ACT 1 SCENE 1

Drama Workbook Answers

Question 1

i. Where are Antonio and his friends? What does Antanio say about his sadness?
Ans:
 Antonio and his friends are in the streets of Venice.
 Antonio says that he does not know the reason of his sadness,where it was
born,what stuff it is made up of, how he accquired it but this sadness makes
him tired and an absent minded fellow and because of it he has lost his
identity.

ii. Give the Meaning of :

a. Where of it is born : what origin does it come from
b. a want –wit sadness: absent minded
c. That I have much ado to know myself: I have lost my identity and I do not
know who I am

iii. What reason does Salorino give as the probable causes of Antonio’s
melancholy?
Ans: The probable reason that Salarino gives for Antonio’s melancholy is his
merchandise ships sailing in the deep ocean.He thinks that Antonio might be
worrying about the safety of his ships from all possible dangers that his ships
might face in the ocean in the form of strong Winds, Sandbanks and Rocks.

iv. State in your own words the scene on the ocean as described by Salorino,
When Anotonio’s ships were sailing.
Ans: According to Salarino, Antonio’s ships were like Argosies sailing boldly in
the ocean like rich gentlemen and important citizens in big procession,surpassing
the petty traffickers(small commercial boats) which were moving up and down in
the ocean showing their respect to the Argoises of Antonio which moved past
them with their woven wings.

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 v. Why do you think that Antonio is presented as a melancholic character?
What could be causes for his melancholy?
Ans:Refer to the workbook page 32 heading as Antonio’s melancholy
Question 2
i. Where would Salonio’s attention be if he had bussiness ventures abroad?
Why would he be ‘Plucking the grass ’? What else would he be doing in that
context?
Ans:
 Salanio’s attention would be with his ships abroad and the dangers they
might face in the ocean.
 He would hold a blade of grass to see in which direction the wind was
blowing.
 After knowing the direction of the wind, he would look carefully in the map
for ports, harbours and channels and everything that could harm his ventures
would make him sad.

ii. What would make Salanio fear some danger to his ventures? Give two
examples from the opening scene to show how some objects remind Salarino of the
danger to the ships?
Ans:
 Salanio would be afraid of every object that could harm his ship in the sea.
 Salarino would not dare see the sandyhour glass because the sight of the sand in
the glass would remind him the dangers of the hidden sandbanks in the sea on
which his ship may run aground lowering her top of the mast to kiss the sand
where it would be buried.
 If ever he would go to church ,the holy edifice would remind him of the dangerous
rocks which when striked against his gentle vessel would scatter the spices and the
silk on the ocean water reducing his ship to a worthless thing.

iii. Give the meaning of: Plucking the grass to know where sits the wind.
Ans: It means that Salanio would be holdin g a blade of grass to see in which
direction the wind was blowing.

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iv. In spite of the danger to his ships, why is Antonio not worried about his
financial security?
Ans: Inspite of the danger to his ships Antonio is not worried about his financial
security because his bussiness enterprise was not risked in a single ship nor
destined to a particular place nor was his financial position dependant on the
bussiness venture of a year.

v. What light does the opening scene throw on the danger that the sea could
pose to ships? How does the scene shows that Antonio is very confident about his
bussiness venture?
Ans:
 The opening scene throws a light on the dangers of the sea which could be in the
form of rocks, sandbanks, storm and pirates.
 Antonio is confident of his bussiness venture because he is a rich merchant of
Venice whose bussiness enterprise is not risked in one ship, nor is it risked in one
place or dependent on the venture of one year.

Question 3
i. Where does the scene takes place? Name the people who are present there.
In what mood is Salarino in this scene?
Ans:
 The scene takes place in a street of Venice.
 Antonio, Salarino and Salanio are present in the scene.
 Salarino is in a talkative mood. He is worried about Antoino’s sadness and
tries to find out the resaon of his sadness.

ii. What would the wind cooling the broth remind Salorino of?
Ans: The wind cooling the broth would remind Salarino of the stormy winds atsea
and the terrible damages they would cause to his ships.

iii. Give the meaning of :

And see my wealthy Andrew dock’d in sand,

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 Ans: Andrew refers to a big cargo ship.In the above lines Salarino imaginesthat his
rich cargo shipis grounded in sand lowering her top of the mast as if trying to kiss
the sand that surrounds her and would prove to be the burial place for her.

iv. What is the sandy hour glass? What would it remind Salorino of?
Ans: Refer the textbook page no:22 line26

v. When Salarino would go to church what would he see? What would the
scene make him imagine?

Ans: When Salarino would go to church, he would see the holy building of stone
which would remind him of the dangerous rocks of the sea and if his vessel would
strike against it,it would be broken into pieces scattering the rich spices and the silk
on the ocean water.

Question : 4

i. Who has just said that Antonio was in love? What was the reaction of
Antonio to that remark?
Ans:
 Salarino has just said that Antonio is in love.
 Antonio calls this as nonsense and denies bieng in love.

ii. Antonio says that he is not sad because of love .What explanation does
Salarino give in the extract for Antonio’s sadness?
Ans: Salarino says that Antonio is sad because he is not happy so he should laugh
and leap and say he is happy because he is not sad .As nature has created strange
fellows in the world.There are some who would laugh at small things while there
are some who will not show their teeth even in a smile .

iii. What is meant by the two-headed Janus. Who is Nestor? Why is he referred
to in the extract?
Ans: refer the textbook page no:23 line52 and 58.

iv. Describe in your own words the two types of strange fellows who have been
framed by nature?

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 Ans: Nature has created two types of people.The first type of people have happy
nature and often laugh at small things like a parrot at the sound of a bagpiper. The
second type of people wear serious face and will not laugh even though the joke be
laughable.

v. Who comes at the end of Salarino’s speech? Why does Salarino leave then?
Ans:
 Gratiano, Bassanio and Lorenzo reaches there at the end of the speech.
 Salarino leaves Antonio so that he may enjoy the better company of his
dear friends.

Question: 5
i. Why is a young man compared to ‘his grandsire cut in alabaster? Under
what condition is he likely to be infected with jaundice?
Ans:
 Antoino who is a young and warm blooded man sits still like a carved statue
of his grandfather cut in albaster.
 Antonio is likely to be infected with jaundice by beeing peevish or irritable;
his healthy body would become the victim of his infected mind as
Elizabethans thought that jaundice was caused by jealousy and bad temper.

ii. Give the meaning of :

a) Do cream and mantle like a standing pound
Ans: Some people overcast their faces with unchanging expression as the scum
that forms on the surface of the still water or as the white crean on the top of the
milk.
b) do a wilful atillness entertain :
Ans: Some men deliberately put on an air of solemnity to deceive the people.

iii. What is said in the extract about the people who try to earn a reputation for
wisdom?
Ans: Grantiano speaks about people who try to obtain a reputation for wisdom,
seriousness and deep thought by remaining silent. Such people mean to say that

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 whenever they speak it will be with the authority of the Greek Oracle and they
alone are infallible in their ulterances. When they speak, other should keep quiet.

iv. Give the significiance of ‘I am Sir Oracle ’and let no dog bark’.
Ans: ‘I am Sir Oracle’ means ‘I speak with the authority of the Greek Oracle’. The
Greek Oracles is known as the will of God and was received by all without
questions. It was considered as the voice of god.
‘Let no dog bark ’means ‘Let no one speak ’. It refers to the attitude of those wise
men who consider themselves as the fountain of wisdom and want that when
speak, others should remain silent.

v. What advice does Gratiano give to Antonio at the end of his speech? What does
Bassanio say about Gratiano’s speech a little later in the scene?

Ans:

 At the end of his speech, Gratiano warns Antonio that if these wise men
who wear a reputation of wisdom but if allowed to speak would only damn
the ears of the listeners so he advises Antonio not to fish popularity by
making melancholy as a bait because it will be worthless.
 Bassanio says that Gratiano’s speaks a great deal of nonsense and the
reason in his speech is like two grains of good sense hidden in two bushels
of nonsense which is wortless.

Question: 6

i. Where are Bassanio and Antonio? What has Antanio said earlier in reply to
which Bassanio speakes these words?
Ans:
 Bassanio and Antonio are in a street in Venice.
 Antanio ask Bassanio to tell him about his plan and If Bassanio’s plan is as
honourable as he is then Antonio assures him that he himself, his money
and all his utmost resources lie open for him.

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 ii. Explain the following :
Or bring your latter hazard back again,
And thankfully rest debtor for the first.
Ans: Bassanio assures Antonio that the second loan will be returned and he will
remain indebted to Antonio for the original sum.

iii. Which experience of his school days does Bassanio relate to justify his plan
for repaying the loan?
Ans: Bassanio says that when he was a boy at school and would lose one of his
arrows while shooting, then he would shoot another arrow in the same direction
but with a careful watch and so by risking the second arrow he regained both the
arrows .

iv. How does Bassanio propose to pay back his previous loan as well as the
present loan?
Ans: Bassino propose to pay back his previous loan as well as the present loan by
carefully managing the expenditure of his second loan.

v. What confession has Bassanio made to Antonio earlier about his financial
position how can you conclude Bassanio is a spendthrift?
Ans:
 Bassanio confesses to Antonio that he has spent his wealth by living in a
grand style though his resources were limited but now his main concern is to
clear off his previous debts.
 His moderate lifestyle has incurred heavy debts because of his youth and
extravagance. This proves that Bassanio is a spendthrift.

Question: 7
i. What is meant by , ‘Fair speechless messages’ and ‘ nothing undervalued?
Ans: Fair Speechless messages means glances which are silent message of
love. Nothing undervalued means in no way inferior to.

ii. Who are Cato and Brutus? Why are they referred to here?
Ans: Refer the text book page 29 line no:170
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iii. What evidence is there in the passage to show that Portia’s fame had spread
throughout the world?
Ans: Portia’s fame had spread throughout world as suitors from every part of the
world came toBelmont to win her hand in marriage.

iv. Explain in your own words the meaning and significance of the ‘golden
fleece ’ which Jason sought in Colchos.
Ans: Refer to the textbook page no: 29 line 174

v. What does Bassanio say praising Portia? How is Antonio involved in the
romance of Bassanio?
Ans: Bassanio’s descripition of Portia in the opening scene reveals that she is a
beautiful woman. She is rich and beautiful with golden hair. She has wonderful
mental qualities and is virtuous as well. Her fame has attracted suitors from all
over the world. She is in no way inferior to Portia, Cato’s daughter and
Brutus’wife.

Question 8
i. Why is Antonio unable to help Bassanio at once?
Ans: Antonio is unable to heip Bassanio at once since he has no money in hand
nor any commodity to raise the amount as all his business ventures are at sea.

ii. “To raise a present sum’. How much was this sum? Why was it required
urgently?
Ans:
 The sum was three thousand ducats .
 It was required urgently for Bassanio to go to Belmont and present himself
before Portia as a worthy suitor and hold a rival place amongst the other
suitors.

iii. What does Antonio instruct Bassanio to do to get a loan?

Ans: Antonio instructs Bassanio to find out a merchant who is ready to give him

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 the money against his name. He told him to arrange the sum from Venetian market
by keeping his name as a gurrantor.

iv. Give the meaning of: (a) “That shall be rack’d, even to the uttermost.”
Ans: The credit shall be stretched to the utmost limit. Antonio says that he is ready
to stretch the credit as far as to equip Bassanio to go to Belmont to woo Portia.
(b)To have it of my trust or for my sake

Ans: Either on my bussiness credit or on account of my personal surety.

v. Give any two character traits of Antonio in the scene, how are they different
from the character traits of Bassanio.
Ans:
 Antonio is presented as a rich merchant of Venice whereas Bassanio is
presented as a spendthrift who has squandered all his wealth to maintain a
life of luxury.
 Antonio is depicted as a melancholic and a passive character in the opening
scene. He is sad without knowing the reason of his sadness. His friends are
worried about him whereas Bassanio is a lively character who believes in
the human emotions as love.
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