Merchant of Venice Workbook Answers
Act V Scene 1
Extract 1
(i) The theme of love is discussed in the extract.
(ii) Thisbe was a beautiful maiden of Babylonia who was in love with Pyramus, who also belonged to the same place. The words 'fearfully o'ertrip the dew' means that Thisbe, with a heart throbbing with fear, came daintly, stepping over the dewy grass.
(iii) Thisbe and Pyramus lived in adjoining houses but their parents would not let them marry. They managed to talk to each other through a hole in the garden wall. One moonlit night they arranged to meet secretly at a tomb in a forest outside the city. Thisbe arrived first, but hearing the roar of a lion she ran away in terror, leaving behind her mantle. The lion seized the mantle, tore it, and stained it with the blood of an ox it had killed. Pyramus came later. Seeing the stained mantle, he concluded that Thisbe had been devoured by the lion and stabbed himself. Later when Thisbe returned to the tomb, she saw the dead body of Pyramus and killed herself. They are symbols of faithful love.
(iv) Dido was the queen of Carthage and the foundress of the city. After the Trojan War, the ship of Aeneas, a Trojan prince came to Carthage and was entertained by Dido. She fell in love with him. But the gods wanted Aeneas to go to Italy. Aeneas cruelly deserted her and set sail secretly at night. Dido heartbroken, lit a funeral fire and died in its flames. Her anxious wait for Aeneas is symbolized by her standing with a willow in hand.
Willow and the wild sea banks are emblems of forsaken love. Queen Dido stood on the rough sea shore, carrying her hand a willow- wand, the symbol of forsaken love, waving to her lover Aeneas in the ship, vainly appealing to him to return to her.
(v) The stories of Thisbe and Dido are given in the context of heightening the theme of love. While Thisbe's story tells of faithful lovers, Dido's story speaks of forsaken love. Jessica refers to Thisbe's account and her devoted love for Lorenzo. Dido's story is narrated by Lorenzo to taunt her at the fate of Dido. The constancy of the love of Lorenzo and Jessica is highlighted in the scene.
Extract 2
(i) Jessica stole money and jewel from the wealthy jew.
(ii) Jessica and Lorenzo took all precautions to ensure she could escape her father's house undetected. Lorenzo came to take her as a part of a masquerade dressed in costumes and wearing a mask. Jessica dressed as a boy, and they eloped on a moonlit night when Shylock was away at Bassanio's house for dinner.
(iii) Jessica's father reacted violently to Jessica's escape. He was angry at his daughter for eloping with a Christian and taking away his money and jewels. He wished to see her dead and to lie in a coffin with his ducats and jewels. He sought the help of the Duke and his friend Tubal to track down and find Jessica and Lorenzo. Just before her elopement Jessica feels ashamed of herself for her masculine disguise and stealing her father's money and jewelry.
(iv) Lorenzo quickly sees the masquerade he and his friends have planned as an opportunity for eloping with Jessica. He decides that Jessica disguised as a page, will be his torch-bearer in the masque. When Jessica feels embarrassed in a page-boy's dress, he satisfies her by saying that she looks charming even in the disguise of a boy and finally takes her with him.
(v) Venice stands for a busy life full of problems, businesses, and hardships, while Belmont stands for peace, love, and tranquility. The elopement of Lorenzo and Jessica from Venice to Belmont means they have freed themselves from the destructive facts of life in Venice and have come to Belmont, where peace and tranquility nurture their love.
Extract 3
(i) The scene occurs in the garden opposite Portia's house in Belmont. Stephano is a servant of Portia. He brings the message that Lady Portia will arrive at Belmont before daybreak.
(ii) According to Stephano, his mistress visited the roadside shrines with holy crosses while absent from home. She knelt and offered prayers at these sacred places for blessings in her married life.
(iii) In reality, during her absence from home, she went to Venice disguised as a Doctor of Law and successfully argued for Antonio in his bond-forfeiture case and saved him from the evil designs of Shylock. Nerissa accompanied her mistress as the lawyer's clerk.
(iv) In the company of her mistress, her maid played the role of a lawyer's clerk. Once the deed document was made, Portia's maid went to Shylock's house for his signature.
(v) Jessica-Lorenzo romance is linked to the love story of Portia and Bassanio. Lorenzo is Bassanio's friend and well-wisher. Jessica is
Shylock's daughter finds life at her home hell. Bassanio's dinner party provides Jessica and Lorenzo with an opportunity to elope. They elope to Belmont and stay at Portia's mansion during her absence.
Extract 4
(i) Lorenzo speaks these words. He is in the garden in front of Portia's house in Belmont. He is talking to Jessica.
(ii) The speaker asked Stephano to arrange some music in the open air before the given extract.
(iii) According to the speaker, if animals hear music, they quickly come to a standstill and remain quietly listening and gazing with calm eyes. Lorenzo says that a man who lacks music is capable of treachery, intrigue, and dishonesty. His spirit has no brighter feelings; his emotions are sordid and dark as hell. Such men cannot be trusted.
(iv)
(a) glittering plates of bright gold.
(b) Lorenzo describes the sky as the floor of heaven.
(v) Elizabethans believed that every star or planet produced, in its motion, a peculiar musical note and the combination of all messages composed a peculiar musical note, and the combination of all notes composed the harmony of the universe. The angels are said to be listening to the music of stars. Our souls are immortal, and they produce divine music. But as long as the clothing of mortality in the human body encloses the soul, we cannot hear the music of the heavens.
Extract 5
(i) Orpheus was the son of the Muse Calliope. He was a famous poet of Thrace. He was presented with a lyre by Apollo and instructed by muses in its use. He was enchanted with its music, the wild beasts and the trees and rocks upon Olympus. It is said that he made trees, stones and streams move from place to place through the power of his music.
(ii)
(a) a plan or scheme, especially one used to outwit an opponent or achieve an end
(b) diminish or destroy the value or quality of
(c) the act or process of moving, or a particular action or movement
(iii) Earlier, Lorenzo had said that at the trumpet sound, wild, unbroken horses rushing madly over the plains with energy come to a standstill. They remain quiet, listen and gaze calmly.
(iv) Lorenzo says that the man has no sense of music and is capable of treachery, intrigue and dishonesty. His spirit has no spark of brighter feelings and he is lifeless like the world sleeping at night. His emotions are sordid and as dark as hell. Such a man can never be trusted.
(v) Erebus was the son of Chaos. His name signifies darkness. In classical mythology, it was also considered as the home of the dead, an area of darkness near hell. Departed souls had to walk through this area during their passage to Hades. Lorenzo says that a man, who does not love music, has thoughts as dark as night and emotions as dark as hell.
Extract 6
(i) 'A hoop of gold' means a circle of gold. 'A paltry ring' means a ring of small value.
(ii) The speakers are talking about the ring Nerissa had given to Lorenzo at the time of their marriage. Gratiano describes the ring as a circlet of gold, a mere worthless ring, with a rhyming inscription on it, such as the manufacturers of knives engrave on their blades: 'Love me and leave me not.
(iii) When he got the ring from Nerissa, Gratiano vowed that he would never part with it during life and that it would
be buried in the grave with him after death. He gave a ring to the lawyer's clerk.
(iv) The ring is with Nerissa. The ring is the cause of the quarrel between Gratiano and Nerssa as Gratiano is not aware that Nerissa herself is the lawyer's clerk whom he gave a ring. She accuses him of not having given it to a young clerk but to a woman.
(v) The ring episode is linked to the theme of love and loyalty. Portia and Nerissa had given their husbands rings at the time of their marriage which their husbands promised never to part with. The ring episode gives them a new chance to further renew their vows of love and loyalty.
Extract 7
(i) Portia is speaking about the ring she had given to Bassanio at the time of their marriage.
(ii) Bassanio had given away a ring to the lawyer who saved Antonio from Shylock's clutches and would accept no other gift except the ring. Portia says that if Bassanio knew the special qualities of the ring, if he knew half the virtues of the woman who gave it to him, and if he had considered how he was honour bound to keep it as he had vowed, Bassanio should not have given away the ring.
(iii) Bassanio reluctantly gave away the ring when the lawyer insisted on having the ring as a gift. Initially Bassanio said it was of little value and would give him the best ring available in Venice. Later he revealed that it was his wife's gift and had promised her never to part with it. After the exit of the lawyer, upon Antonio's advice, he finally parted with the ring.
(iv) Instead of the ring, Bassanio offered to give the lawyer the most valuable ring in Venice as a present.
(v) Gratiano too had given away his ring. He has given the ring to the lawyer's clerk. The lawyer's clerk insisted on getting the ring as a gift for his services in saving Antonio from the clutches of Shylock. The for his services in saving Antonio from the clutches of Shylock. The clerk's insistence on having the ring made Gratiano to part with it.
Extract 8
(i) Portia saved Antonio's life in the trial in which Shylock insisted on having the pound of Antonio's flesh as penalty for forfeiture of the bond. By arguing that no drop of blood should be shed nor any excess or less of flesh, to be cut off but only a pound of flesh is to be cut, Portia cornered Shylock and saved Antonio's life. In her verdict, she gave half of Shylock's wealth to Antonio.
Besides, she gave him the news of the safe arrival of three of his ships. Thus, Portia gave him a new life and the means of living.
(ii) 'Special deed of gift' is the gift document drafted by Portia and signed by Shylock. The deed of gift mentions that Shylock's property and wealth would be gifted to Lorenzo and Jessica after Shylock's death. 'Without a fee' means freely without any special charges for the service.
(iii) The deed was done at the request of Antonio. The deed was done on the condition that Shylock's wealth would be given to Lorenzo and Jessica after his death and Shylock would become a Christian.
(iv) The ring episode creates an atmosphere of comedy and joy. The comedy develops in the embarrassment of the husbands as they try to account for the loss of their wedding rings. The arguments and counter-arguments among the couples amuse the audience. Finally, the three pairs of lovers reunite. Antonio's ships return safely, and the play ends happily with the triumph of loyalty, romance and the defeat of greed and hatred.
(v) In the Old Testament of the Bible, the Jews are described as wandering in the desert on their way from Egypt to the promised land. When they were starving, God sent them divine food called 'manna' miraculously from heaven to feed them (Exodus: 16/14-21). This happened in answer to Moses' prayer to God. In this context, the gift deed was the manna. Lorenzo means that just as the heavenly
manna was welcome to the Jews, so is this happy news of the deed welcome to Lorenzo, Jessica and Antonio.