Wolfe Honors English B

The Excerpt: Act 2;  Scene 8; page 110; Bassanio is leaving.

Salarino says “A kinder gentleman treads not to earth.

I saw Bassanio and Antonio part.

Bassanio told him he would make some speed

Of his return. He answer’d, Do not so;

Slubber not buisness for my sake, Bassanio,

But stay the very riping of the time;

And for the Jews bond for which he hath of me,

Let it not enter your mind of love.

And even there, his eyes being big with tears;

He turns his hand behind him

To hide his affection.

My opinion over this passage is that i feel that Antonio has some type of feelings for Bassanio. I think this because Antonio tries to hide that he is crying when Bassanio is leaving when he wants him to stay. Since Antonio couldn’t hide his feelings for Bassanio it leads me to think that he has more than just friendly feelings for him.

Question: What is your opinion on Antonio, is he in love with Bassanio or just friends?

“So may the outward shows be least themselves; The world is still deceiv’d with ornament… Tween man and man; but thou, thou meagre lead, which rather threaten’st than dost promise aught, thy paleness moves me more than eloquence; and here choose I. Joy be the consequence.“

Bassanio is not tricked by outward appearances. He was smart enough to realize that the outside does not matter. So, Portia’s image of beauty would be on the “inside” not the outside. I think that was the moral of this scene.

What do you think the meaning was?

Act 3 Scene 2, lines 69- 80, Page 132

Shylock:

“Why, there, there, there, there! A diamond gone

cost me two thousands ducats in Frankfurt! The curse never fell

upon the nation until now. I never felt it til now. Two

thousand ducats in that, and other precious, precious

jewels! I would my daughter were dead at my foot

and the jewels in her ear; would she were hears’d at my foot

and the ducats in her coffin. No news of them? Why so?

And I know not what’s spent in the search! Why, thou loss

upon loss! The thief gone with so much, and so much to

find the thief, and no satisfaction, no revenge, nor no ill

luck stirring but what a lights a’ my shoulders, no sighs but

a’ my breathing, no tears but a’ my shedding.”

Shylock seems to care a lot more about his money than about his own daughter. He has a lot of anger towards his daughter. I think this a powerful passage because he says that he wants his daughter to be dead. I can understand why he has a lot of anger, but I don’t think I would want my own family to die. I do feel a little sympathy for him because he will never find his daughter and it is wrong to steal. However, wanting your daughter to be dead is pretty cruel.

Do you have any sympathy towards Shylock?

The Excerpt:Act 2; Scence 8;Page 110;Salarino says:

“A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.
I saw Bassanio and Antonio part.
Bassanio told him he would make some speed
Of his return. He answer’d, “Do not so;
Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio,
But stay the very riping of the time;
And for the Jew’s bond which he hath of me,
Let it not enter in your mind of love
As shall convenientyly become you there.”
And even there, his eye being big with tears,
Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
And with affection wondrous sensible
He wrung Bassainio’s hand; and so they parted.”

Summary/Opinion:This passage is showing Bassanio and Antonio saying goodbye. It says how Antonio even shed tears of affection when he left. When I read this, my opinion was settled. That Antonio is in love with Bassanio, in the beginning of the play when Antonio says he is sad, I think he was in love. Another reason I believe this is because when Bassanio needed money, to go win Portia, Antonio jumped to it and agreed to lend him money eventhough he agreed to die if he couldn’t pay it back.

Question:What is your opinion about Antonio and Bassanio?

Gratiano “My lord Bassanio and my gentle lady, I wish you all the joy that you can wish, For I am sure you can wish none from me; And when your honours mean to solemnize the bargain with your faith, I do beseech you, even at that time I may be married too.”

Bassanio “With all my heart, so thou canst get a wife.”

Gratiano “I thank your lordship, you have got me one. Me eyes, my lord, can look as swift as yours. You saw the mistress, I beheld the maid. You lov’d, I lov’d; for intermission no more pertains to me, my lord, than you. Your fortune stood upon the caskets there, and so did mine too, as the matter falls. For, wooing here until I sweat again, and swearing till my very roof was dry with oaths of love, at last, if promise last, I got a promise of this fair one here to have her love, provided that your fortune achiev’d her mistress.”

On page 148 Gratiano asks Bassanio and Portia if he can marry Nerissa. Portia asks if he is true with his love, and he agrees. Nerissa also says she is in love with him. They fell in love at first sight. They also jokingly bet each other which pair will have a boy first. I did not expect this to happen. He seemed to fall in love with her as immediately as they got there. At least the couple will each be friends.

Did Gratiano expect to fall in love when he came along with Bassanio?

Did Gratiano’s fate with Nerissa really depend on Bassanio choosing the correct casket?

Do you think he really loves Nerissa truthfully?

“…in a word,

the seeming truth which cunning times put on

T’entrap the wisest. Therefore, then, thou gaudy gold,

Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee;

Nor none of thee, thou pale and common drudge

‘Tween man and man; but thou, thou meagre lead

Which rather threaten’st than dost promise aught,

Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence;

And here choose I. Joy be the consequence!

(3.2.101)

I think that the passage is a good example of Bassanio’s knowledge and wisdom.  It shows that he knows his morals and is not full of himself like the other suitors. He did not choose recklessly but pondered over it for a long time. Also, this passage showed that Bassanio might not want Portia just for her money, but because he does love her. Portia definitely seemed as if she loved Bassanio with the way she acted and said that she wished she was prettier and more rich for Bassanio.

Do you think that Bassanio loves Portia or do you think he only wants her money?

“This kindness will I show. Go with me to a notary, seal me there your single bond;and, in merry sport,if you repay me not on such a day, in such a place, such sum or sums as are express’d in the condition, let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken in what part of your body pleaseth me.”

In my opinion this is the part of the play where Shylock becomes the enemy. Later he talks about wanting his money back and that his daughter to be damned for stealing. But, this is the scene when we really start to see the hatred between Shylock and Christians. Shylock is willing to take a pound of flesh from Antonio. A pound of flesh is more then enough to kill someone. He is using Bassanio’s need as a reason to demand such a thing.

What part of the play do you think Shylock could be viewed as the enemy?

Passage: “Sweet Bassanio, my ships have all miscarried, my creditors grow cruel, mt estate is very low, my bond to the Jew is forfeit; and since in paying it, it is impossible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and I, if I might but see you at my death. Notwithstanding, use your pleasure; if your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter.” Page. 156, Line 322.

My Opinion: I feel that this scene is a very dramatic scene. I also feel bad for Bassanio and Antonio. Right after Bassanio gets what he wants, he receives a letter saying that Antonio is going to die. I feel bad for Antonio because he risked his life just so that Bassanio could get as chance at love.

Discussion Question: Do you think that Bassanio will be able to save Antonio with Portia’s plan by offering Shylock as much money as it takes to save him?

Act 3, Scene 2, Page 144 + 146, Lines 152-160

Portia:
“You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand,
Such as I am. Though for myself alone
I would not be so ambitious in my wish
To wish myself much better; yet, for you
I would be trebled twenty times myself,
A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times
More rich; that only to stand high in your account,
I might in virtues, beauties, livings, friends,
Exceed account.”

I think this passage shows just how much Portia likes Bassanio. Even though she is already rich, she wishes she was richer for Bassanio. Even though she is already beautiful (at least it seems like she is) she wishes herself to look better just for Bassanio. She even says without Bassanio, she wouldn’t wish herself any better. She wants to be the very best she can for Bassanio. This shows just what love can do to a girl’s mind. Portia is so head-over-heels for Bassanio, she would be willing to change herself just to make him happy.

Question: Do you think Bassanio likes Portia as much as Portia likes him, or is he just in it for the money?