Question

Portia
By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary
of this great world.
Nerissa
You would be, sweet madam, if your
miseries were in the same abundance as
your good fortunes are: and yet, for aught
I see, they are as sick that surfeit with too
much as they that starve with nothing. It
is no mean happiness therefore, to be
seated in the mean: superfluity comes


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Answer 1

Answer:

Oh Nerissa, my poor little body is tired of this great big world.

NERISSA

You would be, sweet madam, if your miseries were in the same abundance as your good fortunes are. And yet for aught I see, they are as sick that surfeit with too much as they that starve with nothing. It is no mean happiness, therefore, to be seated in the mean. Superfluity comes sooner by white hairs, but competency lives longer.

NERISSA

You’d be tired, madam, if you had bad luck rather than wealth and good luck. But as far as I can tell, people with too much suffer as much as people with nothing. The best way to be happy is to be in between. When you have too much you get old sooner, but having just enough helps you live longer.

Answer 2

Answer:

Portia: By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary

of this great world.

Nerissa: You would be, sweet madam, if your miseries

were in the same abundance as your good fortunes are:

and yet, for aught I see, they are as sick that surfeit with

too much as they that starve with nothing.

Give the meanings of: By my troth', 'aweary', 'abundance', 'aught, 'surfeit, 'starve. (3)

Why is Portia "aweary of this great world"? (3)

What does Nerissa mean in the extract? (3)

What does Nerissa go on to say for Portia to exclaim " Good sentences, and well pronounced"? (3)

What is Portia's comment? What does she mean?