Status Updates From The Merchant of Venice (Cam...

“For she is wise, if I can judge of her,
And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true,
And true she is, as she hath proved herself;
And therefore like herself, wise, fair and true,
Shall she be placed in my constant soul.”

🥹

“For she is wise, if I can judge of her,
And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true,
And true she is, as she hath proved herself;
And therefore like herself, wise, fair and true,
Shall she be placed in my constant soul.”

🥹

Page 15

Working my way through this one in my Monday night acting class. I’m calling it my June play of the month, which is very behind schedule and also feels like cheating

He asks to be lead to the casket and he pulls out his scimitar. He mourns that he’s fierce in battle and can beat any opponent, but, in this matter, the outcome is due to luck (fortune) and not skill. In this case, an unworthy opponent may win and he may die of grief. She tells him he will go to dinner first and try his fortune afterwards.

AII SI There is more imagery of the sun. The Moroccan prince asks Portia to forgive his hue. He claims that maidens of his clime thinks he’s just fine. Portia tells him that she has no choice in the matter because his father set up this lottery. Then she says something hilarious: he’s just as good as anyone she’s seen so far. That’s not saying much. LOL The story is also full of risk, chance, and lottery.

Bassiano falls for Shylock’s smooth words while Antonio points out even the Devil can quote Scripture. Then Antonio and Shylock get testy with each other and the ugly comes out. Antonio is surprised that he will not charge interest if the bond is a pound of Antonio’s flesh. He thinks he is getting off cheap. What is interesting to me is that flesh is meat and therefore sacrifice. It cannot be eaten so it is useless.

He acts kind and generous when deep down inside Shylock is seething (which is shown in his asides, which are always the true feelings of a character). There is some comedy in this scene and the tension between Jews and Christians is addressed here, too. Shylock retells the story about the piebald sheep and goats and I wonder if this is to foreshadow the choices of his daughter later in the play.

AI SIII In the third scene, Bassiano borrow 3 thousand ducats for 3 months. Delicious! Earlier, Janus (two faces) is mentioned and it seems to foreshadow Shylock. He hates Christians and Antonio, in particular, for how he has treated Shylock in the past (spitting on him and calling him names). The generosity of Antonio also undercuts Shylock’s ability to make money. Shylock sees how overextended Antono is.

Portia is safe. She hopes she will remain chaste as Diana (moon) and then Nerissa reminds her of the Venetian scholar that her foather knew. Portia remembers his name, Bassiano. Four strangers wish to take her leave and a fifth has arrived, the Prince of Morocco.