Merchant of Venice Quotes Flashcards
“In sooth I know not why I am so sad”
Antonio
Beginning of play
Could represent ideas of repressed sexuality
Irony - Anotonio is surrounded by friends in the scene, yet he is still unhappy
“My purse, my person, my extremist means lie all unlocked to your occasion”
Antonio
Triadic Structure
Shows his devotion to Bassanio - suggests repressed feelings for him
Could have been used to promote the idea that Christians were better people than Jews - contrast between Antonio’s generosity and Shylock’s greed
“The devil can cite scriptures for his own purpose”
Antonio
Metaphor
Antonio is referencing Shylock’s manipulation of his religious teachings to justify the terms of the bond
Shylock is compared to the devil - Elizabethan England was a highly religious, Christian society. Jews had been banished.
Elizabethan audience would have felt Shylock was clearly an evil character when compared to the devil
Shows the religious divide between Christianity and Judaism
“In Belmont is a lady richly left and she is fair and fairer than that word”
Bassanio
He only wishes to pursue her due to her wealth - her beauty seems like an afterthought
Contextually links to the highly Patriarchal society of the time
When a woman married, the man would own all of her wealth - most likely why Bassanio is interested (he has lost all of his money gambling)
“Many Jasons come in quest of her”
Bassanio
Talking about Portia
Links to the Greek allusion of Jason and the Argonauts where they went in search of mythical objects and items
Suggests Bassanio is objectifying Portia and thinks of her as a prize rather than a love interest
Links to Patriarchal society
“Her sunny locks hang on her temples like a golden fleece”
Bassanio
Talking about Portia
Connects her hair to the Greek allusion of Jason and the Argonauts who went in search of the Golden Fleece which had healing qualities
Links to objectification of women in Patriarchal society
“I have disabled mine estate”
Bassanio
He has recklessly gambled all of his money away
May explain why he wishes to marry Portia
He may be attempting to manipulate Antonio into feeling sorry for him
“To you, Antonio, I owe the most in money and in love”
Bassanio
Could be seen as manipulation of Antonio’s feelings in order to get what he needs
Adding “and in love” suggests Bassanio thinks Antonio has repressed feelings for him and wants to exploit this
“So is the will of a living daughter curb’d by the will of a dead father”
Portia
Juxtaposition between her independence and control as a woman
She expresses her frustration at not being able to chose her husband
She is still controlled by her father despite the fact that he is dead as a result of a highly patriarchal society
“That in the course of justice, none of us shall see salvation”
Portia
This acts as foreshadowing for his eventual fate
The concept of salvation is more of a Christian concept - religious divide
Prompts the question of whether justice can ever truly be achieved by a society with people in power
“The quality of mercy is not strained, it droppeth as gentle rain from heaven”
Portia
Attempts to convince Shylock to be merciful - a concept that Christian audiences of the time would feel humourous as they would feel Jews are incapable of mercy
“When mercy seasons justice”
Portia
Attempts to convince Shylock that mercy is better than justice but he is blinded by the need for revenge
Verb “seasons” could be seen as either an improvement or replacement of justice
“All that glisters is not gold”
Inscription on gold casket
Could allude to Portia and her own beauty
Links to difference between appearance and reality
“I hate him for he is a Christian”
Shylock
Aside - he is talking directly to the audience
Blunt declarative sentence presents him as a villain, expressing that his reason for the bond is to get revenge against the Christians
“You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog”
Shylock
Direct address towards Antonio and explaining the anti-Semitic treatment Shylock faces from him establishes their feud
‘misbeliever’ adjective links to religious divide. Christians believe Jews worship the wrong thing
‘dog’ noun compares Shylock to a dog - suggests Antonio believes Shylock is inferior to him and perhaps some inhuman species
“For suff’rance is the badge of all our tribe”
Shylock
Explaining that many Jews are treated poorly by Christians and have to wear their suffering
This links to the context of the time when Jews were expected to wear badges and hats to identify that they were Jewish in Venice
“Spit upon my Jewish Gaberdine”
Shylock
Explains his anti-Semitic treatment
A gaberdine is a Jewish cloak and therefore this quote is symbolic for the way that Antonio spits upon his religion
“Since I am a dog, beware my fangs”
Shylock
Anaphorically referencing the times the Christians called him a dog. He shifts into the role of the villain with the imperative verb “beware” being presented in a threatening way
“The villainy you teach me I will execute and it shall go hard”
Shylock
Outlines his reasons for the way he acts is as a consequence of the lessons he has learnt from the Christians
Highlights the hypocrisy of the Christian characters who believe they are all good people
“I crave the law”
Shylock
The verb crave connects to the Jewish stereotype of gluttony. This is also ironic as it is him craving his downfall
“I will feed fat that ancient grudge I bear him”
Shylock
Connects to his gluttony and greed for revenge. “Ancient grudge” may be him speaking on behalf of his religion rather than solely focusing on Antonio
“You have among you many a purchased slave”
Shylock
The reason for his determination to gain a pound of flesh. He feels the Christian’s own their own flesh in the form of slaves and therefore is seeking to expose their hypocrisy
“I shall have my bond”
Shylock
Repeated throughout the court scene as an imperative - he is craving justice and his bond and is becoming more villainous by the way he speaks
“Hath a Jew hands, organs, senses, dimensions, affections, passions?”
Shylock
Lists reasons to suggest that Jews and Christians are the same and the treatment of Jews is unjustified - audiences at the time may view this hypocritically but we see Shakespeare making a more sympathetic representation of Jews
“I would my daughter dead at my foot with my jewels in her ear”
Shylock
Sees Jessica as being dead to him following her conversation. We see him being a bad father as he wishes her dead but would like the return of his gold. Connects to the stereotype of Jewish greed
“If you prick us, do we not bleed?”
Shylock
Asks a rhetorical question to the other Christian’s, asking whether the hurt that he feels is any different to Christian’s. Could also connect to the crucifixion of Jesus when they pricked him with a spear to see if he was dead
“To bait fish withal, if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge”
Shylock
Explains his reasoning for the bond. To bait fish may be a metaphor for him trying to bait Antonio into losing the bond. The connection between feeding and revenge is similarly seen in this quotation connecting to Jewish stereotypes
“O my ducats! O my daughter!”
Salanio
Mocking Shylock but shows the stereotypes that others place on him, talking about his wealth over his own daughter
His daughter seems like an afterthought
Could be an example of irony, showing that Shylock thinks of his money before his daughter and Bassanio thinks of Portia’s money before her beauty, showing the Christian and Jewish characters are not too different
“Our house is hell”
Jessica
Explains to Launcelot that she hates the way that Shylock is at home - connects to the way Jonathan Price depicted Shylock - as a domestic tyrant
“I shall end this strife, become a Christian and thy loving wife”
Jessica
Says this as an aside to the audience - rhyming couplet stating that she is going to leave her father and become a Christian - contextually, conversion was normal in this time but they would never be considered fully Christian
“If my fortune be not cross’d I have a father, you a daughter lost”
Jessica
Rhyming couplet and aside, telling the audience that she plans to run away from her father. The reference to fortune may also be connecting to Jewish stereotypes
“Let me play the fool”
Gratiano
As a comedic character he tells the audience that his role is a foolish one
