Summary of the three caskets in 200 words
Answers
The Three Caskets
The contest for Portia’s hand, in which suitors from various countries choose among a gold, a silver, and a lead casket, resembles the cultural and legal system of Venice in some respects. Like the Venice of the play, the casket contest presents the same opportunities and the same rules to men of various nations, ethnicities, and religions. Also like Venice, the hidden bias of the casket test is fundamentally Christian. To win Portia, Bassanio must ignore the gold casket, which bears the inscription, “Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire” (II.vii.5), and the silver casket, which says, “Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves” (II.vii.7). The correct casket is lead and warns that the person who chooses it must give and risk everything he has. The contest combines a number of Christian teachings, such as the idea that desire is an unreliable guide and should be resisted, and the idea that human beings do not deserve God’s grace but receive it in spite of themselves. Christianity teaches that appearances are often deceiving, and that people should not trust the evidence provided by the senses—hence the humble appearance of the lead casket. Faith and charity are the central values of Christianity, and these values are evoked by the lead casket’s injunction to give all and risk all, as one does in making a leap of faith. Portia’s father has presented marriage as one in which the proper suitor risks and gives everything for the spouse, in the hope of a divine recompense he can never truly deserve. The contest certainly suits Bassanio, who knows he does not deserve his good fortune but is willing to risk everything on a gamble.
Answer:
The casket plot sets up the Merchant of Venice. As the plot begins, Bassanio wants to marry Portia. He asks Antonio for money so he can impress her. Antonio obliges and Bassanio sets out on his merry way. In the mean time, two suitors have come to seek the hand of Portia. The Prince of Morroco and the Prince of Arrogan(t) have learned of Portia's father's will. It states that the suitors must pick one of three caskets, gold, silver, or lead. If they choose right they then get to marry Portia. But if they choose wrong they must leave immediately and cannot woo another woman ever again.
Morroco chooses first. He reads the inscriptions on the caskets and he finds that the inscription on the golden casket appeals to him. The gold casket declares "who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire." He figures that many men desire Portia. But, he recieves a skull symbolizing he is wrong. Next the Prince of Arragon tries his luck. He reads the gold casket, but doesn't want to be grouped with the ordinary man. He instead chooses the silver casket which declares "who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves." He believes he deserves Portia but he too is wrong. He recieves a picture of a fool (in some productions it is a mirror) and is called a loser.
Finally, Bassanio arrives at the palace. He immediately is drawm to the lead casket wich says," He who chooseth me must hazard all he hath." Bassanio then finds a vice masked by a virtue in beauty, war, religion, and law. He then applies this to the caskets. He chooses the lead casket, which contains a picture of Portia so beautiful, that he barely recognizes her. Everyone is delighted and Portia gives Bassanio a ring symbolizing their love, which now introduces the ring plot