in The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice) — Shakespeare, William
Metadata
Play
The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice)
Author
Shakespeare, William
Year (catalogued)
1600
First performance
1596
Decade
1600s
Genre
Comedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men
Speech prefix(es)
Gobbo. | Gob. | Gobbe.
Words
292
Characters
1448
Typicality
0.36 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A68727
BritDrama no.
1047
Cluster
Cluster 0 — Clowns, beggars & street sellers
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
Master youngman, you I pray you, which is the way to Master Jews? Master young Gentleman, I pray you which is the way to Master Jews. Be Gods sonties 'twill be a hard way to hit, can you tell me whither one Lancelet that dwells with him, dwell with him or no. No Master sir, but a poor men Son, his Father though I say't is and honest exceeding poor man, and God be thanked well to live. Marry God forbid, the boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop. Alack the day, I know you not young Gentleman, but I pray you tell me, is my boy God rest his soul alive or dead. Alack sir I am sand blind, I know you not. Pray you sir stand up, I am sure you are not Lancelet my boy. Your worships friend and Lancelet sir. Of Lancelet ant please your mastership. I cannot think you are my son. Her name is Margery in deed, isle be sworn if thou be Lancelet, thou art mine own flesh and blood: Lord worshipped might he be, what a beard hast thou God; thou hast God more hair on thy chin, then Dobbin my philhorse hase on his tail. Lord how art thou changed: how dost thou and thy Ma ster agree, I have brought him a present; how gree you now? God bless your worship. He hath a great infection sir, as one would say to serve. His Master and he (saving your worships reverence) are scarce catercosins, I have here a dish of Doves that I would bestow upon your worship, and my suit is. That is the very defect of the matter sir. Here's my son sir, a poor boy.
Plot summary
Plot — The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice)
Bassanio plans to woo the heiress Portia, hoping that, if successful, her wealth will get him out of debt. His friend and principal creditor, the melancholy merchant Antonio, agrees to finance the venture, but all his money is tied up in commercial activity. He seeks a loan from the Jew Shylock, who himself raises the money by borrowing from his co-religionist Tubal. ===== PAGE 342 ===== 342 |. 1047. The Merchant of Venice Shylock is resentful of Antonio’s attacks on him for taking interest on loans, but frames a ‘merry bond’ which will entitle him only to a pound of Antonio’s flesh should the money not be repaid on the due date. Lancelot Gobbo leaves Shylock’s service and is hired by Bassanio, who is planning a going-away feast. Lancelot brings a letter from Shylock’s daughter Jessica to Lorenzo, whom she wishes to marry. Shylock is invited to the supper, and, while he is away, Lorenzo helps Jessica to escape from her father’s house; afterwards, it is unclear whether Shylock is more distressed by the loss of his daughter or the money she took with her. Bassanio leaves for Belmont, accompanied by Gratiano. Portia’s marital prospects are regulated by the will of her dead father: her suitors must choose which of three caskets contains her picture, and she may only wed the suitor who gets it right, while suitors who get it wrong must remain unmarried ever after. The Prince of Morocco chooses the golden casket, signifying a much-desired object, but gets only a death’s head. The Prince of Aragon chooses silver, signifying the suitor’s desert, and gets a fool’s head. Bassanio chooses lead, signifying that the suitor must risk everything, and gets Portia. She gives him a ring, which he promises never to remove. oo Rumours circulate in Venice that Antonio is ruined by the loss of all his ships. Unable to pay his debt to the vindictive Shylock, he writes to Belmont for Bassanio’s help. Lorenzo also comes to Belmont with Jessica, and, leaving her household in their care, Portia. secretly follows her new husband to Venice. Having acquired a disguise and a testimonial from a lawyer kinsman, she takes part in the hearing of Antonio’s case before the Duke. Shylock refuses either to accept the repayment of his money or to be merciful; but Portia points out that the bond entitles him to take no blood with his pound of flesh. Having plotted to kill a Venetian citizen, his life and goods are forfeit, but he is spared, on condition that he becomes a Christian and makes over…