Act III Scene I

Q.1

1. In the first line she “refers to the rumour or report which is personified as a gossiping old woman”. When Salarino talks about Antonio’s
ship, Salarino only wishes that rumours may prove to be a big liar in this case as any old woman who ever gossiped with her neighbor
overheard gingerbread cakes and made her neighbor believe that she mourned sincerely for the death of her third husband.
2. Earlier it was told that Antonio’s ship was wrecked in the waters of the English channel at a spot known as Goodwin sands, the most
perilous sand bank. The news about the ship wreck spread at the Realto or the exchange where merchants meet for business transactions.
3. These words mean “ without speaking much or beating about the bush” ie. Without being guilty of any irrelevant or tedious speech or
going outside plain direct speech.
4. In this extract Salarino and Salanio expressed their feelings of concern and sympathy for Antonio. Salanio calls him ‘ Good Antonio,
Honest Antonio’ and wants a better adjective to describe him. Finally, Salanio conveys the news that Antonio has lost a ship. Salarino
hopes that this may be the end of his loses.

Q.2

1. Jessica’s flight is being talked about. She has flown to Genoa with Lorenzo.

2. The bad news besides the flight of the bird is that Antonio’s ship has wrecked in the Goodwins.

3. The bird “Jessica” was ready to fly and then it is the nature of them all to leave their nest (mother).

4. Shylock has sent Tubal to look for Jessica and get her back. He has used all his resources and wasted a lot of money without getting any
outcome.

5. Salarino says that the difference between Jessica and Shylock is like the difference between ivory and jet. He further says that the
difference in their blood is like the difference between expensive rhenish wine and cheap red wine.

Q.3

1. The bankrupt means the person who has lost all his money and prodigal means a spindrift. The bankrupt man has lost his ships and his
money invested in the cargo. He is called a prodigal because he lent money without charging interest.

2. Realto is the venetian stock exchange. The man came so smug on the mart because he was rich, revered in this community and his words
were accepted by everyone.
3. Antonio would insult Shylock in front of everyone. He spat on his Gabardine, disgraced his race, despised his nation.

4. Antonio hindered Shylock from making half a million, disturbed his business deals, laughed at his loses and made fun of his gains. He
diminished Shylocks friends and provoked his enemies.

5. The bankrupt man will go into loss if his ships are wrecked. It will feed shylock’s revenge. If Antonio is out of the way there will be no
one to prevent him from making good profits and charging high interest on money lent.

Q.4

1. The thief referred in the extract is Jessica. She has stolen ducats, jewelry and gemstones. Some of the precious stones belong to his wife
Leah, and given to him by her during his bachelor days.

2. Tubal is Shylocks friend and a fellow Jew. He is also a money lender like Shylock. He went to find Jessica on Shylock’s behalf.

3. Tubal said that wherever he went he got news about her but could not find her. She spent four score ducats at one sitting in a night and
exchanged a turquoise ring for a monkey with one of Antonio’s creditors.

4. The ill luck that befell Antonio was that his ship had been wrecked and he had lost all his money. Shylock was happy as now he could
avenge himself over Antonio.

5. He spent so much to find the thief Jessica and could not find satisfaction as he was unable to find her. He could not take revenge from her
and the person who made her to all this.

6. The gemstones were stolen by Jessica. It contained a turquoise ring which was given to him by his wife Leah in his bachelor days.

Q.5

1. Tubal says that Antonio is undone because he had heard from some of the sailors he met in Genoa that one of Antonio’s large ship has
been wrecked on the way back from Tripolis.

2. In this scene Shylock is in the mood of grief. He feels as if he is the only one in the world suffering from ill luck. Tubal is said to be
torturing Shylock by giving alternate accounts of Antonio’s loses and Jessica’s extravagances. He alternatively makes Shylock elated and
depressed for no apparent reason. He makes him happy by the news of Antonio’s ship wreck while he depresses him by saying that he could
not find Jessica and that she had spent eighty ducats in one evening and exchanged a ring with a merchant for a monkey.
3. Antonio’s misfortune makes Shylock elated because he will be able to take his revenge on Antonio. He will punish Antonio by extracting
a pound of flesh from any part of his body. By his vengeful action, he would avenge his hatred for Antonio and the Christians. Further, if
Antonio is removed from venice, he can make profit as he likes.

4a. A horde of monkeys. It means that Shylock would not have exchanged his turquoise ring even for a horde of monkeys.

4b. I can make as much profit as I like. It means that once Antonio is out of Venice Shylock can make as much profit as he wants.

5. A synagogue is a Jewish house of Prayer. Shylock’s journey to the Synagogue gives us the clue that he will take revenge on Antonio.
Shylock believes in the old Mosaic law, which prescribes an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. So Shylock is justified in taking
revenge against an enemy of his religion and race.
6. Shylock’s passion for revenge and his complete justification is given in this scene. He explains the insults he has suffered unjustly and
his right to take revenge. He believes that he is doing as his enemies would do. The fierceness of his thirst of revenge is expressed in his
final threat ‘ I will have the heart of him’. Shylock states that Jews are no different than Christians and they will follow their example in
the matter for revenge too.
11. What was Portia’s secret plans in sending Basanio to Venice?

Portia gives money to Basanio and sends him to rescue Antonio. She makes a plan to disguise herself as a lawyer and Nerissa as her assistant and
them go to Venice to rescue Antonio from the clutches of Shylock.

ii) Give the meaning of

a) Call me wife : make me your wife, get married to me.

iii) What is Bassanio supposed to do as far as Antonio’s forfeiture of the bond is concerned?

Bassanio was supposed to go to Venice and offer double the amount of Bond to Shylock and cancel the bond. If he did not agree to that, Bassanio was
to offer him double of six thousand ducats or three times that amount or even twenty times the bond amount.

iv) What would Portia and Nerissa supposed to be doing in Belmont after their husbands leave for Venice? What did they really do?

Portia and Nerissa were supposed to stay in Belmont as spinsters or widows after their husbands leave for Venice. But in fact, they did not do so.
Portia and Nerissa went to Venice in disguise as a lawyer and her assistant respectively and played a constructive role in saving Antonio from the
clutches of Shylock.

v) How important is this scene for the forward movement of the story line?

This scene is important for the forward movement of the storyline. It completes the casket story and brings it in direct contact with the other stories –
the bond story, Jessica Lorenzo love story, and the ring story. The ring story begins in this scene. The bond story is revealed through Antonio’s letter
and Bassanio’s return to Venice.

vi) After the choice of the casket by Bassanio, Portia takes over the leadership in the play. What are your views on the statement?

It is true that after the choice of the casket by Bassanio, Portia takes over leadership in the play.