SCARLET’S ELIXIR EXCELLENCE

English Athenaeum
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

ACT III – SCENE 1

Q.1. Where does Scene 1 of Act III take place?

Ans. Scene 1 of Act III takes place on a street in Venice.
Q.2. Name the people who enter the scene. What information does Salarino give?
Ans. The people who enter the scene are Salarino and Salanio. Salarino tells Salanio that
it is reported without contradiction that Antonio’s ship laden with cargo has been wrecked in the
narrow seas, the exact place is the Goodwins, a most perilous sand bank where the carcasses of
many fine ships lie buried.
Q.3. Explain the line – ‘If my gossip Report be an honest woman of her word.’
Ans. Rumour or report is personified as a talkative old woman, ‘Old Mother Rumour’.
The phrase ‘my gossip Report’ means a talkative woman named Rumour. If Report or Rumour
which is generally the bearer of false news should prove to be true then Antonio’s ship has been
wrecked on the Goodwin Sands.
Q.4. What reply does Salanio give?
Ans. Salanio says that he wished the report was as fake as any old woman, who ever
gossiped with her neighbours chewing ginger and made her neighbour believe that she mourned
sincerely at the death of her third husband.
Q.5. Explain the line – ‘But it is true, without any slips of prolixity or crossing the plain
highway of talk, that good Antonio, honest Antonio, - O, that I had a title good enough to
keep his name company!’
Ans. Salanio says that without using long and boring phrases and without deviating from
straight speech, he would like to say that good Antonio, honest Antonio, he wished that he had
better adjective worthy of being added to his name.
Q.6. When Salanio talks about Antonio’s ship, what does Salarino wish? Why does Salanio
say ‘amen’ immediately?
Ans. When Salanio talks about Antonio’s ship, Salarino wishes that it might prove the
end of his losses.
Salanio says ‘amen’ immediately because according to an old superstition, a prayer
would lose its effect if the devil crossed the path before the prayer was finished. So, on seeing
Shylock coming, Salanio pretends that Shylock is the devil and ends the prayer with the usual
‘amen’.
Q.7. What does Shylock say as soon as he enters the scene? What reply does Salarino and
Salanio give?

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Ans. Shylock accuses Salarino and Salanio of knowing very well, better than anyone
about his daughter’s flight.
Salarino tells Shylock that he knew the tailor who made wings for her to fly.
Salanio tells Shylock that he should have known that his bird was fledged and it
was time for her to leave her dam. He means to say that Shylock should have known that his
daughter was grown up and it was time for her to leave her dam.
Q.8. What reply does Salarino give when Shylock says ‘My own flesh and blood to rebel’?
Ans. Salarino says that there is a lot of difference between Shylock and Jessica’s flesh
like the different between jet and ivory. There is a great difference between their blood like the
difference between red wine and Rhenish wine.
Q.9. What does Shylock say when Salarino asks him if he has heard about Antonio’s ship-
wreck?
Ans. When Salarino asks Shylock about Antonio’s ship-wreck, Shylock says that, there
he has another bad match, a bankrupt, a prodigal, who is ashamed to appear on the Rialto. He used
to come smartly dressed and self satisfied in the market place but now he is beggar. He should take
care and pay the money as per the bond in time. He also says that Antonio used to call him a usurer
and he used to lend money for a Christian courtesy, now he should pay his bond in time.
Q.10. What would Shylock do with the pound of flesh?
Ans. Shylock would use the pound of flesh as a bait to catch fish. He says that if it feeds
nothing else, it will feed his revenge.
Q.11. How was Shylock treated by Antonio?
Ans. Antonio had disgraced him and hindered him half a million, laughed at his losses,
mocked at his gains, scorned his nation, thwarted his bargains, cooled his friends and heated his
enemies.
Q.12. How does Shylock attempt to justify his revengeful conduct towards Antonio?
Ans. Shylock says that Jews and Christian are the same in all aspects. Like a Christian, a
Jew has hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passion. They are 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. He says that if you pick them they will
bleed, if you tickle them they will laugh, if you poison them they will die and if you wrong them
they will take revenge. Shylock says that if Jews are not different from Christians in other ways,
they will follow their example in the matter of revenge too.
Q.13. What news does the servant bring? What reply does Salarino give?
Ans. Servant brings the news that Antonio is at his house and desires to speak to Salarino
and Salanio.
Salarino tells that they too have been looking for him high and low.
Q.14. What does Salanio remark when Tubal enters the scene?
Ans. When Tubal enters the scene Salanio says that another man from the same tribe has
arrived. A third cannot be matched, unless the devil himself turns Jew.
Q.15. What does Shylock ask Tubal soon after Salarino, Salanio and the servant leave?
What is Tubal’s reply?

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Ans. Shylock asks Tubal what news he has brought from Genoa, and whether he has
found his daughter.
Tubal replies that he often visited places where he was told she was but could not
find her as she had gone away to another place.
Q.16. Explain the line – ‘The curse never fell upon our nation till now; I never felt it till
now.’
Ans. Shylock says that the curse pronounced on the Jewish nation for their rejection of
Jesus Christ never fell upon their race till now. He never felt it till now. However, he feels it now
because his daughter has eloped with a Christian.
Q.17. What does Shylock wish for his daughter in his fury? Why does he say ‘loss upon
loss’?
Ans. Shylock wants his daughter dead at his foot and the jewels in her ear. He wants her
to be hearsed at his foot and the ducats in her coffin.
Shylock says ‘loss upon loss’ because his daughter had gone away with his ducats
and his jewels and he had lost further sum of money in the search for the runaway lovers.
Q.18. Explain the lines – ‘Nor no ill luck stirring but what lights on my shoulders, no sighs
but of my breathing no fear but of my shedding.’
Ans. The lines mean that no bad luck befalls except that which lands on his shoulders.
Every misfortune that takes place seems to fall on him. He also says that there are no sighs except
the sigh that he breathes and there are no tears except those that he sheds.
Q.19. Why does Shylock feel elated at one time and cast down at the other? What reply does
Shylock give each time he gets good news and a bad news from Tubal?
Ans. Shylock feels elated at one time and cast down at the other because Tubal gives him
good news and a bad news too.
When Shylock receives the news of Antonio’s ship-wreck, he is elated and thanks
God for the same. He also thanks Tubal for giving him the good news. He tells Tubal that he is
glad that Antonio has turned bankrupt and says that he would plague him and torture him.
When Shylock receives the bad news of his daughter, who spent fourscore ducats in
one night and gave away his turquoise in exchange for a monkey, he feels very sad. He tells
Shylock that his words stab his heart and he will never see his gold again. He also tells him that the
turquoise was given to him by his wife Leah, when he was bachelor. He would never have parted
with it for a wilderness of monkeys.
Q.20. What does Shylock finally ask Tubal to do? Why does he go to the Synagogue?
Ans. Shylock instructs Tubal to engage a lawyer a fortnight before the bond falls due. If
Antonio breaks his agreement, he will exact the payment of the forfeiture. He will have Antonio’s
heart. Once Antonio is out of Venice, he can make what profit he likes.
He asks Tubal to meet him at the synagogue because he wanted to swear an oath
not to give up his scheme of revenge.

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 SCARLET’S ELIXIR EXCELLENCE
English Athenaeum
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

ACT III – SCENE 2

Q.1. Where does Scene -2 of Act III take place? Name the characters who enter the scene.

Ans. Scene 2 of Act III takes place at Belmont, a room in Portia’s house.

The characters who enter the scene are Bassanio, Portia, Gratiano, Nerissa and
attendants.

Q.2. Why does Portia ask Bassanio to wait for a day or two before making his choice?

Ans. Portia asks Bassanio to wait for a day or two before he hazards for if he chooses the
wrong casket, she would lose his company, therefore, she asks him to have patience for some time.

Q.3. How does Portia indirectly try to tell Bassanio that she loves him?

Ans. Portia tells Bassanio that there is something in her that tells her that she should not
lose him, but it is not love, at the same time Bassanio should understand that hate does not give
such advice. In case he has not understood her, she wants to explain but is overcome with
maidenly modesty and says that a maiden has only thought and no tongue.

She tells him that she could teach him how to choose the right casket but she is
forsworn, so she will never break her pledge. At the same time, if she does not help him, he may
lose and then she would wish that she should have committed the sin of breaking the oath and
revealing the right casket to him. This shows that she loves him and does not want to lose him.

Q.4. Explain the lines – ‘O, these naughty times

Put bars between the owners and their rights!

And so, though yours, not yours, prove it so,

Let fortune go to hell for it, not I.’

Ans. She calls time naughty because it puts bars between the owner and their rights. So
although she is his because she loves him, she is not entirely his and if it proves to be so, that she is
not his, then she says that fate should be damned for causing it and not she.

Q.5. What reason does Portia give for talking too much? What is Bassanio’ reaction?

Ans. Portia says that she is talking for a long time, only to prolong the time, to eke it and
to draw it out in length only to hold him back from making his choice.

Bassanio says that he feels he is upon the rack. Rack is an instrument of torture
consisting of a frame on which people were stretched, until they confessed their crimes. He says
this because Portia is trying to stretch out the time.

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Q.6. What teasing remark does Portia make? What reply does Bassanio give?

Ans. Portia teases Bassanio by telling him that if he feels that he is upon the rack, then he
must confess what treason or disloyalty there is in his love.

Bassanio says that the treason he has committed is nothing but that ugly feeling of
doubt which makes him dread that he may not have the one he loves for his wife. He tells her that
just as there cannot be friendship and union between snow and fire, so also there cannot be any
relation between treason and his love for her.

Q.7. Why does Portia feel that Bassanio speaks upon the rack?

Ans. Portia feels that Bassanio speaks upon the rack because men who are placed upon
the rack are compelled to speak under the pressure of torture.

Q.8. What according to Bassanio, was the very sum of his confession? How does he
describe his torturer?

Ans. Bassanio says that ‘confess and love’ was the very sum of his confession.

He says that his torture is delightful because his torturer, Portia, teaches him words
like ‘confess and love’ that will deliver him from all tortures.

Q.9. How would music be if Bassanio loses?

Ans. If Bassanio loses, he would have a swan like end, fading in music and that the
comparison may stand proper, his tears shall be the stream and watery death-bed for him.

Q.10. How would music be if Bassanio wins?

Ans. If Bassanio wins then, music would be like the music that is played when true
subject bow down to a newly crowned monarch and like the music that is played outside the
bridegroom’s window on the day of his marriage, at the break of day summoning him to marriage.

Q.11. What comparison does Portia draw? (Alcides, Hesione and Dardanian wives)

Ans. Portia compares Bassanio to Alcides and says that he goes to make his choice with
handsome appearance and much more love than young Alcides when he did redeem the virgin
tribute paid by howling Troy to the sea – monster.

She compares herself to Hesione and says that she stands there for sacrifice.

She compares Nerissa and others standing aloof to Dardanian wives, with bleared
visages who have come there to witness the outcome of the rescue operation.

Q.12. What is the meaning of the song?

Ans. The song means that, where does fanciful love and not true love originate? Does it
originate from the heart or from the head? How was it nourished? The song also asks for a reply.

The reply was that, fanciful love originates in the eye when the glances alight on
some pleasing form. It is nourished by the continuous sight of the loved one. It is short lived and
fades away as soon as it is born. At the end, the song states that one must ring fancy’s death bell.

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Q.13. Does Portia give Bassanio a clue to the riddle of the caskets through the song?
Explain.

Ans. Yes, Portia give Bassanio a clue to the riddle of the caskets through the song. The
song seems to give a clue to Bassanio to the correct choice of the caskets. The song apparently has
a warning against judging by the eyes alone i.e. judging by outward appearances.

(This point is more appropriate, however, students can also say ‘No’ and give the
following reasons.)

No, Portia does not give Bassanio a clue to the riddle of the caskets through the
song because Bassanio is clearly commenting to himself on the casket when the song is being
played. Secondly, Portia is bound not to help the suitors in their choice. Thirdly, we expect
Bassanio to choose correctly on his own judgement. It is also believed that Portia has ordered
music just to ease the tension. Finally, the music is played for the audience to know the thoughts
passing through Bassanio’s mind.

Q.14. Explain the lines: ‘So may the outward shows be least themselves,

The world is still deceived with ornaments.’

Ans. The lines mean that, pretty appearances and not what they appear to be, the world is
led astray by decorations and adornments of various kinds.

Q.15. Explain in details the seven examples given by Bassanio to prove that external
appearances are deceptive.

Ans. Refer to the notes on ‘Gold, silver and lead casket’. [The hard copy is given]

Q.16. Why does Bassanio reject the gold casket?

Ans. Refer to the notes on ‘Gold, silver and lead casket’.

Q.17. Why does Bassanio reject the silver casket?

Ans. Refer to the notes on ‘Gold, silver and lead casket’.

Q.18. Why does Bassanio choose the lead casket?

Ans. Refer to the notes on ‘Gold, silver and lead casket’.

Q.19. How does Portia give a vent to her pent up emotions?

Ans. When Bassanio chooses the right casket, Portia is elated. She says that all her pent
up emotions have vanished into the air, like doubtful thoughts, rash-embraced despair, shuddering
fear, and green-eyed jealousy.

She asks God of love to be moderate and allay the ecstasy. She asks Him to shower
joy in moderation. She also asks Him to restrain this excess of joy because she feels that his
blessing is too much for her to bear and she may suffer from excessive blessings.

Q.20. How does Bassanio describe Portia’s eyes, lips and hair?

Ans. Bassanio looks at Portia’s portrait and asks whether the eyes of the portrait are
moving or whether it is because they seem to be fixed on his own eyeballs, that they seem to be

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moving. He also asks how the painter could paint her eyes. It seems that when one eye had been
painted, it would have the power with its attractiveness to blind the painter (stealing away his eyes)
so that he could not paint the second eye.

He looks at her lips and says that these are severed lips, parted with sugar breath.
He says that her lips are slightly parted and sweet breath escapes from the mouth. He calls the lips
two sweet friends and says that nothing but sweet breath should come between them.

He looks at her hair and says that just as a spider weaves cobwebs to trap insects,
similarly the artist has portrayed Portia’s hair in such braids and knots that the hearts of men are
taken captive by the beauty sooner than gnats in a spider’s web.

Q.21. What was written on the scroll?

Ans. ‘You that choose not by the view,

Chance as fair, and choose as true!

Since this fortune falls to you,

Be content, and seek no new.

If you be well pleased with this,

And hold you fortune for your bliss,

Turn you where your lady is,

And claim her with a loving kiss.’

Q.22. Describe Bassanio’s feelings on learning about the success of his choice.

Ans. Bassanio is elated. He says that he feels like one of the two contending for a prize,
who thinks he has done well in people’s eyes, hearing applause and universal shout, giddy in spirit,
still gazing, in a doubt, whether those peals of praise are for him or not. He tells Portia that he is
doubtful whether what he sees is true, until confirmed, signed and ratified by her.

Q.23. How would Portia want to be in order to stand high in Bassanio’s account?

Ans. Portia says that she is not ambitious to be better than what she is, but for Bassanio,
she wants to be three times twenty of what she is. She wants to be a thousand times more fair and
ten thousand times more rich only to stand high in Bassanio’s account.

She says that in virtues, beauties livings, friends, she may exceed account, but the
full sum of her is the sum of something, which to term in gross is an unlesson’d girl, unschool’d
and unpractised. Happy in this, she is not yet so old but she may learn, happier than this, she is not
bred so dull but she can learn, happiest of all that her gentle spirit, commits itself to him to be
directed, as from her lord, her governor and her king.

Q.24. What does Portia say about her possessions? What does Portia give Bassanio as the
token of her love? What warning does she give?

Ans. Portia says that everything that is hers is now transferred to Bassanio. She was the
lord of the mansion, the master of her servant and queen over herself. Now the house, the servant

7
and she herself are Bassanio’s. She says that she gives all this to him with a ring. If he parts from
the ring, loses it or gives it away then it will give her an opportunity to accuse him.

Q.25. How would Portia be happy, happier and happiest?

Ans. Portia says that in virtues, beauties livings and friends, she may exceed account, but
the full sum of her is the sum of something, which to term in gross is an unlesson’d girl,
unschool’d and unpractised. Happy in this, she is not yet so old but she may learn, happier than
this, she is not bred so dull but she can learn, happiest of all that her gentle spirit, commits itself to
him to be directed, as from her lord, her governor and her king.

Q.26. How does Bassanio react?

Ans. Bassanio says that Portia has deprived him of all words, only his blood speaks to
her in his veins. He says that there is so much confusion in his thoughts like the one that follows
after a fine speech of a beloved prince among a murmuring delighted audience. He says that every
feeling has blended together and has produced a wild confusion, expressing nothing but joy which
finds only inarticulate expression.

Q.27. What promise does Bassanio make regarding the ring?

Ans. Bassanio promises Portia that when the ring leaves his finger, then his spirit will
flee. He will only part from the ring when he dies.

Q.28. What do Nerissa and Gratiano intervene and say?

Ans. Nerissa and Gratiano tell Portia and Bassanio that it was their time to wish them.
Gratiano says that he wishes them all happiness that they can wish for themselves. He also tells
them that when they intend to celebrate the contract of their love i.e. marriage, at the very same
time he may be married too.

Q.30. How did Gratiano woo and win a wife?

Ans. Gratiano says that his eyes could look as swift as Bassanio’s. Bassanio saw the
mistress and he beheld the maid. He says that just as Bassanio made a speedy courtship, so was
Gratiano not inclined to delay. He says that after he had exhausted himself in pleading and
persuasion, till he could speak no longer as the roof of his mouth was dry, at last he obtained a
promise from fair Nerissa that she would love Gratiano on condition that Bassanio had the good
fortune to win the love of her mistress by choosing the right casket.

Q.31. Who enters the scene? How does Bassanio welcome them?

Ans. Lorenzo, Jessica and Salerio enter the scene.

Bassanio welcomes them to the house. He says that if his newly acquired claim bids
him to act as a host and welcome them and if Portia allows him to do so, he welcomes these true
friend and fellow citizens with all his heart.

Q.32. What does Salerio give Bassanio? What is Salerio’s reply when Bassanio asks him
about Antonio?

Ans. Salerio gives Bassanio a letter.

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 When Bassanio asks him about Antonio. Salerio says that Antonio is not sick in a
body unless his sick in mind. He tells him that his letter will show him his estate.

Q.33. What does Gratiano say about the ‘fleece’? What replay does Salerio give?

Ans. Gratiano says that they are the Jasons and they have won the fleece.

Salerio tells him that he wished that they had won the golden fleece i.e. the wealth
Antonio had lost.

Q.34. What did Portia observe and tell about Bassanio while he was reading Antonio’s
letter?

Ans. While Bassanio was reading Antonio’s letter, Portia looks at his pale face and says
that there are some shrewd contents in that same paper that steals the colour from Bassanio’s
cheek. She says that it could be the news about the death of a dear friend, otherwise nothing else
in the world could change the constitution of a constant man like him. Then she notices that his
expression was growing worse. She tells him that since she is half his, she must freely have the
half of anything that the same paper brings.

Q.35. What confession does Bassanio make?

Ans. Bassanio tells Portia that when he first disclosed his affection for her, he told her
that the only wealth he possessed ran in his veins. He was a gentleman. He spoke nothing but the
truth. However, when he rated himself at nothing, he was still bragging, he should have told her
that he was worse than nothing because he had risked his friend’s life to his enemy only to supply
him with money.

Q.36. What does Bassanio tell Portia about the letter? What were the contents of the letter?

Ans. Bassanio looks upon Antonio’s letter as if it were his body and every word in it a
gaping wound issuing life –blood.

In the letter Antonio tells Bassanio that all his ships have been miscarried, his
creditors grow cruel, his estate is very low, his bond to the Jew is forfeit and in paying it, it is
impossible that he should live. He tells him that all debts are cleared between them. He wishes to
see Bassanio before he dies. He tells Bassanio that if the love and affection he bears for Antonio
does not bring him to Antonio side, he should not pay any attention to his request.

Q.36. What does he ask Salerio? What is Salerio’s reply?

Ans. He asks Salerio whether Antonio’s ventures have failed coming from Tripolis,
Mexico, England, Lisbon, Barbary and India. He enquires again whether not a single vessel has
escaped being wrecked on the dangerous rocks that ruin merchants.

Salerio tells Bassanio that Antonio’s ships have perished and even if Antonio had
sufficient amount to pay off his debt, Shylock would not accept the payment. He says that he has
never seen a human creature so keen and greedy to confound a man. Shylock plies the duke at
morning and at night and questions the integrity of the law in Venice, if they deny him justice.
Twenty merchants, the duke himself and magnificoes of high ranks have used their power of

9
persuasion but without effect. He tells him that no one can drive Shylock from the envious plea of
the forfeiture, of justice and his bond.

Q.37. What does Jessica say about her father?

Ans. Jessica tells them that when she was with Shylock, she had heard him swear to
Tubal and Chus, his countrymen that he would rather have Antonio’s flesh than twenty times the
value of the bond. She tells them that if the state, the law and the duke do not intervene and save
Antonio, it will go hard with him.

Q.38. How does Bassanio describe Antonio?

Ans. Bassanio tells Portia the Antonio is the dearest friend to him, the kindest man, best-
conditioned and unwearied spirit in doing courtesies and one in whom, the ancient Roman honour
appears more, than any that draws breath in Italy.

Q.39. What does Portia tell Bassanio to do?

Ans. Portia tells Bassanio to dispatch all business and leave immediately for Venice.

Q.40. What does Bassanio say when Portia asks him to leave for Venice at once?

Ans. Bassanio replies that he will indeed make haste since she is willing that he should
go, but he will not sleep nor take any rest till he returns to her.

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 SCARLET’S ELIXIR EXCELLENCE
English Athenaeum
THE MERCHANT OF VENICe

ACT III – SCENE 3

Q.1. Where does Scene 3 of Act III take place? Name the characters who enter the scene?

Ans. Scene 3 of Act III take place on a street in Venice.

The characters who enter the scene are Shylock, Salarino, Antonio and Gaoler.

Q.2. Why is Antonio out in the street?

Ans. Antonio has persuaded his jailer to take him out so that he may meet Shylock and
beg him to relent and show mercy.

Q.3. What does Shylock tell the jailer?

Ans. Shylock tells the jailer to guard Antonio closely. He tells him that he was a fool
who lent money without charging interest. He calls the gaoler naughty for bringing Antonio out of
prison at his request.

Q.4. Why does Antonio say ‘Hear me yet, good Shylock? What is Shylocks reply?

Ans. When Antonio asks Shylock for mercy, he does not relent so Antonio request him
to at least here him out once.

Shylock tells him that he will have his bond. He asks him not to speak anything
against the bond as he has sworn an oath that he will have his bond. He tells Antonio that he called
him a dog when he had no reason to do so. Now since he is a dog he asks Antonio to be careful of
his fangs. He tells him that the duke shall grant him justice.

Q.5. What does Shylock say just before he exits?

Ans. Shylock tells Antonio that he will have his bond and will not hear him speak
anything against the bond. He tells him that he will not show pity nor shake his head, relent and
sigh and yield to Christian intercessors. He asks him not to follow him.

Q.6. What is Salarino’s reaction? What reply does Antonio give?

Ans. Salarino calls Shylock the most impenetrable cur that ever lived among men.

Antonio tells Salarino that he will not follow him with anymore bootless prayers.
He says that Shylock hates him because he has frequently helped those unfortunate people who
were in his power through debt. When they came to see him in their distress, he delivered them out
of Shylock’s clutches.

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Q.7. What does Antonio say when Salarino tells him that the Duke will never allow the
penalty to be enforced?

Ans. Antonio says that the duke cannot refuse to let the law take its course. The rights
which the foreigners have among men in Venice cannot be refused, if they are refused, it will be an
accusation against Venetian justice, since the trade and prosperity of the city depends on
international trade.

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 SCARLET’S ELIXIR EXCELLENCE
English Athenaeum
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

ACT III – SCENE 4

Q.1. Where does Scene 4 of Act III take place? Name the characters who enter the scene.

Ans. Scene 4 of Act III take place in a room in Portia’s house.

The characters who enter the scene are Portia, Nerissa, Lorenzo, Jessica and
Balthazar.

Q.2. How does Lorenzo praise Portia?

Ans. Lorenzo tells her that although he says it in her presence, he does not mean to flatter
her. He tells Portia that she has a noble and just concept of what god-like friendship is. This is
most obvious in the noble way he bears the sudden separation from her newly wedded husband. He
tells Portia that if she were acquainted with the noble character of the man (Antonio) and knew the
deep love he bears for signor Bassanio, she would then have greater pride and joy in performing
this generous act than she can reap from ordinary deeds of charity.

Q.3. What does Portia say about her kind actions and about Bassanio’s and Antonio’s
friendship?

Ans. Portia says that she has never repented for doing a good deed, now will she repent
now.

Portia says that in friendship when friends converse and spent time together, their
souls do bear an equal yoke of love, there must be certain similarity of proportion, of lineaments,
of manners, and of spirit, which makes her think that this Antonio, being the bosom lover of her
lord, must be like her lord. If it so, then how small is the expense which she has incurred to redeem
the likeness of her husband’s soul from a state of hellish misery.

Q.4. What instruction does Portia give Lorenzo?

Ans. Portia tells Lorenzo that she gives into his hands the entire management and care of
her mansion, till the return of her husband. As for her, she has taken a secret oath to pass her days
in prayer and contemplation with none but Nerissa as her companion, until their husbands reach
home. There is a monastery two miles away where they will stay. She concludes by telling
Lorenzo that he should not refuse to carry out this task, which her love and present necessity
makes her place upon him.

Q.5. What does Portia ask Balthazar to do?

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Ans. Portia tells Balthazar that she has found him to be honest and true. She asks him to
take a letter with all the endeavour of a man and go in speed to Padua and deliver the letter to her
cousin doctor Bellario. She asks him to bring the notes and garments that the doctor would give
and come with imagined speed unto the tranect, to the common ferry which trades to Venice. She
also tells him not to waste time in talking but go as quickly as possible to Padua. She tells him that
she will be at the tranect before he gets there.

Q.8. What is Portia ready to bet on when Nerissa and she are dressed like young men?

Ans. When Nerissa and Portia are dressed like young men Portia says that she will prove
to be the prettier fellow of the two.

Q.9. How does Portia plan to behave and speak when disguised as a man?

Ans. When Portia disguises herself as a man, she plans to were her dagger with the
braver grace, speak between the change of man and boy with a reed voice, turn two mincing steps
into a manly stride and speak of frays, like a find bragging youth.

She also plans to tell quaint lies of how honourable ladies sought her love, which
she denied, they fell sick and died. She would then wish that they had not died for her sake.

She would tell twenty such puny lies. She says that she has in her mind a thousand
raw tricks which she would practice.

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 SCARLET’S ELIXIR EXCELLENCE
English Athenaeum
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

ACT III – SCENE 5

Q.1. Where does Scene 5 of Act III take place? Name the characters who enter the scene.

Ans. Scene 5 of Act III takes place at Belmont in a garden.

The characters who enter the scene are Launcelot and Jessica.

Q.2. What does Launcelot tell Jessica at the beginning of the scene? What reply does
Jessica give?

Ans. Launcelot tells Jessica that the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children,
therefore he tells her that he fears for her. He also tells her that he was always plain with her and so
he expresses his feeling freely. He tells her that she is damned. He says so because she is the
daughter of a Jew and there is no salvation for the souls of Jews and non-Christians.

Jessica tells him that she will be saved by her husband as he has made her a
Christian.

Q.3. According to Launcelot, why is Lorenzo to be blamed?

Ans. According to Launcelot, Lorenzo is to be blamed because there were enough of

Christians before who could live together. This making of Christians, will raise the price of hogs.
If all grow to be pork-eaters, they shall not get a slice of bacon left to cook over the fire at any
price.

Q.4. What does Lorenzo say as soon as he enters the scene?

Ans. As soon as Lorenzo enters the scene, he tells Launcelot that he would grow jealous
of him if he gets his wife into corners.

Q.5. What does Jessica tell Lorenzo about Launcelot?

Ans. Jessica tells Lorenzo that she has quarreled with Launcelot. He tells her flatly, that
there is no mercy for her in heaven because she is a Jew’s daughter. He says that Lorenzo is not a
good member of the commonwealth, for in converting Jews to Christians, he raises the price of
pork.

Q.6. Explain the humorous conversation between Launcelot and Lorenzo.

Ans. Launcelot tells Lorenzo to bid the servants to prepare for dinner. Launcelot replies
that they are ready and fully prepared for dinner as they all are hungry. He misunderstands
Lorenzo’s words and means ‘prepare themselves for dinner.’ Lorenzo calls him a wit-snapper and
tells him to bid the servants prepare dinner. Launcelot replies that the dinner is ready, only

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“cover” is the word. Lorenzo asks him to “cover”. Launcelot takes it in the sense of ‘put on your
hat’ and replies that he knows his duty and he cannot stand covered in the presence of Lorenzo
who is his superior. When Lorenzo asks him to do the needful, Launcelot complicates things
further and says that the table shall be served, meat shall be covered and as for their coming in to
dinner, that depends on their mood and fancy for he cannot bid them to do anything.

Q.7. What does Lorenzo say as soon as Launcelot exits?

Ans. As soon as Launcelot exits, Lorenzo tells Jessica that he knows many men who
have high rank in society but are real fools like him. They have a large stock of good words and
like him, they will let the whole sense of the subject go by, for the sake of using a witty and clever
expression, that is, by placing a double meaning on a word.

He then asks Jessica whether she is happy. He also asks her opinion about Lord
Bassanio’s wife, Portia.

Q.8. How does Jessica describe Portia?

Ans. Jessica tells Lorenzo that there are no words to describe Portia. She also tells him
that Lord Bassanio should lead an upright life for having a wife as Portia, he is enjoying the bliss
of heaven on earth. She also tells him that if Bassanio does not mean to be so here, then certainly
he does not deserve to reach heaven.

Jessica also tells Lorenzo that if two heavenly gods were to play some game of skill
and two earthly women were to be the wager staked on the result of the contest, and if Portia were
one of the two, there would have to be some additional value added to the other woman to make
the stakes equal, because this crude world does not have a woman equal to Portia.

Q.9. What does Lorenzo mockingly remark? What does Jessica reply?

Ans. Lorenzo tells Jessica that even she has a good husband as Bassanio has a good wife.

Jessica tells him that he should wait and hear her opinion too.

Q.10. What does Jessica say with a pun?

Ans. Jessica tells Lorenzo that she would like to praise him while she still has a stomach.
Here the pun is on the word stomach which means inclination to praise and appetite for dinner.

Q.11. When does Lorenzo want to hear it? Why?

Ans. Lorenzo wants to hear it during dinner, because however unpalatable her words
may be, he will still digest them with the rest of his dinner.

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