Merchant of Venice - Act 2 Scene 7

Act 2 Scene 7

Extract 1

 

1. Who is asked to draw aside the curtains? Who is asked to make his choice? 

Ans: Portia asks one of her attendants to pull apart the curtains so that the different caskets are made visible. The prince Morocco is asked to make the choice.

 

2. What does Portia say later to the prince regarding the right casket?

Ans: After reading the inscription on the three caskets, Morocco asks Portia how he will know if he chooses the right casket. Portia replies that her portrait will be in the right  casket. If he selects that one, then she will be his wife

  

3. Which casket does the Prince of Morocco finally choose? What are the reasons for his choice?

Ans: The Prince of Morocco finally chooses the golden casket. Morocco argues that an ugly metal like lead cannot  contain the portrait of a saintly person like Portia. He also thinks that Silver is ten times inferior to gold, so it cannot contain Portia's portrait as she is precious gem. Therefore, he concludes that Portia is very precious and her portrait must be contained  in the golden  casket.

Besides these reasons, the English have a gold coin which has the figure of an angel engraved on it. Portia is an angel and hence her portrait may be in the golden casket.

 

4. For what reasons does the prince reject the other two caskets?

Ans: The prince rejects the lead casket thinking that it is too ugly to contain the portrait of a noble  and beautiful person like Portia.  He rejects silver casket as it is ten times inferior to gold and hence not worthy to contain Portia as she is such a precious gem.

 

5. What does the prince find when he opens the casket? What does Portia say when the prince leaves the place?

Ans: When the prince opens the casket he finds a skull and in its eyeless socket a scroll.

When the prince leaves the place, Portia calls it a good riddance and wishes that every suitor like him should make a similar choice.

Extract 2

1. On which casket do the words, 'who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves' appear?

Ans: The words 'who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves' appear on the silver casket.

 

2. Why does Morocco initially doubt his worth to deserve the lady?

Ans: Morocco initially doubts his worth to deserve the lady because he thinks that by his judgement, his qualifications may be very high, but those qualifications may not be sufficient enough to deserve Portia, as her reputation is greater than his.

 

3. Why does he change his mind and say that he deserves the lady?

Ans: Morocco, after having doubts about his worth to win Portia, later on changes his mind. He feels that he deserves Portia because of his royal birth, his wealth, his virtues and his upbringing. Above all, he is worthy of her because of his deep affection for her.

 

4. Give the meaning of:

(a) And weigh thy value with an even hand

Ans: And compare your personal worth impartially.

(b) A weak disabling of myself

Ans: A sign of weakness which would bring discredit  on myself.

 

5. Why does Morocco think that Portia’s picture is not in the lead casket?

Ans: Morocco reads the inscription on the lead casket which states "Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath". Morocco declares that no one except a fool will risk everything for the sake of dull lead. He argues that lead cannot contain the portrait of such a noble and beautiful person like Portia.

Extract 3 

1. Who speaks these words? Where is he? What has he said about his courage in an earlier scene?

Ans: The prince of Morocco speaks these words. He is in a room in Portia’s house getting ready to make his choice of caskets. In an earlier scene, Morocco said that with his sword he had slain the emperor of Persia and a Persian Prince, who had defeated Solyman of Turkey thrice. He boasted that  he was courageous enough to mock  a hungry lion, defy the most valiant warrior on earth and steal the cubs from a mother-bear.

 

2. What is the significance of the words Shrine and Saint in the context?
Ans: Shrine is a place where any sacred relic of a holy person or the image of a saint is kept. In this context, the saint is Portia and the shrine is Belmont. The breathing saint is a reference to Portia. Morocco says that people came from every part of the globe to worship at the holy place which enshrines the saint Portia.

3. What warning is given by Portia to the speaker before he makes the choice?
Ans: Before the speaker makes the choice, he is warned by Portia that if he chooses the wrong casket he can't marry or talk about marriage to any other lady.

 

4. Give the meaning of:
a) Hyrcanian deserts: Hycrania was a province of the ancient Persian empire. Hyrcanian deserts means the desert in the Hycrania region.

b) Watery kingdom: The oceans and its fierce waves.

 

5. Who are ‘they’ that are referred to in the extract? What difficulties do they face while coming?
Ans: ‘They’ refers to the many suitors who come to Belmont from all parts of the globe to woo Portia. While coming they travel through Persian deserts, wilderness of Arabia and even cross the dangerous seas.

Extract 4

1. Why does the prince think that Portia’s picture not in the silver casket? 

Ans: The prince rejects the silver casket as it is ten times inferior to gold and hence not worthy to contain Portia's portrait as she is such a precious gem.

2. What is the sinful thought, why is it so?
Ans: Sinful thought is the thought that Portia's portrait is contained in the silver casket because silver is ten times inferior to gold and hence not worthy to contain Portia's portrait as she is such a precious gem.

3. Describe the coin referred to in the extract. What is the difference between an angel on the coin and the angel in the casket?
Ans:The coin referred to in the extract is the gold coin in England on which the figure of Archangel Michael was engraved on one side. The coin was called an angel and its value was about ten shillings.
Morocco says that the figure of the angel on the coin is engraved on the surface of the coin. It is a work of art not a real angel, whereas Portia is a real angel, who lies on a golden bed within the casket entirely hidden from view. 

4. After opening the casket, the Prince finds a dead skull and a scroll. Explain what is written on the scroll?
Ans: On the scroll it is written that: All that glitters is not gold. For the sake of gold, thousands have risked and sacrificed their lives. Tombs that are plated with gold on the outside, contain worms inside. If you were as wise as you are brave, if you had the wisdom of an old man, you wouldn't have got this scroll. Good-bye, you have lost your chance.

 

5. Explain how the theme of appearance and reality is shown in the choice made by the prince.

Ans: The theme of appearance and reality is shown in the choice made by the prince. In spite of his good qualities the prince is materialistic. He only sees the outward appearance of the casket. He believes that he deserves Portia in birth and in fortune. However, he says nothing about his inner qualities like his character, his good deeds or his education. He chooses the gold casket for its bright and glowing appearance.

The prince makes his choice based on the appearance of the caskets and not based on his love. Had he loved Portia, he would have been ready to risk everything for her.