsible for bringing this good news for them?
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.

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