Merchant of Venice Act 3 Scene 1 (Workbook Answers)
Extract I. Q1. Where does this scene take place? Whom does 'she' refer to in the first line of the extract? What is said about her in the extract? Ans. The scene takes place in a street in Venice. In the first line 'she' refers to the rumour or report which is personified as an old woman. When Salarino talks about Antonio's ship, Salanio wishes that rumour may prove to be a big liar in this case as any old woman who ever gossiped with our neighbours over her gingerbread cakes and made her neighbours believe that she mourned sincerely for the death of her third husband. Q2. What was said earlier about the place where a ship of Antonio was wrecked? Where did the news about the ship-wreckage spread? Ans. Earlier, it was told that Antonio's ship was wrecked in the sea, at a spot known as Goodwin. The news about the ship's wreckage spread at the Rialto, the place where the merchants met for transactions. Q3. Give the meaning of: "without any slips of prolix...