Aphorisms & Language

Molly Hone
1.2, lines 1-19. (I cut off the passage at line 19 for this post, before Portia’s predicament and suitors are fully discussed.)

In the first exchange between Portia and her waiting-woman, Nerissa, a simple expression of sadness by the former elicits advice from the latter in the form of multiple aphorisms. Portia responds to these aphorisms with aphorisms of her own that explain her inability and reluctance to follow the advice.

The aphorisms exchanged, such as “It is no mean happiness, therefore to be seated in the mean” (lines 6-7, 1.2.1125, Nerissa), and “It is a good divine that follows his own instructions” (line 14, 1.2.1125, Portia), could seem almost nonsensical to a reader because of their abundance and lack of segue. There are at least 5 clear aphorisms in this passage, and the language of the lines in between them are similar in structure, voice, and function (e.g. “They would be better if well followed” [line 10, 1.2.1125, Nerissa]), rendering the language of the passage mostly aphoristic.

This rapid delivery of the aphorisms, as well as the overall aphoristic tone, suggest that such general advice lacks meaning and importance. This setup could also serve to argue that general advice lacks an adequate applicability to reality. Shakespeare is playing with self-reflexivity in this passage, and instead of creating nonsense he is, presumably, foreshadowing the events of the play.

This self-reflexive setup also seems to comment on internal conflict and moral ambiguity. Portia remarks in the passage that it is not easy to do what one knows is right. Churning out aphorisms like an assembly line is very different from following them. Pondering the actions one may take in a given situation is very different from being in that situation and having to decide on a “right” or beneficial course of action. 

When Portia remarks that the advice will not be able to help her in choosing a suitor, having already previously put the responsibility on herself, not the concept of general advice, she is using the passive voice. Is this an illustration of the alternately weak/strong power that general, aphoristic advice can have? Or is she simply being sarcastic? It seems that her language (“But this reasoning is not in the fashion” [line 19, 1.2.1125]) is playfully, but contradictorially, disowning her previously-stated responsibility. It is interesting, too, how Portia’s words in this line sound so similar to the aphorisms in their passivity. 

This might be a total over-analysis of the passage, but I find that as I read, I have to remember that Shakespeare’s linguistic precision gives each word a lot of weight and purpose, and over-analysis may be difficult to avoid sometimes.

Why Shakespeare is seemingly putting the character of Portia at odds with her own language in this fragment is unclear to me. It might be just a flourish of language, or it might be an important foreshadow of events and themes. Again, I might be completely overanalyzing this short passage and its language. 

Portia and Bassanio: A complicated love affair?

The character of Portia in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, is one that is particularly interesting. She is described as being a beautiful and wealthy individual, characteristics that are commonly seen in the female characters of William Shakespeare’s pieces. Once of Portia’s most entertaining qualities seems to be her witty nature. This can be seen when Portia is engaged in conversation with her waiting-woman, Nerissa.

In the beginning of the play, Portia is describing the conditions in her father’s will which are controlling her decision to find a suitor. Portia describes her inability to choose a husband when she states: “I may neither choose who I would nor refuse who I dislike; so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father” (1.2 20-22). According to her father’s will, in order for Portia to marry, the men must choose from three chests, each being made of gold, silver, or lead.  In only one of the chests lies a portrait of Portia. The man who choses the chest which includes the portrait is the individual who will be honored in marrying Portia. In order to pay respect to her father, Portia agrees to adhere to the condition of her late father’s will, despite the slightly frustrating and tiresome process that she must endure. 

When conversing with her waiting-woman, Nerissa, Portia is discussing the reasons why she will not marry a various amount of men. Portia provides several flaws that these men have, some being entirely shallow and humorous. These reasons include men who seem to be too consumed with themselves, men who are too serious and men who indulge in alcohol too frequently. Although the readers are given no reason to not believe Portia, it is fair to question if these reasons for not accepting the various suitors are entirely truthful, or if they are simply excuses made by Portia. 

Regardless, Portia is fearful that she will never find a respectable man to marry. It is then, when Nerissa suggests that Portia consider Bassanio to be one of her suitors. Bassanio is one of the only men who Portia considered to be a respectable candidate for marriage, which can be seen when she says “I remember him well, and I remember him worth of thy praise” (1.2 100-01). This line serves in great contrast to Portia’s reaction to the other men. 

At this point, it can be assumed that Portia is unaware of the fact that Bassanio is in the process of attempting to obtain a loan in order to woo Portia. Because of the wealthy status that the other suitors possess, Bassanio feels the need to borrow three thousand ducats in order to be considered as a suitor for Portia. In order to do this, he must obtain a loan from Shylock. The audience later learns that this agreement is more complicated than it first appears, as Shylock has a great hatred towards Antonio, whom is supporting the loan. This can be seen when Shylock says “I hate him for he is a Christian; But more, for that in low simplicity He lends out money gratis, and brings down the rate of usance her with us in Venice” (1.3 37-40). It is clear at this point in the play, that the relationship between Antonio and Shylock may have a great impact on Bassanio’s relationship with Portia. 

Characters

Sam Montagna

Professor Mulready

Shakespeare II

30 January 2012

Characters

Antonio is saddened, yet he does not know why. His friends suppose that he is in love or his “merchandise” is making him upset (Shakespeare 40.1122). Antonio denies all of this. Antonio reminds me of a person who has everything going for them but is still depressed. He has friends who support him and he is not living in poverty. If I had to guess what was wrong with him, it would be that life has gotten him down. I think he is a little lost. He states that he does not know where the misery has come from and that he has a lot of learning to do inside himself (5-6.1121). Graziano's advice seems the best suited for Antonio's situation. He basically tells him to relax. “Why should a man whose blood is warm within sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster” (83-84.11230). Why should a man filled with passions and dreams sit still like a tombstone? Graziano, although there is little to no description about him, seems very wise and sensible. After Graziano leaves, Bassanio has a talk with Antonio. Antonio is a great friend. Bassanio owes him money and love and Antonio still agrees to help Bassanio out in winning the heart of the fair Portia. Bassanio wants to be in the same league as the other men that chase Portia, who is so beautiful and good, she is compared to Brutus' wife. Portia, on the other hand, is tired of the losers that want to marry her. I do not understand Portia's father's conditions for her marriage. Nerissa speaks of a lottery in which men choose their “meaning” (27.1126). According to Nerissa, the one who chooses correctly will be the one that Portia falls for. Portia also hears of Bassanio and knows that out of all, he “was the best deserving a fair lady” (99.1127). The fact that Portia mentions Bassanio is foreshadowing. It is clear, the two will eventually meet later in the play. Bassanio and Antonio meet Shylock to borrow three thousand ducats. I feel so terrible for Shylock. Shylock dislikes Antonio because he is Christian and he loans money for free. Also, Antonio has called him names and spit on Shylock because he is Jewish. Shylock agrees to loan Antonio money after all of the abuse. Shylock even offers friendship to Antonio. Shylock is a bigger person than Antonio. Although Shylock is the “jew,” the very thing that many people despise, he overlooks the hatred even after Antonio admits that he would spit on him again. It is fair of Shylock to impose such a harsh consequence on Antonio if he cannot pay him back. Antonio agrees wholeheartedly to the bond because he is certain that he will be able to pay the loan back without any problem. I believe this is foreshadowing as well. It is obvious that Antonio's ships will not come back in time and Shylock will have to take a pound of his flesh. Antonio's arrogance when it comes to paying back all the money will backfire on him.

Quibbling over Shakespeare's Characters - Portia & Shylock

Something I found interesting about the first act of The Merchant of Venice is Portia’s characterization, which is demonstrated in the predicament regarding her marriage.  It is very evident that Portia isn't exactly content with her father’s method of choosing a husband for her, and yet she is willing to go along with it, despite the fact that her father is deceased and no longer holds authority over her.  Nerissa tells her that her father was a virtuous man and that “holy men at their death have good inspirations,” referring to the lottery idea he devised to choose the proper husband for her (1.2.24-25).  The method behind it seems rather simple - her suitors will choose one of three caskets, one being made of gold, one made of silver, and the third made of lead.  One of them contains a portrait of her, and whoever chooses the casket with her picture within it (most likely the lead one) will marry her.  Her father’s assumption when he makes this arrangement is that the man who chooses the correct casket will be the one who truly loves his daughter, not seeking the wealth, but rather her love (which would suggest the lead casket contains her photograph).  However, this grand scheme leaves no choice up to Portia, who can neither choose who she likes or dislikes.  She says to Nerissa with much disdain, “So this is the will [wish] of a living daughter curbed by the will [testament] of a dead father” desiring to be in control of her life, but revealing her lack of strength and ambition to challenge her father's will (1.2.21-22).  I know the time period for this play definitely reflects the idea of the husband of the household being in charge of family matters, especially their daughters’ futures, but I do wonder why Portia doesn't try to take hold of her life when she is given the opportunity to do so, especially since she finds each suitor (excluding Bassanio) detestable in one way or another - the Neopolitan prince who talks too much of his horse, the brooding County Palatine, and the French lord, Monsieur le Bon, who she describes as being “every man in no man” and even going so far as to say that if she were to marry him she should marry twenty husbands (1.2.35-36, 40, 50, 52-53).  Her unhappiness with her father’s arranged method of having her wed must not be as strong as her compulsion to remain loyal to him.  I have my hopes that Portia will break away from the mold of the societal expectations of females for her time era, but only time will tell.  

As for Shylock, he seems to be have been crafted from the old stereotypes surrounding people of the Jewish faith, especially in their emphasis on monetary importance.  When Shylock says that Antonio is a “good man” Bassanio interprets him as meaning a person with a good head on his shoulders.  Shylock mocks Bassanio and answers “My meaning in saying he is a good man is to have you understand me that he is sufficient [of adequate wealth]” (1.3.13-14).  When Antonio first enters the scene we learn that Shylock hates him for being a Christian, but mostly because he lends out money for free, which brings down the rate of interest for the people of Venice (1.3.37-40).  It makes me wonder if Shakespeare was anti-Semitic or if he just wanted to depict the beliefs and prejudices of that time period as realistically as possible.  It seems a bit overdone in my opinion, but I want to know what someone else thinks about it.

Final Part III

I chose this clip because I think this scene is the beginning of the most pivotal interaction in all of Merchant of Venice. Portia and Shylock only interact this one time, and yet their encounter has the most damaging ramifications. Also, when they meet Portia is in disguise while Shylock is being scrutinized by an audience (both Shakespeare's reading audience and those at the trial, which I think this film interpretation illustrates nicely,) so one is hiding herself and is able to exert power while the other is exposed and can only react to that exercise of power.

1. What do you think about the decision to have so many extras in the scene? Does the trial being so explicitly public affect how you experience it?

2. To whom is Portia speaking? Is she giving the speech to only Shylock, or to another audience?

3. If Portia is speaking to Shylock, do you think he is listening to her (as Pacino plays him)? If you do not think he is listening to her, do you think he is justified in doing so (is this just a case of a failure to communicate, or do you think that Shakespeare creates two worlds - the Jewish one and the Christian one - that are so different that there simply cannot be any real communication between the two)?

Portia vs. Shylock

Portia vs. Shylock
Portia and Shylock are the two characters who interest me the most in the play because they both find themselves within a hierarchy that marks them as subordinate to the Christian men; Portia because she is a woman and Shylock because he is a Jew. The Christian men are the “norm” against whom everyone else is judged and Portia and Shylock are recognized as “the other.” However, because she is Christian and rich, Portia, in a sense, outranks Shylock, as can be seen in her dismissal of all her former suitors based on stereotypes. This makes Shylock’s “otherness” even more pronounced. This hierarchy pits the two against each other, and I think this is most clearly illustrated when Portia initially tries to persuade Shylock to “consider this, that, in the course of justice, none of us should see salvation: we do pray for mercy; and that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy.” She is essentially asking Shylock to adhere to the status quo and become a Christian, which made her judgment that he should immediately convert less of a surprise. It reminded me of when Antonio said “Hie thee, gentle Jew. The Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind,” which makes it clear that the entire momentum of the play has been aimed at ridding Shylock of his Judaism. Her speech also made me wonder who she is referring to when she says “we” and “us all.” Is she talking about the Christians, or is she including Shylock in this collective “we”? In the treatment of the two characters I see a powerplay not just between religions, but also between genders. While Shylock is forced to convert to Christianity, all the women in the play have to dress up and act like men in order to exercise some semblance of agency. In Portia’s case, however, her “conversion” only serves to strengthen the tenants of the social order, because although she manages to get her ring from Bassanio (thereby gaining some sort of autonomy and independence, I assume) she is able to turn back into a woman, while Shylock’s transformation is permanent. It basically robs him of his identity. His being Jewish is how he differentiated himself from the other characters and also how the other characters addressed him, as opposed to using his actual name, and now that categorization no longer applies to him.

Finally, what I find most interesting about the play so far is that that while Venetian law is upheld and therefore Jews and Christians are supposedly allowed to live together and conduct business with one another, the only two prominent Jews in the play both convert to Christianity, either willingly (Jessica, and even so she is still considered a Jew by Lancelot,) or through blatant coercion and duress (Shylock.) Both are co-opted into the dominating Christian social system and Judaism is effectively eradicated (neutralized?) removing the threat Shylock’s Judaism posed to the community – the Christian community, not the overall Venetian trading community – so that the remaining characters in the play can go on to live happily ever after, which I suppose is what makes it a comedy. I also find myself wondering if Shylock, now a Christian, will still be in the same societal position as before, and if not, where it will be in comparison to Portia. I’m tempted to think that Shylock’s real crime wasn’t in trying to kill Antonio, but in refusing to properly fulfill his role as a Jew – meaning he didn’t show the deference to his Christian counterparts that his society demanded.

Women Rule

It’s a strange kind of contradiction that in Shakespeare’s time women were not allowed to act on the stage and yet they tend dominate and/or hold pivotal roles in many of his plays, especially Merchant of Venice.

Although Portia has no control over which partner she ends up with due to her father’s challenge, she holds a vast amount of knowledge and cunning. When Bassanio must leave to go to Antonio’s aid, he relies on Portia’s wealth to offer up to Shylock. And, unknowing to anyone else present in the room, the Judge and attendant are actually Portia and Nerissa dressed as men. It is true that in order to get their voices heard, they have to assume the identities of men, an understandable predicament for this time period, but the fact that Shakespeare makes the women of the play the heroes shows a great deal of support and trust toward the gender, perhaps he is even making a not-so-subtle statement that women are capable of such tasks.

W While the play shows that women are a capable gender on the outside, Shakespeare also shows the power they hold behind closed doors. The phrase “a man is king of his castle until the queen arrives” has been a frequent joke on the lips of many in reference to a woman’s power over a man. I do not mean in the public’s eye, because women were mostly powerless until the recent past, but within the realm of the household. I believed that this phrase was an American invention created in the women’s rights era, however it seems like it or varieties of it was present in Shakespeare’s time as well. A prime example of this power can be found in Act 4, Scene 1 beginning with Bassanio statement, “Antonio, I am married to a wife /Which is as dear to me as life itself./ But life itself, my wife, and all the world /Are not with me esteemed above thy life./ I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all/ Here to this devil, to deliver you” (lines 277-82). Basically, Bassanio is stating that he would give up his wife for that of his friend’s wife, a grand and pretty statement, but when the judge – his wife! – and Nerissa hear the remarks made by Bassanio and Graziano, they both chafe and Nerissa returns with, “’Tis well you offer it behind her back;/The wish would make else an unquiet house” (lines 288-89). Here, she is warning him that he better be careful unless he wishes to have a fight with his wife. The only unfortunate part is that these words came out of the mouth of what they think is a man, so they have no idea that their wives/women just threatened them. However, the statements alone show that the common principle of a woman ruling her roost is even a part of this time period. Because these women come off as the strong, get-it-done sort of women, it makes me picture them running their households and husbands quite efficiently.

Even their gifts to their husbands portray this control over them. When Portia and Nerissa each gifted their husbands with rings that represented their love, basically “promise” rings, the idea was to ensnare them and have proof of doing so. When the ring comes off, the wife is to understand that their love no longer exists. Later, when Portia tests this love she believes that Bassanio won’t give it up, until the last moment when Graziano chases her down to give it to her. You can almost sense that her plan is to have the ring waiting for him when he returns, possibly sparking a large argument.

Why In The World Would Antonio Lend Bassanio Money?

After having read the first act of The Merchant of Venice I have become very interested in the characters in this play and the relationships that they have with one another, and overall how these relationships will play out in the play’s dramatic action. The one relationship that interests me most is the relationship/friendship between Antonio and Bassanio. What interests me most about these two characters is why exactly did Antonio agree to take out a loan for Bassanio? It is made clear that Bassanio already owes Antonio a significant amount of money, which he has yet to pay back, so why then would Antonio agree to lend him more? Also, more striking to me was the fact that Antonio has no money to speak of right now because all of his money is wrapped up in risky business ventures. The shear thought that Antonio would even consider lending Bassanio money seems ludicrous to me because it could ruin Antonio (which I have a hunch will probably happen?). Therefore, based on the amount of risk that Antonio is taking on by agreeing to lend Bassanio money, it leads me to look for an ulterior motive on Antonio’s part. To me, Antonio just seems all too willing and quick to lend Bassanio the money, which leads me to question his motives. Is Antonio just trying to be a nice guy/ good friend? Does he have some secret or evil plan up his sleeve? Or maybe, and this may seem a little far stretched, does Antonio harbor some romantic feelings for Bassanio? All of these questions have been plaguing me throughout this first act and I hope that they will be answered.

The character of Portia also really caught my interest. What really interests me about Portia is how, at the time, she follows so rigidly the stipulations in her father’s will, even though he is already dead. It seems to me that this rigid following will not last long because as her scene progresses it is made clear that she is somewhat cunning when it comes to her inability to choose her suitor. When Portia makes the suggestion to I think get the drunkard German duke especially drunk so that he cannot choose the right chest. I think that Portia thinking this way maybe foreshadows her eventually finding a loophole in her father’s little task, so that she is able to choose her own husband (who will most likely be Bassanio?)

Finally the character of Shylock is really intriguing to me because I just can’t seem to decide if he is the villainous/evil character or not? I actually feel more sympathy towards the character of Shylock than hatred, and I would think that if he was indeed the villain that hatred or loathing would be the feeling that I should be experiencing? The character of Shylock, unlike some of Shakespeare’s other villainous characters, like Iago, doesn’t have any asides (so far), where he expresses his evil intentions to the audience etc. But maybe it’s just too early on in the play and maybe I will learn to hate Shylock as the play progresses? But I don’t really know… right now I just feel sorry for Shylock and the persecution that he has endured at the hands of Antonio and others.

The Merchant of Venice - Act I

One of the first things I noticed while reading The Merchant of Venice was that Antonio and Bassanio are immediately set up as being different from their other friends. The play opens with Antonio speaking with Solanio and Salerio, who leave when Bassanio arrives with Lorenzo and Graziano, saying that they leave him (Antonio) with “better company” and that the new arrivals are “worthier friends.” Lorenzo and Graziano also depart almost immediately after encountering Antonio. I’m left wondering why this is; is it simply because Shakespeare wanted to set up Antonio and Bassanio as the protagonists? Or are the others of a lower class? I also found it interesting that Bassanio pokes fun at Graziano after he leaves, much like friends would in a similar situation today. Bassanio tells Antonio that Graziano speaks constantly, but never says anything worthwhile. It is unclear to me whether he meant it as an insult or a joke though.

Although we’ve only read the first act of the play, my favorite scene so far was our introduction to Portia and Nerissa. I felt that the dialogue between the two women flowed very well, almost better than the dialogue between the other characters. I also felt that the dialogue in this scene (1.2) had more comedic aspects throughout it. Even though I felt bad that Portia was being forced to choose a husband from a select group as opposed to being able to choose on her own, I also found it amusing that she couldn’t find any redeeming qualities in any of the suitors. Another thing that I noticed in this scene was that Portia seems to speak more than almost anyone else in the play so far, except for possibly Shylock. Is there a reason for this, or is it just because of the questions she is answering?

We are asked, in our reading questions, to consider the character of Shylock and even in the introduction to the play in the Norton we are asked to consider whether or not the portrayal is anti-Semitic in any way. The character is obviously educated and he speaks well and at length, throughout scene 1.3. At this point in the play, however, I’m unclear as to whether his portrayal is anti-Semitic or not. Based on what took place during the scene, it seems that Shakespeare may just be portraying anti-Semitism as it is at the time, as opposed to taking a side about it. We learn that Antonio has, in the past, insulted and spit on Shylock, presumably only because he is Jewish. On the other hand, Shylock tells the audience outright that he “hate[s] him for he is a Christian” (1.3.38). This makes it hard to tell what the intended portrayal of ant-Semitism is in the play because both characters dislike each other based on their religions. I also noticed that Shylock is one of the more comedic characters we’ve met in the play so far and I wonder if his sarcasm is meant to make him more or less desirable. Personally, I seem to like his character more when he is mocking Antonio and Bassanio (around 1.3.110) because of the humor, but I’m unsure if this is intended or not.