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The Merchant of Venice

Yale University Press

Contents

About This Book................................................ixIntroduction...................................................xviiSome Essentials of the Shakespearean Stage.....................xxxiiiThe Merchant of Venice.........................................1An Essay by Harold Bloom.......................................151Further Reading................................................159Finding List...................................................165

Chapter One

The Duke of Venice The Prince of Morocco (Portia's suitor) The Prince of Arragon (Portia's suitor) Antonio (a merchant of Venice) Bassanio (Antonio's friend, Portia's suitor) Solanio, Salarino, Gratiano (friends of Antonio and Bassanio) Lorenzo (in love with Jessica) Shylock (a rich Jew) Tubal (Shylock's friend) Lancelot Gobbo (a clown,Shylock's servant) Old Gobbo (Lancelot's father) Leonardo (Bassanio's servant) Salerio (Venetian court attendant) Balthasar, Stephano (Portia's servants) Portia (an heiress) Nerissa (Portia's personal attendant) Jessica (Shylock's daughter) Venetian Nobles, Officers of the Court of Justice, Jailer, Servants, and Attendants

Act 1

SCENE 1

Venice, a street

ENTER Antonio, Salarino, and Solanio

Antonio In sooth I know not why I am so sad, It wearies me, you say it wearies you. But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is borne, I am to learn. And such a want-wit sadness makes of me, 5 That I have much ado to know myself.

Salarino Your mind is tossing on the ocean, There where your argosies with portly sail Like signiors and rich burghers on the flood, 10 Or as it were the pageants of the sea, Do overpeer the petty traffickers That curtsy to them, do them reverence, As they fly by them with their woven wings.

Solanio Believe me sir, had I such venture forth, The better part of my affections would 15 Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still Plucking the grass to know where sits the wind, Peering in maps for ports, and piers, and roads. And every object that might make me fear Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt 20 Would make me sad.

Salarino My wind cooling my broth Would blow me to an ague, when I thought What harm a wind too great might do at sea. I should not see the sandy hourglass run But I should think of shallows, and of flats, 25 And see my wealthy "Andrew" docks in sand, Vailing her high top lower than her ribs To kiss her burial. Should I go to church And see the holy edifice of stone, And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks, 30 Which touching but my gentle vessel's side Would scatter all her spices on the stream, Enrobe the roaring waters with my silks, And (in a word) but even now worth this, And now worth nothing. Shall I have the thought 35 To think on this, and shall I lack the thought That such a thing bechanced would make me sad? But tell not me, I know Antonio Is sad to think upon his merchandise.

Antonio Believe me no, I thank my fortune for it, 40 My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, Nor to one place, nor is my whole estate Upon the fortune of this present year. Therefore my merchandise makes me not sad.

Solanio Why then you are in love.

Antonio Fie, fie. 45

Solanio Not in love neither. Then let us say you are sad Because you are not merry, and 'twere as easy For you to laugh and leap, and say you are merry Because you are not sad. Now by two-headed Janus, Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time. 50 Some that will evermore peep through their eyes, And laugh like parrots at a bagpiper. And other of such vinegar aspect, That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile, Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable. 55

ENTER Bassanio, Lorenzo, and Gratiano

Solanio Here comes Bassanio,your most noble kinsman, Gratiano, and Lorenzo. Fare ye well, We leave you now with better company.

Salarino I would have stayed till I had made you merry, If worthier friends had not prevented me. 60

Antonio Your worth is very dear in my regard. I take it your own business calls on you, And you embrace th' occasion to depart.

Salarino Good morrow my good lords.

Bassanio Good signiors both, when shall we laugh? Say when? 65 You grow exceeding strange. Must it be so?

Salarino We'll make our leisures to attend on yours.

EXEUNT Salarino and Solanio

Lorenzo My Lord Bassanio, since you have found Antonio We two will leave you, but at dinnertime I pray you have in mind where we must meet. 70

Bassanio I will not fail you.

Gratiano You look not well signior Antonio, You have too much respect upon the world: They lose it that do buy it with much care. Believe me you are marvelously changed. 75

Antonio I hold the world but as the world Gratiano, A stage, where every man must play a part, And mine a sad one.

Gratiano Let me play the fool, With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come, And let my liver rather heat with wine, 80 Than my heart cool with mortifying groans. Why should a man whose blood is warm within Sit like his grandsire, cut in alabaster? Sleep when he wakes? And creep into the jaundice By being peevish? I tell thee what Antonio, 85 I love thee, and it is my love that speaks. There are a sort of men, whose visages Do cream and mantle like a standing pond, And do a willful stillness entertain, With purpose to be drest in an opinion 90 Of wisdom, gravity, profound conceit, As who should say, I am sir an oracle, And when I ope my lips, let no dog bark. O my Antonio, I do know of these That therefore only are reputed wise 95 For saying nothing, when I am very sure If they should speak would almost damn those ears Which, hearing them, would call their brothers fools. I'll tell thee more of this another time. But fish not with this melancholy bait 100 For this fool gudgeon, this opinion. Come good Lorenzo, fare ye well a while, I'll end my exhortation after dinner.

Lorenzo Well, we will leave you then till dinnertime. I must be one of these same dumb wise men, 105 For Gratiano never lets me speak.

Gratiano Well, keep me company but two years mo, Thou shalt not know the sound of thine own tongue.

Antonio Fare you well, I'll grow a talker for this gear.

Gratiano Thanks i'faith, for silence is only commendable 110 In a neat's tongue dried, and a maid not vendible

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