Arragon: What many men desire! That ‘’many ‘’ may be meant
By the fool multitude, that choose by show,
Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach;
Which pries not to the interior, but like the martlet ,
Builds in the weather on the outward wall,
Even in the force and road of casualty.
I will not choose what many men desire,
(i) Why is Arragon in this place? What is the inscription that he has just read,
and on which casket was it found? (ii) List the conditions that Arragon had to promise to abide by before he was
allowed to choose a casket.
[3]
(iii) Explain in your own words, the comparison that Arragon makes between the
martlet and the foolish multitude.
[3]
(iv) Which casket does Arragon eventually choose? What does he find inside the
casket that he chooses?
[3]
(v) How does Arragon respond when he discovers that he had made the wrong
choice? What does this reveal about Arragon’s character?
Answers
Answer:
i. Arragon is at this place i.e belmont in portia's house to make a choice of caskets for if he chooses the correct casket among the three which holds portia's portrait, he will be eligible to woo her.
He just read the inscription on the gold casket where it was written, 'One who chooseth me shall have what many men desire.
ii. the three conditions which arragon had to abide by were :-
1. he would not tell anyone which casket
he chose.
2. If he chose the wrong casket, he would have to leave portia immediately.
3. If he chose the wrong casket, he would never woo a female in way of marriage.
iii. It makes a comparison that the martlet builds a nest on the walls of building with a seeming tough exterior to prevent it from being destroyed by predators or the harsh weather. whereas the foolish multitude being deceived by the exterior,
thinks the nest to be tough.
iv. Arragon chose the silver casket in which there was a blinking idiot and a scroll. (write the inscription that was on the scroll) which clearly meant he had chosen the wrong casket.
V.. unable to believe.
• surprised that His deserving were these.
• go with two fools head.
• seem a fool if he waits any more. • show that he considered himself to be deserving a lot.
• could not believe the result.
wanted to alter the result.