Tales from Shakespeare
The Merchant of Venice
by William Shakespeare
Q: 1.
1. Who was Antonio?
= Antonio was one of the richest merchants of the city of Venice. He was well-known for his honesty and kindness.
2. Who was Bassanio?
= Bassanio was the close friend of Antonio. He was a handsome young man of noble birth, but he was always in need of money. This was because he liked to live in a grand style.
3. Why did Bassanio want three thousand ducats?
= Bassanio was in love with Portia who lived just outside Venice at Belmont. Portia had shown some likings for Bassanio. He hoped to win her for life. In order to impress her, Bassanio decided to visit her in Belmont grandly dressed and attended by many servants. He had no money to do so. So, he needed three thousand ducats.
4. Who was Shylock?
= Shylock was a money-lender in Venice and Antonio's enemy. He lent money for profit and asked for a high interest on his loans. When a debtor could not pay his debt, Shylock showed no mercy towards him and would send him to prison.
5. What reasons had Shylock for hating Antonio?
= Antonio insulted Shylock in public. He had called him "a dog" and had spat upon him. Shylock had good reasons to hate Antonio and he hated him with all his heart. He waited patiently to have his revenge on him.
Q: 2.
1. On what condition did Shylock lend Antonio the money?
= Shylock lent Antonio the money on the condition that if he(Antonio) could not pay him(Shylock) back in three months' time, he must give him a pound of his flesh. And he must allow him to cut that pound of flesh from any part of his body that he choose.
2. Why did Bassanio beg Antonio not to sign the bond?
= Bassanio begged Antonio not to sign the bond because that bond was a strange one and it hid an evil purpose. If Antonio's ships don't come home safely, Shylock will claim the pound of flesh lawfully. He will cut Antonio's heart. Then Bassanio will be the cause of Antonio's death.
3. Did Antonio sign the bond?
= Yes, Antonio ultimately signed the bond for the happiness of his dear friend Bassanio.
4. What did Bassanio do when he had the money that he needed?
= When Bassanio had the money he needed, he set out for Belmont. He was richly dressed and had a splendid train of attendants.
Q: 3.
1. What were the caskets made of?
= The first casket was made of gold, the second of silver, and the third of lead.
2. Who would be Portia's husband?
= The portrait of Portia was in one of the caskets. The suitor who first guessed which casket held the portrait of Portia, would be Portia's husband.
3. Why did the Prince from Morocco choose the gold casket? What did he find inside it?
= The Prince from Morocco chose the gold casket because he thought that silver and lead were poor metals. They were too poor to hold the precious picture of noble Portia. He therefore chose the gold casket.
4. Why did the prince from Spain choose the silver casket?
= The prince from Spain chose the silver casket as there were these words: "He who chooses me will get what he deserves." He liked the words. He was a prince with a high opinion of himself. He thought that he deserved the best. He therefore chose the silver casket.
5. Why did Bassanio choose the lead casket?
= Bassanio thought - "Appearances are often deceptive." So he did not choose the gold casket. He thought - Bad men appear good. Ugly people hide their ugliness by fine clothes." He did not choose the silver casket. Rather, he chose the plain, lead casket. He opened it. There was the portrait of Portia inside.
6. What did Portia give to Bassanio?
= Portia gave Bassanio - herself, her house, her servants, all that she had. And as a token of this, she gave to Bassanio a ring.
Q: 4.
1. Who were going to get married at the same time as Portia and Bassanio?
= Gratiano, the friend of Bassanio, and Nerissa who was Portia's maid and friend, were going to get married at the same time as Portia and Bassanio.
2. What did Antonio write in his letter?
= Antonio wrote in his letter that his ships had been lost at sea. He could not pay the money he owed to the Jew(Shylock) and so he had to pay the penalty. He had requested his dear friend Bassanio to come to see him if he could.
3. What happened before Bassanio and Gratiano left for Venice?
= Before Bassanio and Gratiano left for Venice, Portia and Bassanio were married and so were Nerissa and Gratiano.
4. What did Portia do to help Antonio?
= Portia wrote to her cousin, Doctor Bellario, who was a learned lawyer. She asked him to send her his advice and also his lawyer's gown. Doctor Bellario did so. In a short time, Portia and Nerissa were also on their way to Venice. The former was dressed as a lawyer while the latter was disguised as a lawyer's clerk.
Q: 5.
1. What did the Duke ask Shylock to do?
= The Duke asked Shylock to be merciful and not to claim his pound of flesh from Antonio's body.
2. What did Bassanio offer Shylock?
= Bassanio offered Shylock ten times the sum he owed.
3. What did Shylock demand?
= Shylock demanded the lawful penalty. He claimed his pound of flesh from Antonio's body.
4. Who was the lawyer defending Antonio?
= The lawyer, defending Antonio, was Portia herself disguised as Doctor Balthazar.
5. Who was the lawyer's clerk?
= The lawyer's clerk was Nerissa herself dressed as a lawyer's clerk.
6. What did Portia say after reading the bond?
= After reading the bond, Portia said that Shylock was quite right. He might claim the pound of flesh. But she also pleaded him to be merciful and take the money and let her tear up that bond. Then she saw that Shylock was not ready to listen to her. Next she asked Antonio to be ready to give a pound of flesh to Shylock.
7. What did Shylock call Portia?
= Shylock called Portia "a second Daniel."
Q: 6.
1. What penalty must Shylock pay if he sheds one drop of blood?
= If Shylock sheds one drop of blood, the state of Venice will take all his property from him. He will lose everything he own.
2. What penalty must a foreigner pay for plotting to kill a citizen of Venice?
= Half of his property goes to that citizen and the other half goes to the state of Venice.
3. What was the Duke's judgement?
= The Duke was merciful. He spared Shylock's life. But he told Shylock that half of his wealth will go to Antonio and the other half to the state of Venice.
4. What had happened to Shylock's daughter?
= Shylock's daughter Jessica had run away from home in order to marry Lorenzo and that had almost broken Shylock's heart.
5. What agreement had Shylock to sign?
= Shylock had to sign the agreement that on his death, he would leave his wealth to his daughter Jessica and her husband Lorenzo, a friend of Antonio's.
Q: 7.
1. Had anyone recognised Portia in the law court?
= No one recognised Portia in the law court throughout the trial. Portia had disguised her appearance and her voice so well that not even Bassanio recognised her. All thought her to be an unusually clever lawyer.
2. What did Portia ask Bassanio to give her?
= Portia asked Bassanio to give her his gloves that the ring he was wearing.
3. Was Bassanio willing to part with the ring?
= Bassanio was not willing to part with the ring as it was given him by his wife and he promised her never to part with it.
4. What did Nerissa persuade Gratiano to give her?
= Clever and charming Nerissa was able to persuade Gratiano to give her his ring.
5. What were Nerissa and her husband quarrelling over?
= Nerissa and her husband were quarrelling over a ring Nerissa gave Gratiano. It was their token of love. Gratiano promised never to part it. But he had given it to the lawyer's clerk.
Q: 8.
1. What were Portia and her husband quarrelling over?
= Portia gave her husband a ring as token of love and told him never to part with it. Bassanio gave it to the lawyer Doctor Balthazar. This made her angry. and they started to quarrel.
2. Why did Antonio say, "I am the cause of these quarrels"?
= Antonio said that he was the cause of those quarrel because Bassanio gave the ring to Doctor Balthazar as he(Antonio) asked him(Bassanio) to.
3. When could Bassanio not believe his eyes?
= Bassanio could not believe his eyes when Portia gave him the same ring which he had given to Doctor Balthazar.
4. What made Bassanio happy and proud?
= Bassanio was happy because Portia had been angry only as a joke. He was proud that she had saved his friend by her courage and wisdom.
5. What increased the joy at Belmont?
= There was great joy in Belmont. That joy was increased when a messenger came with letters for Antonio. These letters brought good news. The ships which he had believed lost had all returned safely to the harbour. All their rich cargoes were safe. Antonio was a rich man again.
6. How does the story end?
= The story ends with laughing and joking and great joy at Belmont.