STD Ix English Literature Merchant of Venice Act 1 SC 1 Set 1 Assignment

CLASS – IX
ENGLISH LITERATURE
MERCHANT OF VENICE
ACT 1 SCENE 1
SET – 1 ASSIGNMENT – 1
Summary of Act I: Scene 1

Walking along a street in Venice, Antonio (the "merchant" of
the title) confesses to his friends Salarino and Salanio that
lately he has felt unaccountably sad. They have noticed it,
and they suggest that Antonio is probably worried about the
safety of his merchant ships, which are exposed to storms at
sea and attacks by pirates. Antonio denies this and also
denies that he is in love, a possibility that both of his friends
think might explain Antonio's pensiveness. Salarino
concludes that Antonio's moodiness must be due simply to
the fact that Antonio is of a naturally melancholy disposition.
At this point, their friends Bassanio, Lorenzo, and Gratiano
join them, and after an exchange of courtesies, Salarino and
Salanio excuse themselves. Gratiano takes a long look at his
old friend Antonio and playfully chides him for being so
solemn and so unduly silent. Gratiano says that he himself
never has "moods"; in contrast to Antonio, Gratiano is
determined to always "play the fool." Lorenzo intimates that
sometimes Gratiano is too much the fool — that is, he is too
loquacious. He and Gratiano depart, promising to meet the
others at dinner.
Left alone with Antonio, Bassanio assures him that he should

not worry about Gratiano's critical remarks. Antonio then
changes the subject abruptly; he asks Bassanio for more
information, as promised, about the certain lady to whom
Bassanio has sworn "a secret pilgrimage." Bassanio does not
answer Antonio directly; he begins a new subject, and he
rambles on about his "plots and purposes" and about the fact
that he has become so prodigal about his debts that he feels
"gag'd."
Antonio tells his friend to get to the point; he promises to
help him if he can. Bassanio then reveals his love for the
beautiful and virtuous Portia, an extremely wealthy young
lady who lives in Belmont. He says that her beauty and her
fortune are so well known, in fact, that she is being courted
by "renowned suitors" from all parts of the world. Bassanio,
however, is confident that if he could spend as much money
as is necessary, he could be successful in his courtship.
Antonio understands Bassanio's predicament, but Antonio
has a problem of his own. Since all the capital which Antonio
possesses has been invested in his ships, his cash flow is
insufficient for any major investments at this time. As a
solution, however, Antonio authorizes Bassanio to try to raise
a loan using Antonio's good name as collateral for credit.
Together, they will do their utmost and help Bassanio to go
to Belmont in proper style.
Read the above passage and answer the
following questions.
SALANIO:
Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth,

The better part of my affections would
Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still
Plucking the grass to know where sits the wind,
Peering in maps for ports and piers and roads.
And every object that might make me fear
Misfortune to my ventures out of doubt
Would make me sad.
i) Where would Salanio’s attention be if he had business

ventures abroad? Why would he be plucking the grass? What
else he would be doing in that context?
Ans: - If Salanio had business ventures abroad, his thoughts
would be fixed on the dangers to his ventures and methods
of securing them. He would be plucking the blades of grass
and casting them in the air to know the direction of wind, to
see if it was blowing in a direction favourable to the course of
his ships or not. Further, he would look into maps
for harbours, channels and open road-steads near to the
shore where his ships could anchor in case of need.
ii) What would make Salanio fear some dangers in
his ventures? Give two examples.
Ans: - Every thought of Salanio would make him fearful of
danger to his business ventures. Two examples which
reminded Salarino of the danger to his ships were:
1. While cooling his soup by blowing on it, reminded
him of the stormy winds at sea causing terrible damages
to his ships.
2. The sandy hour-glass reminded him of the richly laden

vessels wrecked on the sandy shore.
iii) Give the meaning of: “Plucking the grass to know

where sets the wind”, “Peering in maps for ports, and
piers, and roads”.
Ans: - a) Plucking the grass to know where sets wind :

Plucking of grass and casting them in the air to see
which way the wind blew.
b) Peering in maps for ports, and piers, and road:

Looking into maps for harbours, channels and even
open road-steads near the shore.
iv) In spite of the danger to his ships, why Antonio is not

worried about his financial security?
Ans: - Despite danger to his ships, Antonio is not worried

about his financial security because his business
is neither dependent on any one ship nor on any single
location or commercial transactions of the current year.
v) What light does the opening scene throw on the danger

that sea could pose to ships?
Ans: - The opening scene describes the possible dangers

that the sea could pose to ships such as strong winds,
dangerous shallow waters, sand banks and dangerous
rocks.
ASSIGNMENT
ANTONIO:
In sooth, I know not why I am so sad.

It wearies me; you say it wearies you.
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What stuff ’tis made of, whereof it is born, I am to learn.
And such want-wit sadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.
i) Where are Antonio and his friends? What does Antonio

says about his sadness?
ii) Give the meaning of: “whereof it is born”, a want-wit

sadness”.
iii) What reason does Salarino give as the probable cause of
Antonio’s melancholy?
iv) State in your own words the scene on the ocean as
described by Salarino, when Antonio’s ship were sailing.
v) The play begins with the atmosphere of melancholy. Why
do you think that Antonio is presented as a melancholic and
passive character?
Gratiano
Why should a man whose blood is warm within

Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster,
Sleep when he wakes, and creep into the jaundice
By being peevish? I tell thee what, Antonio—
I love thee, and ’tis my love that speaks—
There are a sort of men whose visages
Do cream and mantle like a standing pond,
And do a willful stillness entertain,
With purpose to be dress’d in an opinion
Of wisdom, gravity, profound conceit;
As who should say, I am Sir Oracle,
And, when I ope my legs, let no dog bark!
i) Why would Gratiano like to play the role of a comic actor?
ii) Why does Gratiano want to drink wine?
iii) Why doesn’t he like a serious looking man?
iv) What truth he wants to reveal to Antonio?
v) Explain the line- “I am Sir Oracle. And when I ope my lips
let no dog bark.”

STD Ix English Literature Merchant of Venice Act 1 SC 1 Set 1 Assignment

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STD Ix English Literature Merchant of Venice Act 1 SC 1 Set 1 Assignment

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CLASS – IX

Summary of Act I: Scene 1

Left alone with Antonio, Bassanio assures him that he should

Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth,

i) Where would Salanio’s attention be if he had business

2. The sandy hour-glass reminded him of the richly laden

iii) Give the meaning of: “Plucking the grass to know

Ans: - a) Plucking the grass to know where sets wind :

b) Peering in maps for ports, and piers, and road:

iv) In spite of the danger to his ships, why Antonio is not

Ans: - Despite danger to his ships, Antonio is not worried

v) What light does the opening scene throw on the danger

Ans: - The opening scene describes the possible dangers

In sooth, I know not why I am so sad.

i) Where are Antonio and his friends? What does Antonio

ii) Give the meaning of: “whereof it is born”, a want-wit

Why should a man whose blood is warm within

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