Merchant of Venice: Act 3 Scene 2 (Workbook Answers: 7 to 9)

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Merchant of Venice

Act 3 - Scene 2

(Workbook answers: 7 to 9)

Extract 7

1. After Bassanio chooses the correct casket, Portia transfers her mansion, her servants, herself and all her possessions to him.

2. Portia, for Bassanio's sake, wishes that she were 60 times better, 1000 times more beautiful and 10,000 times wealthier. These wishes express her desire to excel in everything for the sake of Bassanio.

3. As a token of her love to Bassanio, Portia gives him a ring. She warns him that if he parts with the ring, or loses it, or gives it away, that will be a sign that his love for her is dead. The ring becomes a part of the main plot of the play when Bassanio gives it away to Portia, who was disguised as a judge, towards the end of the play.

4. The given lines mean 'let that be a sign that your love for me is dead and it will give an opportunity for me to excuse you for that'.

5. After Portia's speech, Bassanio is overpowered with emotion and he tells Portia that her love has made him speechless. Regarding the ring, Bassanio promises Portia he will part with the ring only at his death.

Extract 8

1. Gratiano speaks these words after Bassanio's selection of the casket. Bassanio has chosen the correct casket and won Portia's hand in marriage. Gratiano wishes Portia and Bassanio all the joy and happiness they desire.
 
2. Gratiano requests Bassanio to grant him a favour. The favour was to permit him to marry Nerissa at the ceremony of Portia and Bassanio's wedding.
 
3. Bassanio gives the condition that if Gratiano finds a woman to marry him, if he can marry her at Portia and Bassanio's wedding.
 
4. Nerissa had told Gratiano that she would marry him only if Bassanio chooses the correct casket. Thus, Gratiano's fortune too stood on the caskets.
 
5. The Gratiano-Nerissa episode has added humour to the story. Gratiano, with his sense of humour, produces laughter in the scene.
The other ordinary couple mentioned in the play are Jessica and Lorenzo. They will be United when Shylock loses the suit against Antonio and his wealth it is given to Jessica and Lorenzo.

Extract 9 

1. The scene takes place in a room in Portia's house at Belmont. Salario brings the letter from Antonio to Bassanio.

2. Portia concludes that there is some bad news in the letter because when Bassanio reads the letter, his face turns pale and he becomes greatly worried. According to Portia, the bad news in the letter must be about the loss of someone who was close to Bassanio.

3. As Portia and Bassanio's wedding is now fixed, Portia has the right to know the contents of the letter.

4. Bassanio tells Portia that the letter contains some of the most unwelcome news. He tells Portia that he is deeply indebted to a kind friend. This friend agreed to a bond with his enemy to allow Bassanio to come to Belmont and woo Portia. Bassanio looks upon the letter as if it is Antonio's body and the words in the letter are Antonio's wounds. He tells her that Antonio's ships have been wrecked in the sea.

5. Salario said that Shylock was a greedy man, who could destroy another man for the sake of money and revenge. So remember merchants, the Duke and the noble men could not change Shylock's mind to give up his revenge. Therefore, even if Antonio had sufficient money, Shylock would not accept it because he wanted revenge.

At the end of the play, Shylock lost the bond and he had to lose his property, his daughter and his religion.
 
 

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