merchant of venice act3 scene2 extract2 workbook answers
Answers
Answer:
Question 1.
Can you give reasons why Launcelot is leaving Jessica father? Why is Jessica’s house a hell?
Answer:
In an earlier scene, Launcelot explains why he is leaving Shylock to Join Bassanio. Bassanio wonders why he should leave a rich master to join a poor gentleman like Bassanio, Launcelot replies wittily. He quotes a proverb which says that grace of God is better than all the wealth of the world. Bassanio has the grace of God and Shylock all wealth. Launcelot prefers to join the service of a person with a human heart. Shylock’s house is a miserable place to live in. So it is a kind of hell.
Question 2.
Who is called a “merry devil”? Why is Jessica sorry that he is leaving Shylock’s house?
Answer:
Launcelot is called a ‘merry devil’. He is a poor person with a cheerful, jovial disposition and a devil-may-care attitude.
Jessica is sorry that Launcelot is leaving Shylock’s house. His presence has been a source of fun and joviality. His absence from there will leave the house a dull place.
Question 3.
Why does Jessica give a ducat to Launcelot? To whom is Launcelot to hand over the letter? Why is he told to hand over the letter secretly?
Answer:
Jessica gives a ducat to Launcelot as his reward for carrying his secret letter to her lover Lorenzo. The letter is to be handed over to Lorenzo. Launcelot is told to hand it over secretly lest . anyone should know about their secret love affair.
Question 4.
Why is meant by : “Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness?” What does this statement, indicate about Shylock and his household?
Answer:
Launcelot’s witty remarks and funny observation relieved Shylock’s miserable house of its dreariness. This statement indicates that Shylock’s house was not a happy place to live in. The stone hearted Jew had reduced it to the condition of a hell on earth. Even Shylock’s daughter felt fed up with the atmosphere of the house.
Question 5.
What does this extract show about the character of Jessica? In what way does her character differ from that of Portia?
Answer:
Some critics have called Jessica a flighty girl. She is unsteady in her thoughts. She is not loyal to her father. She is sending secret communications to her lover Lorenzo. She is corrupting the servant of the house by making him an accomplice in her task. In this respect she. differs from Portia who is ready to obey the will of her dead father in the matter of choosing her husband.
However, Jessica reveals herself as a sympathetic and loving kind of person, whom Launcelot describes as “most beautiful pagan, most sweet Jew”.
Question 6.
What does Launcelot means when he says : “If a Christian do no play the knave and get thee. I am much deceived:”
Answer:
Launcelot predicts that Jessica is a loving creature fit only to be married to a Christian. He believes that a Christian is likely to play mischief and induce her to run away with him. Perhaps, the servant knows something about the secret love affair/between Jessica and Lorenzo