Question

Merchant of Venice Ack 3 scene2 sstory

Answer 1

At her house in Belmont, Portia pleads with Bassanio and reveals her preference for him. She asks him to hang out with her for a month or two before he takes the casket test, as she'd rather have him around for a while before he's forced to leave her company if (when?) he makes the wrong choice. She carefully says her feeling isn't love, but also she wouldn't have such feelings if she hated him. (It's the Shakespearean equivalent of "I sort of don't hate you so maybe you want to hold hands at recess?")Portia quibbles on what's just, given her father's will. She'd like to teach Bassanio how to interpret the challenge (read: cheat) so he'll choose the right casket, but that would be breaking her oath. Of course, if he makes the wrong choice, she'll sin anyway by wishing she had broken her oath.Portia does some more fawning and swooning over Bassanio, and he simply replies that he'd like to take the test now, as all this waiting around is like being on the rack (a medieval torture device used to stretch people until they broke).Portia plays along and asks what treason Bassanio has committed that he deserves the rack. Bassanio clarifies quickly: he says he's guilty of mistrust—he is fearful to love Portia fully now, as he can't trust that he'll be around much longer after the casket test. Still, he says, there's nothing off or untrue about his love for her.

Answer 2

This scene opens with the arrival of Bassanio to Belmont (at Portia's palace).Portia insists Bassanio to delay his choice of casket and spend some more time in her palace,before choosing the right casket in which their fate is sealed.Portia tells Bassanio that she wanted to tell and train him to make the right decision but sadly she couldn't as she is bounded by the promise she gave to her father.She says that their is something which is making her to say all this,but thats not hatred for sure.Bassanio denies to delay his choice as he says that as time will pass,the fear of losing Portia will haunt him more and more.Portia directs him to the room of caskets and tells the musicians to play a song while he makes hi choice.Bassanio reads the notes written on the caskets one by one and finally chooses the lead casket. He opens the lead casket and sees Portia's portrait in it along with a note.He has won Portia.Gratiano and Nerissa congrats Bassanio and Portia.Bassanio says Gratiano that now Gratiano should also choose a wife for him.Gratiano tells Bassanio that he had already chosen someone and says that you have got the lady and I have got the maid.Portia asks Nerissa that is it true and Nerissa says yes.Portia and Nerissa,both give rings to their husbands and take promise from them that they will never take it off.Both of them agree this promise and Bassanio says that the day he will take this ring off,Portia will have the right to say that Bassanio is dead.As they were about to get married,Jessica,Lorenzo and Salarino arrive at the palace and Antonio's letter to Bassanio.Bassanio's face becomes discolored as soon as he reads the letter.Portia guesses that something serious is written there on the letter,maybe the news of someone's death,which made Bassanio woried.She says Bassanio that she also has the right to know the news and he could share it with her.Bassanio tells the story about the loan and the bond which Antonio has signed for Bassanio.He asks Salarino that has all the ships of him wrecked?Is he left with no money?Salarino says that Shylock is now not accepting any money back from Antonio and is adamant on the bond.Portia insists Bassanio that he should go to Venice and save his friend.Bassanio and Salarino depart from there.