Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Portia: As from her lord, her governor, her king.
Myself and what is mine to you and yours
Is now converted: but now I was the lord
Of this fair mansion, master of my servants,
Queen o’er myself; and even now, but now,
This house, these servants, and this same myself,
Are yours, my lord:
(i) Where are Portia and Bassanio? What has just taken place which makes Portia to speak these words? What was the inscription given in the lead casket?
(ii) What does Bassanio say in praise of Portia’s portrait?
(iii) What news saddens Bassanio on this happy occasion? What does Portia ask him to do?
(iv) Who is Balthazar? What was the work assigned to him by Portia?
(v) Where does Portia really plan to go? What similarity do we find between Portia and Antonio? What does this scene reveal about the character of Portia? Give a reason to justify your answer.
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(i)
- Belmont / A room in Portia’s house.
- Bassanio has chosen the right casket / he has won the lottery of the caskets / he has chosen the lead casket wherein contains Portia’s picture.
- “Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.”
(ii) The picture is so life like that only a demi -god could have painted it / The eyes seem to be moving / The lips are parted with sugar breath / The painter has shown the skill of a spider in painting the hair / He has painted a golden mesh (net) to catch the hearts of men / After painting one eye the artist should have gone blind. He could not have painted the second eye.
(iii)
- Receives a letter from Antonio / none of Antonio’s ships have returned / Shylock is demanding a pound of flesh.
- Portio asks Bassanio to go to Venice / pay Shylock and cancel the bond / Bassanio will have enough gold to pay Shylock twenty times over.
(iv)
- Servant to Portia.
- Portia gives him a letter to hand it over to her cousin, Doctor Bellerio who lives in Padua /Collect the notes and garments and bring them to the transect or to the common ferry which trades to Venice.
(v)
- Venice
- Selfless generosity / love
- Intelligent / Witty / presence of mind / courage to execute plans / selfless generosity.
- personal response.