Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice

In two of these scenes, Act III, Scene ii, and Act IV, Scene i, all four stories, as the diagram makes clear, are involved. Act III, Scene ii, belongs mainly to the Bassanio-casket narrative; but the entrance of Lorenzo and Jessica introduces their romance into the scene of Portia's joy; and the news which Salerio brings in their company throws the shadow of the bond story over the lovers' happiness. Lastly, in this scene Portia gives Bassanio the ring about which the fourth story centers; and Bassanio makes the promise to keep it which later puts him in such an unfortunate position. Act IV, Scene i, belongs mainly to the bond story; but the presence of Portia connects it with the casket story; the disposition of Shylock's property assures us that Lorenzo and Jessica will never come to want; and the end deals with the ring episode. Besides the relationship outlined above, these four stories are woven into one another by many other ingenious devices. It will be interesting for a reader to go through the play scene by scene and to observe, by the aid of the diagram, the places where the various stories meet and coalesce.

i, 142.

Accomplished, furnished; III, Civil doctor, doctor of civil
iv, 61.

law; V, i, 210.
Accoutred, dressed; III, iv, Civility, refinement; II, ii,
63.

204.
Advised, cautious, heedful; I, Commends, commendations;

II, ix, 90.
An, if; I, ii, 96; II, iv, 10. Commodity, merchandise; I,
Anon, at once; II, ii, 125.

i, 178; traffic; III, iii, 27.
Approve, prove, confirm; III, Conceit, understanding; I, i,
ii, 79,

92; III, iv, 2; whim; III,
Argosy, large merchant ship; V, 69.

I, i, 9; III, i, 105; I, iii, Condition, character, nature;
18; V, i, 276.

I, ii, 143,
Attempt, tempt; IV, i, 421.

Constant, self-possessed; III,

ii, 250.
Baned, poisoned; IV, i, 46.

Contrary, wrong; I, ii, 104.
Bare, bare-headed; II, ix, 44.

Contrive, conspire; IV, i, 352.
Bate, abate; IV, i, 72.

Cope, requite; IV, i, 412.
Bated, reduced; III, iii, 32.

Counterfeit, likeness, picture;
Beholding, beholden; I, iii,

III, ii, 115.
106. .

County, count; I, ii, 49.
Beshrew, curse (often used

Cousin, any kinsman; III, iv,
jestingly); II, vi, 52.

50.
Best-regarded, best looking,

Cover, wear hats; II, ix, 44.
handsomest; II, i, 10.

Cozen, cheat; II, ix, 38.
Bottom, hold of a vessel; I,

Crisped, curled; III, ii, 92.

Cureless, beyond cure; IV, i,
Break, forfeit a bond; I, iii,

142.
137;

become bankrupt;
III, i, 120.

Deface, cancel, destroy; III,

ii, 302.
Burial, burial-place; I, i, 29.

Disabled, crippled; I, i, 123.
By, at hand, near by; IV, i,

Disabling, undervaluing; II,
257; in regard to; I, ii,

vii, 30.
58; for; II, ix, 26.

Discover, reveal; II, vii, 1.

Doit, a small coin; I, iii, 141.
Cerecloth, a cloth dipped in Drive, commute; IV, i, 372.

melted wax to be used as

a shroud; II, vii, 51. Eaning, bearing; I, iii, 88.
Childhood proof, childhood's Eanlings, lambs just born; I,
proof; I, i, 144

iii, 80.
155

i, 42.

Election, choice; II, ix, 3. Enow, enough; III, V, 24. Envious, malicious; III, ii,

285.

Gramercy, many thanks; II,

ii, 128. Gross, whole sum; I, iii, 56. Guard, guardianship; I, iii,

176. Guiled, full of guile, treach

erous; III, ii, 97.

Equal, exact; 1, iii, 150.
Ergo, therefore; II, ii, 60.
Estate, state; III, ii, 239;

wealth, I, i, 43. Estimation, value, worth; II,

vii, 26.

Habit, behavior: II, i, 199. Heavens, "for the heavens,"

for heaven's sake; II, ii,

12.

one

Fairness, beauty; III, ii, 94.
Fall, let fall; I, iii, 89.
Falls, falls out; III, ii, 204.
Fearful, filling

with fear; I, iii, 176. Fill-horse, shaft-horse; II,

ii, 100. Find forth, find out, seek; I,

i, 143 Flood, waters, seas; I, i, 10;

IV, i, 72. Fond, foolish; II, ix, 27; III,

Imposition, an imposed con

dition; I, ii, 114; an im

posed task; III, iv, 33. Inexecrable, beyond the

power of execration (curs

ing); IV, i, 128. Inscrolled, written in a scroll;

II, vii, 72. Insculped, carved in relief;

II, vii, 57.

iii, 9.

Foot, spurn with the foot; I,

Kept, lived; III, iii, 19. Knapped, broke into bits; III,

i, 1o.

iii, 119.

Foot, path; II, iv, 36. Footing, footfall; V, i, 24. Fore-spurrer, one who spurs

or rides in advance; II, Forfeiture, penalty, due; III,

iii, 22; IV, i, 335. Fraught, freighted; II, viii,

30. Fretten, fretted; IV, i, 77.

Liberal, free, unruly; II, ii,

194. Likely, promising; II, ix, 92. Livings,, estates; III, ii, 158. Low, humble; I, iii, 44.

ix, 95.

Magnificoes, Venetian nobles;

III, ii, 283. Martlet, a kind of swallow;

II, ix, 28. Mincing, short, dainty; III,

iv, 67. Moe, more; I, i, 108. Moiety, a

part, usually half; IV, i, 26.

Gaberdine, a loose cloak; I,

iii, 113. Gaged, pledged; 1, i, 130. Garnish, apparel; II, vi, 45. Glisters, glitters; II, vii, 65.

a

more

Naughty, wicked (a

dignified word than now);

III, ii, 18.
Nazarite, Nazarene; I, iii,

35.
Neat, ox; I, i, 112.
Nice, fanciful; II, i, 14.
Nominated, stated; I, iii, 150;

IV, i, 259.
Obliged, pledged; II, vi, 7.
Of, on; II, ii, 103 ; with; II,
Offend'st, vexest; IV, i, 140.
Ostent, demeanor; II, ii, 205;

shows; II, viii, 44.
Other, others; I, i, 54.
Out-dwells, out-stays; II, vi,

3.
Out of doubt, without doubt;

1, i, 21; I, i, 155.
Over-name, run

their
names; I, ii, 39.
Over-weathered, weather-

beaten; II, vi, 18.

Possessed, informed; I, iii,

65; IV, I, 35.
Post, courier, postman; II, ix,

100; V, i, 46.
Preferred, recommended; II,

ii, 154.
Presence, dignity of bearing;

III, ii, 54.
Presently, immediately; I, i,

183; II, ix, 3:
Prevented, anticipated; I, i,

61.
Prize, contest for a prize; III,

ii, 142
Process, manner; IV, i, 274.
Proper, handsome; I, ii, 77.

iv, 24.

Qualify, modify; IV, i, 7.
Quaintly, gracefully; II, iv,

6.
Quiring, singing in concert;

V, i, 62.
Quit, remit; IV, i, 381.

over

Pain, pains; II, ii, 194.
Parts, duties, functions; IV,

i, 92.
Passion, outcry; II, viii, 12.
Patch, fool, simpleton; II, v,

46.
Peize, weigh, keep in sus-

pense, delay; III, ii, 22.
Pent-house, a porch with a

sloping roof; II, vi, I.
Persuaded, argued; III, ii,

284.
Port, importance; III, ii, 284;

appearance; I, i, 124.

Rheum, spittle; I, iii, 118.
Rib, enclose; II, vii, 51.
Ripe, urgent; I, iii, 64.
Riping, ripening; II, viii, 40.
Road, harbor; V, i, 288; I, i,

19.
Sad, grave; II, ii, 205.
Scanted, restrained, limited;

II, i, 17.

Scarfed, decorated with Aags;

II, vi, 15. 'Scuse, excuse; IV, i, 444. Seasons, tempers, softens; IV,

Straight, straightway; I, iii,

175; II, ix, 1.

i, 197

seen

Self, self-same; I, i, 148.
Should, would; I, ii, 100.
Shows, outward appearance;

II, vii, 20.
Signior (pronounced

yur), an Italian gentle

man; I, I, 1o. Simple, absolute; III, ii, 81. Sirrah, sir, (used only to in

feriors); I, ii, 146. Slubber, slur over; II, viii,

39. Smug, neat; III, i, 48. So, provided that; III, ii, 197 Something, somewhat; I, i,

124. Sooth, truth; I, i, n. Sore, sorely; V, i, 307. Spend, waste; I, i, 153. Spoils, acts of plundering; V,

i, 85. Still, continually; I, i, 17; I,

i, 136. Stockish, lacking sensibility;

V, i, 81.

Tell, count; II, ii, 114.
Thrift, success; I, i, 175;

profits; I, iii, 51. Throughfares, thoroughfares;

II, vii, 42. Traject, ferry; III, iv, 53. Undervalued, inferior; I, i,

165. Vailing, bending; I, i, 28. Vantage, opportunity; III, ii,

176. Vasty, vast; II, vii, 41. Very, true, real; III, ii, 226. Vile, worthless; II, iv, 6. Void, spit out; I, iii, 118. Waft, wafted; V, i, 11. Weather, storms; II, ix, 29. Where, whereas; IV, i, 22. While, time; II, i, 31. Wis, know; II, ix, 68. Wroth, sorrow,

misfortune; II, ix, 78. Younker, young man; II, vi,

14.

Książki