Merchant of Venice Workbook Answers Act 2, Scene 7 – ICSE Class 10 & 9 English
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Passage – 1 (Act II, Sc.VII, Lines 13-34)
Paraphrase :
MOROCCO : Some god direct my judgment! Let me see; I’ll look over the inscriptions again. What does this leaden chest say?’ Who chooses me must give and gamble all he has. Must give”: give what? For lead? Gamble for lead! This chest threatens; men that gamble everything Do it in hope of a better advantage: A golden-mind doesn’t stoop to shows of scum; Then I won’t give or gamble anything for lead. What does the silver say, with her virgin color?’ Who chooses me shall get as much as he deserves.” As much as he deserves! Stop there, Morocco, And consider your value with a balanced hand. If you are rated by your own opinion,
You do deserve enough, and yet enough May not extend so far as to include the lady; And yet to be afraid of my what I think I deserve Is only a weak opinion of myself. As much as I deserve! Why, that’s the lady: I was born to deserve her, and also in fortunes, . In graces, and in qualities of breeding; But more than these, I do deserve love.
Word Meaning With Annotation
back again : going back to the beginning again: rereading the inscriptions in the opposite order. A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross : “A mind of high quality is not deceived by worthless shows.” From this we can analyse the mind of Morocco, and see why he chose wrongly. He is not able to understand that a modest nature might choose plain outward appearance, and that great things in life may be gained only by hazard and sacrifice. He can only understand outer show and glitter, virgin hue : “white colour”. White was always supposed to be the colour which symbolised purity, and hence is often used for the dress of pure and virtuous people, with an even hand : with impartial estimation, be’ st rated : art judged, by the estimation : by his own estimation of himself, afeard : “afraid”.
Read the above passage and answer the following questions
Question 1.
Why does Morocco want some god to direct his judgement?
Answer:
Morocco wants his judgement to be directed by the some god so that he may be able to choose the right casket and marry Portia.
Question 2.
What is his reaction to the inscription on the lead casket?
Answer:
He thinks that the lead casket is threatening him because it requires him to sacrifice his all for its sake. He feels that a noble mind does not lower itself so much as to be attracted by rubbish.
Question 3.
What is his reaction to the inscription on the silver,casket?
Answer:
The silver casket offers him as much as he deserves. He assesses his own value in an impartial manner. He feels that he deserves enough but he also feels that it may not include Portia.
Question 4.
How does Morocco explain his fear about not deserving Portia?
Answer:
Morocco explains his fear by saying that it would mean a weak under-estimation of himself.
Question 5.
What is Morocco’s assessment of himself in regard to Portia?
Answer:
Morocco thinks that he deserves Portia because of his noble birth, his fortunes, his graces, his fine breeding and because of his love for her.
Passage – 2 (Act II, Sc.VII, Lines 35-47)
Paraphrase :
What if I didn’t go any farther, and chose right here? Let’s see this saying engraved in gold once more:’ Who chooses me shall gain what many men desire.” Why, that’s the lady: all the world desires her; They come from the four comers of the earth, To kiss this shrine, this mortal breathing saint: The ancient deserts and the vast- wilds of wide Arabia are like long highways now Because Princes come to see beautiful Portia: The ocean, whose ambitious waves Spit in the face of heaven, is no barrier To stop the foreign spirits; they only come To see beautiful Portia as though the ocean was a brook.
Word Meaning With Annotation
To kiss this shrine, this mortal, breathing, saint : The old pilgrims used to see some sacred relic or saintly man, and would esteem it a privilege to kiss the hand of the saint. Hyrcanian desert : wild stretch of country in Asia, vasty wilds : vast wilderness. The watery kingdom, whose ambitious head Spets in the face of heaven, is no bar : The vast waves rising up in a storom, and dashing their spray right to the sky. foreign spirits : “men from foreign countries.”
Read the above passage and answer the following questions
Question 1.
What is reasoning which makes Morocco’s say, “What if I strayed no further?”
Answer:
Morocco has read inscription on the silver casket which carries the promise, “who chooses me, shall get as much as he deserves”. The Prince feels confident that he very much deserves the lady. He deserves enough. But then the next moment he falters, though he thinks that he deserves the hand of fair Portia. He deserves her in birth, in fortunes, in graces, in qualities of breeding. So he may stray no further and choose the silver casket.
Question 2.
How does he come to the conclusion that it is the lady whom many men desire?
Answer:
The Prince was just on the verge of taking the decision to choose the silver casket But then he decided to re-consider others once again. Morocco read the inscription ,on the golden casket which said “Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire” He knows that she is the lady what many men desire, and they come from far and near to woo her.
Question 3.
How is the journey over the ocean of suitors of Portia described by Morocco?
Answer:
He describes the journey of princes coming from four comers of the world in the hope to marry Portia. The deserts of Hyrcania and the vast and desolate territories of far-reaching Arabia are like thorough fares for these suitors.
The ocean, whose waves rising high seem to throw a challenge to the sky, cannot prevent the foreign travelers from coming to Belmont. They cross the seas as if it were merely a stream.
Question 4.
Why does Morocco think that Portia’s picture is not in the leaden casket?
Answer:
He believes that Portia’s picture is not in the leaden casket. He thinks that this casket is too coarse and unworthy even to enclose her shroud, let alone the idea being a cover for Portia precious portrait.
Question 5.
Is there any religious touch in the imagery of these lines?
Answer:
Yes, the whole sentiment is expressed in religious imagery Portia is here called a living saint. Her ‘ house is a shrine. Her suitors coming from different parts of the world are like pilgrims as the shrine of a holy person has a great sanctity of its own, it attracts pilgrims from far off distances. Similarly, Portia, known for her beauty and wisdom, attracts suitors from all the four corners of the world.
Passage – 3 (Act II Sc. VII Lines 48-60)
Paraphrase :
MOROCCO : One of these three chests contains her heavenly picture. Is it likely that the lead one holds her picture? It’s damnation To think such a low thought; it’s too gross Even to be used as her shroud in the obscure grave. Or shall I think she’s enclosed in the walls of this silver one, Being worth ten times less than traditional gold? Oh, sinful thought! There never was so rich a gem Set in something worse than gold. In England, they have A coin that bears the figure of an angel Stamped in gold;, but that’s engraved on it, But here, an angel in a golden bed Lies inside this chest. Give me the key; I choose here, and be as lucky I as I may!
Word Meaning With Annotation
‘Twere damnation to think so base a thought : just as it would incur punishment to think a base thought in spiritual matters, so would it be false love for him to think this, rib : to enclose, cerecloth in „ the obscure grave : The cerecloth was waxed cloth, used to enclose a body in the coffin, immur’d : lock up. A coin that bears the figure of an angel : this was so called because the figure of St. Michael was shown on the coin in questionVit. was worth about ten shillings. But here an angel in golden bed Lies all with in : but that angel is only stamped on the surface of the gold, while this angelr Portia, lies completely surrounded by gold, and thrive I as I may : and no matter how I may succeed.
Read the above passage and answer the following questions
Question 1.
Is it possible for the leaden casket to contain Portia picture?
Answer:
The Prince of Morocco feels that it will be a sin to have such a mean thought in his mind. The lead casket cannot contain the beautiful picture of Portia.
Question 2.
Should the Prince believe that the silver casket contains her picture?
Answer:
Silver is ten times inferior to gold. It cannot contain the picture of a virtuous lady. So it is again . a sinfiil thought.
Question 3.
Which casket is fit to contain such a pearl?
Answer:
The gold casket is fit to contain the picture of Portia. She is a pearl and the only place to preserve it properly is the casket of gold.
Question 4.
What kind of gold coin is in England?
Answer:
To Justify his love for gaudy things the Prince gives a reference of gold coin in England. The coin has the picture of an angel marked upon it. But here angel lies hidden within a casket of gold.
Question 5.
Which casket the Prince wishes to unlock?
Answer:
The Prince finally decides to choose the casket of gold. He asks for the key to know his fate.
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