How does Portia outwit Shylock?
Answers
Portia outwits Shylock by focussing on the minute details that he has missed. She allows him to cut a pound of flesh from Antonio's chest, but clarifies that the bond does not mention anything about blood. Therefore, the law does not allow Shylock to shed even a single drop of blood while taking the flesh. Secondly, Shylock has to cut off exactly a pound of flesh. It cannot weigh more or less than 1 pound, because it will then become an illegal action.
When Shylock says that he is willing to take the principal amount of the loan and leave the courtroom, Portia reminds him that he had himself rejected Bassanio's offer of paying three times the money.
Shylock then wants to simply leave, but Portia tells him that according to the laws of Venice, any foreigner who tries to take the life of a citizen of Venice, loses all his goods and property, half of which goes to the person against whom the crime has been committed and the other half to the government. Also, the Duke has the power to decide what punishment to give Shylock. The punishment can be anything from a jail term to being sentenced to death.
In this way, Portia outwits Shylock and reduces him from his position of power to a miserable condition in which he has lost everything.
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Answer:
Portia outwits Shylock by focussing on the minute details that he has missed. She allows him to cut a pound of flesh from Antonio's chest, but clarifies that the bond does not mention anything about blood. Therefore, the law does not allow Shylock to shed even a single drop of blood while taking the flesh. Secondly, Shylock has to cut off exactly a pound of flesh. It cannot weigh more or less than 1 pound, because it will then become an illegal action.
When Shylock says that he is willing to take the principal amount of the loan and leave the courtroom, Portia reminds him that he had himself rejected Bassanio's offer of paying three times the money.
Shylock then wants to simply leave, but Portia tells him that according to the laws of Venice, any foreigner who tries to take the life of a citizen of Venice, loses all his goods and property, half of which goes to the person against whom the crime has been committed and the other half to the government. Also, the Duke has the power to decide what punishment to give Shylock. The punishment can be anything from a jail term to being sentenced to death.
In this way, Portia outwits Shylock and reduces him from his position of power to a miserable condition in which he has lost everything.
Explanation: