What light does gratianos speech throw on his character in act 4 scene 1
Answers
Explanation:
♤ DUKE : Make room, and let him stand before us. Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too, That you only carry this kind of malice To the very last hour of action; and then, it’s thought, You’ll show your mercy and remorse, more strangely Than your strange apparent cruelty is; And where you now exact the penalty,— Which is a pound of this poor merchant’s flesh, You will not only loose the default, But, touched with human gentleness and love, Forgive half of the borrowed amount, Glancing with an eye of pity on his losses, That have been so heaped on his back lately, Enough to press a royal merchant down, And get sympathy for his state From brassy bosoms and rough hearts of stone, From stubborn Turks and Tartars, never trained To uses of tender courtesy. We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.
Word Meaning With Annotation
That thou but lead’st this fashion of thy malice, To the last hour of act : that you only continue this cruel course up the last moment…. to relent then, strange apparent cruelty : this strange cruelty of yours, which I think only apparent or assumed . where : whereas, loose the forfeiture : excuse payment of the penalty, forgive a moiety : let him off from paying a certain part of the principal sum, huddled : accumulated; pressed upon, royal merchant : a very great merchant; a prince among merchants, from brassy bosoms, and rough hearts of flint : from hearts as pitiless as brass and as rough as stone. Turks and Tartars : in the vague and imperfect knowledge of Asiatic races which the Elizabethans possess, such people were looked upon as types of barbarians, offices of tender courtesy : obligations imposed by courtesy and kindness.
Read the above passage and answer the following questions
Question 1.
What do the Duke and the world expect Shylock to do?
Answer:
The Duke and the world expect that Shylock will show pity at the last moment when the time to cut off a pound of flesh would come.
Question 2.
How does to Duke expect Shylock to conduct himself in regard to the demand of a pound of flesh?
Answer:
The Duke thinks that Shylock will exempt Antonio from the penalty of a pound of flesh. He will also remit a part of the principal amount of the loan of three thousand ducats.
Question 3.
Why is Shylock expected to do so?
Answer:
Shylock is expected to do so because he will be touched with gentleness and love.
Question 4.
What kind of answer is expected from Shylock?
Answer:
A kind answer is expected from the Jew.
Question 5.
What is pressing the Royal Merchants?
Answer:
The heavy losses sustained by the Royal Merchant are pressing him.