Merchant of Venice ACt 1 Scene 7 Flashcards
Setting of MOV Act 1 Scene 7
Act 1 Scene 7 takes place in Belmont in a room in Portia’s house
What does the gold casket’s inscription read?
“Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire?”
What does the silver casket’s inscription read?
“Who chooeseth me shall get as much as he deserves”
What does the bronze casket’s inscription say?
Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath
How would Morocco know if he chose the right casket?
If the casket contains Portia’s picture, then he has chosen the right casket and Portia is his “withal”.
Why didn’t Moroco pick the bronze casket?
Morocco says that the inscription on the casket “threatens” him and that men would not “hazard” all for “lead”. Men that hazard all do it in hope of “fair advantages”. He says that a “golden mind stoops not to shows of dross”. This is why Morocco does not choose the bronze casket.
Why doesn’t the prince of Morocco choose the silver casket?
The prince of Morocco does not choose the silver casket because he is not sure if his “estimation” “extends” as far as Portia. However, he quickly ignores this because he thinks that being “afeard” of his “deserving” would be a “weak disabling” of himself.
He says that he does deserve Portia in “fortunes”, in “graces”, in “qualities of breeding” and in “love”. However, he moves on to the gold casket and does not choose the silver casket.
Why does the prince of Morocco choose the gold casket?
The prince of Morocco says that the inscription of the gold casket describes Portia. From all the “four corners of the earth” suitors come to kiss the “shrine”, the “mortal breathing saint” which he describes as Portia.
He says that the “Hyranian deserts” and the “vasty wilds” of “wide Arabia” are now “thoroughfares” for princes to come and view “fair Portia”. He says that the “watery kingdom” whose “ambitious head” spits “in the face of heaven” is “no bar” to stop the “foreign spirits”. He says that the journey over this “watery kingdom” is like a journey over a “brook” because of the thought of Portia.
According to Morocco, Why can’t any casket other than the gold casket contain Portia’s image?
According to Morocco, it is “damnation” to think that the lead casket contains Portia. He says that it would be “too gross” to rib Portia’s “cerecloth” in the “obscure grave”(the lead casket).
He says that Portia cannot be “immur’d” in the silver casket, which is “ten times undervalued” to “tried gold”. He says that a “gem” as rich as Portia cannot be set in worse than gold.
He also mentions a coin in England which bears the figure of an “angel” and is stamped in gold. He says that, here, there is an angel(referring to Portia) in a “golden bed”.
What does the gold casket contain?
The gold casket contains a skull. Inside the “empty eye” of the skull, there is a written scroll.
What does the scroll in the gold casket say?
All that glitters is not gold Often have you heard that told Many a man his life hath sold But my gilded outside to behold Gilded tombs do worms infold Had you been as wise as bold Young in limbs and in judgement old Your answer had not been inscroll’d Fare you well, your suit is cold.
What does the prince of Morocco say after losing the casket system?
He said that his suit is “cold” indeed and that his “labour” has been lost. He said that he is saying “farewell” to “heat” and that he is welcoming “frost”. He says goodbye to Portia and said that he has “too griev’d a heart” to take a “tedious leave” so he will leave like a loser.
What doews Portia say after Morocco leaves?
She says that she hopes that everyone of Morocco’s “complexion” will also fail the casket system.
