The Merchant of Venice (Folger Shakespeare Library)
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Read between October 23 - November 16, 2017
42%
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Is an unlessoned girl, unschooled, unpracticed; 163 Happy in this, she is not yet so old 164 But she may learn; happier than this, 165 She is not bred so dull but she can learn;
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Is this a love metaphor, or does she literally want to learn?
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Myself, and what is mine, to you and yours 170 Is now converted.
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And be my vantage to exclaim on you.
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Is this a comment about gender norms?
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O, then be bold to say Bassanio’s dead!
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"I'll keep it on until I die" - 1
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The bargain of your faith, I do beseech you
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Contract trope
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With all my heart, so thou canst get a wife.
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"Good luck with that" - 1
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And do you, Gratiano, mean good faith?
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He knows gratanio well, and therefore doubts his intentions - 2
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  We’ll play with them the first boy for a 218 thousand ducats.
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Did people actually do this?
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Not sick, my lord, unless it be in mind, 243 Nor well, unless in mind.
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And I must freely have the half of anything 259 That this same paper brings you.
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Empathy; also could be literal, if she knows the situation - 2
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I have engaged myself to a dear friend, 272
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The movie's gonna have some fun with this - 5
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He would not take it. Never did I know 286 A creature that did bear the shape of man
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This is partially a comment on Shylock's personality, but no doubt influence by his Jewishness - 3
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When I was with him, I have heard him swear
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She has no loyalty to her father now - 2
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With an unquiet soul.
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She can tell how much this is troubling him - 2
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But till I come again, 337 No bed shall e’er be guilty of my stay, 338 Nor rest be interposer ’twixt us twain. 339 They exit.
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This is both about sex and not
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This is the fool that lent out money gratis.
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Will the jailer view this as a problem/is the jailer Jewish? - 3
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Thou call’dst me dog before thou hadst a cause, 7 But since I am a dog, beware my fangs.
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Revenge/irony of insults - 2
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I’ll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool, 15 To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield 16 To Christian intercessors. Follow not! 17 I’ll have no speaking. I will have my bond.
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He knows he's likely to give in to Antonio if he lets him speak - 2
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I oft delivered from his forfeitures 24 Many that have at times made moan to me.
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Does Antonio feel any remorse about this? - 3
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To see me pay his debt,
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Does he want bassiano to feel guilty, or does he want to see him again before he dies? - 2
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lover
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This double-meaning again
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Being the bosom lover of my lord,
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This is getting out of subtext - 5
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This comes too near the praising of myself;
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"Selfish act" - 1
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Not to deny this imposition
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"Don't tell the truth" (?) - 1
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And use thou all th’ endeavor of a man
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Personality traits are based on gender - 3
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That they shall think we are accomplishèd 64 With that we lack. I’ll hold thee any wager,
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"They'll never guess we don't actually have penises" - 1 God I wish it were that easy - 5
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When we are both accoutered like young men, 66 I’ll prove the prettier fellow of the two,
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Possibly also a friend/teasing relationship? - 3
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Like a fine bragging youth, and tell quaint lies
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I find this hilarious, "so, what do men do? Well, they lie. I'll do that." - 1 This is interesting given my own experiences with trying to pass--oversimplified, sure, but there are grains of truth - 5
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that you are not the Jew’s daughter.
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Would the sins thing still carry over?
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the sins of my mother should be visited upon me!
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Death/some loyalty to her father? - 2
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  I shall be saved by my husband. He hath made 18 me a Christian.
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Yeah, not good representation - 4
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e’en as many as could well live
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Even though the religion itself is in favor of proselytizing, individual people and communities might not be - 2/5
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  Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo. Lancelet 30 and I are out. He tells me flatly there’s no mercy for 31 me in heaven because I am a Jew
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This seems to be in a joking tone - 1
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than you can the getting up of the Negro’s 37 belly! The Moor is with child by you, Lancelet.
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This is...messed up on multiple levels - 5
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  How every fool can play upon the word! I 42 think the best grace of wit will shortly turn into 43 silence, and discourse grow commendable in none
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Basically saying that Lancelet isn't smart for being a smartass - 1
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sir, why, let it be as humors and conceits 62 shall govern.
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Sarcasm
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Pawned with the other, for the poor rude world 81 Hath not her fellow.
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"Too good for this world" - 1
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Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach! 87 LORENZO   No, pray thee, let it serve for table talk. 88 Then howsome’er thou speak’st, ’mong other things 89 I shall digest it. 90 JESSICA                  Well, I’ll set you forth.
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All an extended pun - 2
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The moon shines bright. In such a night as this,
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All examples are bad things; is he fearful of the myth, or does he actually think something bad will happen? - 2
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In such a night 18 Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew, 19 And with an unthrift love did run from Venice
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Is he equating this as bad too? - 1
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Stealing her soul with many vows of faith, 24 And ne’er a true one.
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A friend.
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This seems like a bad way to get someone to trust you - 5
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Within the house, your mistress is at hand, 60 And bring your music forth into the air.
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Go get the musicians - 1
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Such harmony is in immortal souls,
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yay music
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But whilst this muddy vesture of decay 72 Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.
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???that got dark fast - 1
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The reason is, your spirits are attentive. 78 For do but note a wild and wanton herd 79 Or race of youthful and unhandled colts,
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Your mind doesn't wander - 1
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Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music.
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This is an interesting thing to base trust on - 2
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Methinks it sounds much sweeter than by day.
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Music in the night is better - 1
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The nightingale, if she should sing by day 113 When every goose is cackling, would be thought
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Music is equal?
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Go in, Nerissa. 131 Give order to my servants that they take 132 No note at all of our being absent hence— 133 Nor you, Lorenzo—Jessica, nor you.
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This isn't shady at all - 5