Morocco Quotes Flashcards
‘Mislike me not for my complexion,
The shadowed livery of the burnished sun,
To whom I am a neighbor and near bred.’
The Prince of Morocco’s first words to Portia are an earnest request to refrain from judging his physical appearance, specifically, his dark “complexion,” the physical aspect tied to racial and social categorization. He has clearly faced prejudice and dehumanization before, and so immediately apologizes for himself in the face of society’s disapproval. But although the prince begins with this entreaty, he will adopt a more defensive and affirmative stance by the end of his speech: “I would not change this hue, / Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen.”
‘I would outstare the sternest eyes that look,
Outbrave the heart most daring on the earth,
Pluck the young sucking cubs from the she-bear, Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey, To win the lady.’
The Prince exaggerates his bravery to try and impress Portia but the hyperbole in his speech makes him seem arrogant and unlikeable.
