Merchant of Venice Act 2 scene 8

Merchant of Venice Act 2 scene 8: Important Questions and quick Review

(Two RTC Questions along with answers)

REVIEW

(i) This scene takes place in a street of Venice where Salarino and Salanio's conversation helps to acquaint the audience of the recent events and developments. They tell that Bassanio and Gratiano have left for Belmont and Shylock is desperately looking for his daughter Jessica who has eloped with Lorenzo. Shylock suspects that they have left with Bassanio for wil Belmont. However, he does not find them in Bassanio's ship. 

(ii)Shylock's cries are pathetic and make him a laughing stock. "My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice! the law! My ducats, and my daughter."

 (iii) There is also a news about the wreckage of a Venetian ship and Salarino and Salanio pray that it is not Antonio's ship. Salanio and Salarino leave the stage to go to Antonio and try to cheer him up.

(iv) The scene depicts Shylock as a comic and pathetic character who is made fun of by the children of Venice, who laugh at his cries. It is also clear that neither Antonio nor Bassanio has any involvement in Jessica's elopement. This scene also forewarns the audience of the coming disaster of Antonio's ships loss.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1.Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: 

I never heard a passion so confused.

So strange, so outrageous, and so variable,

O my Christian ducats! Fled with a Christian! O my Justice! The law! My ducats, and my daughter! As the dog Jew did utter in the s streets: "My daughter! My ducats! O my daughter! A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats, of double ducats, stolen from me by my daughter! And Jewels! two stones, two rich and precious stones. She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats! Stolen by my daughter! -Justice! Find the girl!

(i) What is meant by a passion so confused, so strange, outrageous and variable? Why was the Jew so excited?

The Jew was remorseless, greedy and very much money-minded. He was a bitter person also. Because of these qualities, he was not liked by anybody and lived in seclusion. When Jessica eloped with a Christian taking away all the jewels and ducats. Shylock lost everything he loved in his life. Salanio correctly describes his emotional outcry which was full of confusion, desperation and full of sound and fury and bitter indignation. His outcry was mixed and variable. Once he cried for the loss of his daughter, next he cried for the loss of his jewels and ducats and the fact that his daughter eloped with a Christian, Lorenzo .

He was very much excited because he had lost all the possessions that he had.

(ii) Earlier how did the Jew trouble the Duke? Where did the Duke go and what were his findings?

Earlier the Jew troubled the Duke blaming Bassanio that Jessica and Lorenzo were aboard his ship and it was a conspiracy.

The Duke accompanied by Shylock went to the ship, but the Duke was told that Jessica and Lorenzo were not on the ship and that they were seen in a gondola.

(iv) Besides money what else did the Jew's daughter steal? 

Besides money, the Jew's daughter stole very precious stones.

(v) Give the meaning of - a) Double ducats b) Passion

 a) Double ducats - coins of twice the normal value

b) Passion-strong emotion.

(vi) How did Shylock's lamentations affect the listeners?

Whoever listened to the passionate outcry of the Jew, was not impressed by his ailments. No one felt pity or sympathy for him. Instead, he was ridiculed and all the boys in Venice made fun of him by following him and repeating Shylock's words "My stones, my daughter, my ducats!"

Q2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

Salanio:Let good Antonio look he keep his day, or he shall pay for this.

Salarino:Marry, well remembered

I reason'd with a Frenchman yesterday.

Who told me, in the narrow seas that part. The French and English, there miscarried. A vessel of our country richly fraught. I thought upon Antonio when he told me; And wish 'd in silence that it were not his.

(i) What is meant by, "Let good Antonio look he keep his day"? 

Salanio wishes that Antonio should pay his loan on time and the bond should not be

forfeited. He fears if Antonio is unable to pay back the loan on time, he will suffer terribly.

(ii)What did Salanio hear from the Frenchman, the previous day? Why was the news quite startling?

Salanio heard from the Frenchman that an Italian cargo ship was perished in the English Channel.

 This news was very startling and disturbing because many of Antonio's ships laden with rich cargo were at sea.

(iii) Give the meaning of -a) Reasoned, b) Narrow Seas c) Miscarried 

a) Reasoned - made conversation. 

b) Narrow Sea - The English Channel 

c) Miscarried - perished / destroyed

(iv) What did Salerio wish after hearing the news from the Frenchman? 

After hearing the news from the Frenchman, Salerio wished in silence that the ship laden with rich cargo, which was destroyed in the English Channel may not belong to Antonio.

(v) What does Salanio suggest Salerio to do just after Salerio's speech?

 Salanio suggests Salerio to go to Antonio and tell him what he (Salerio) has heard. He also asks Salerio to break this news slowly, so that Antonio may not be shocked and troubled.