By prof.Abdelhamid Fouda
The merchant of Venice is influenced by Christopher Marlowe's "Jew of Malta".
The city of Venice was once rich and powerful. Its riches came from trade with other countries near and far. The chief citizens of Venice were rich merchants. Among the richest of these was Antonio, a merchant well-known for his honesty and kindness.
Antonio had a close friend named Bassanio. Bassanio was a handsome young man of noble birth, but he was always in need of money. This was because he liked to live in a grand style. Antonio, who was very fond of Bassanio, often lent him money or gave it to him willingly.
It happened that Bassanio fell in love with a lady of great beauty, wisdom and wealth. Her name was Portia and she lived just outside Venice at Belmont. Portia had shown some liking for Bassanio and Bassanio hoped to win her for his wife. In order to impress her, Bassanio decided to visit her in Belmont grandly dressed and attended by many servants. Having no money to do so, he asked Antonio to lend him three thousand ducats.
At the moment, Antonio did not have such a great sum. All the ships were at sea. When they came back with rich cargoes, he would have plenty of money, but till then, he was short of money. Therefore he said that he would borrow the money from a money-lender, offering his ships as a security for the loan.
Antonio and Bassanio went to Shylock, the money-lender, to ask for the loan of three thousand ducats. Shylock, in fact, was Antonio's enemy. Antonio was a kind man, it is true, but he had always treated Shylock the most unkindly. The reason for this was that Shylock was a Jew. Antonio was a Christian and at that time there was great ill-feeling between Christians and Jews. Besides this, Shylock lent money for profit and asked for high interest on his loans. Antonio, on the other hand, lent money out of kindness and asked for no interest on it. When a debtor could not pay his debt, Shylock showed no mercy towards him and would send him to prison. Antonio, on the contrary, showed much kindness to his debtors and would never send them to prison. Antonio had insulted Shylock in public. Shylock had good reason to hate Antonio and he hated him with all his heart. He waited patiently to have his revenge on him.
Antonio's request for a loan gave Shylock his chance of revenge. At first, Shylock pretended to hesitate about lending the money. “You say that you will pay me back when your ships come home,” he told Antonio. “But how can I be sure that they will come home safely? They may be wrecked in a storm. They may be captured by pirates.” He thought for a while, making a cunning plan. He went on. “Well, I will be generous. I will lend you the money and I shall not ask for any interest on it.” Here Shylock smiled a strange smile and added, “As a joke, you will have to promise this: if you cannot pay me back in three months' time, you must give me a pound of your flesh. And you must allow me to cut that pound of flesh from any part of your body I choose. If you agree to that, I will lend you the money. Will you agree to it? Will you sign a bond agreeing to this?”
Antonio agreed willingly and thought that Shylock was unusually kind. Bassanio was suspicious and begged his friend not to sign the bond. “Good Antonio,” he said, “I beg you not to sign. This bond is a strange one and it hides an evil purpose. Think what will happen if your ships don't come home safely. Shylock will claim his pound of flesh, and he will claim it lawfully. He will cut your heart out! And I shall be the cause of your death.” “Good friend. I beg you not to sign it,” he repeated.
Bassanio begged in vain. Antonio laughed at his fear. He signed the bond and obtained the money.
Bassanio set out for Belmont. He was richly dressed and had a splendid train of attendants. He had high hopes of winning the beautiful Portia for his wife. Antonio's danger was forgotten Bassanio's mind was filled with thoughts of love.
Portia's father, who had lately died, had thought of a curious plan to find the right husband for his daughter. He had given her three caskets. The first of these was made of gold, the second of silver, and the third of lead. The portrait of Portia was in one of the caskets. The suitor who first guessed which casket held the portrait would be Portia's husband. All suitors had to promise never to marry if they guessed wrong. This was a hard condition and many suitors went away without trying when they heard of it.
The first to try was a prince of Morocco. “Silver and lead are poor metals,” he said to himself. “They are too poor to hold the precious picture of the noble Portia.” He therefore chose the gold casket. He opened it and found inside the picture of a skull. There was also this message: “All that glitters is not gold”. The prince from Morocco left Belmont at once. He went home, a sadder and wiser man.
The second suitor was a prince from Spain. He looked for a long time at the silver casket on which were these words: “He who chooses me will get what he deserves”. He liked the words. He was a prince with high opinion of himself. He thought that he deserved the best. He therefore chose the silver casket. He opened it and found inside the picture of a blinking idiot. He too rode away from Belmont at once. He was deeply disappointed and offended.,
Then Bassanio arrived. Portia liked Bassanio very much and was afraid that he would choose the wrong casket. Therefore she begged him to stay with her for a while and then make a choice. Bassanio, however, was impatient to try. He wouldn't wait and went into the room where the caskets were.
For a long time Bassanio studied the gold casket. Portia watched him anxiously. “Appearances are often deceptive,” Bassanio thought. “Bad men appear good. Ugly people hide their ugliness by fine clothes.” He chose the plain lead casket. He opened it. Inside there was the portrait of Portia!
Bassanio turned to look at Portia and saw that she was happy as he was. Indeed, Portia told him at once that she loved him. “I give to you,” she said, “myself, my house, my servants, all that I have. And, as a token of this, I give to you this ring.” So saying, she gave him the ring she was wearing on her finger. “If ever you part with this,” she said, “I shall know that you no longer love me.”
“Only death can take this ring from me,” Bassanio promised her.
Another pair of lovers were in the room at this time. They were Gratiano, the friend of Bassanio, and Nerissa who was Portia's maid and friend. They now came forward to wish Portia and Bassanio great happiness. They also begged leave to marry when Portia and Bassanio did. Their request was instantly granted. What joy there was at Belmont that day!
This joy was soon spoiled by some sad news. A messenger arrived with a letter for Bassanio from his dear friend Antonio. Bassanio turned deathly pale as he read:
“My ships have been lost at sea. I cannot pay the money I owe to the Jew and so I have to pay the penalty. Dear friend, come to see me if you can. I want to see you once again before I die.”
The messenger added that Antonio was in prison like any other common debtor. His trial would take place in a few days' time.
This news turned all joy to sorrow. Bassanio cried out in his despair. Antonio had risked his life for him. Now his dearest friend must die. And it was his fault. He told Portia everything: how he had needed money to come to Belmont in a grand style; how Antonio had borrowed money for him; how Shylock had lent the money on a strange condition; and how Antonio had signed the bond.
When Portia heard of Antonio's sacrifice, she was eager to help her dear Bassanio's friend. Although she wished to keep Bassanio with her at Belmont, she told him to go at once to Antonio in Venice. “I will give Shylock half of my fortune if he will free Antonio,” she promised.
Bassanio and Gratiano at once got ready for their journey to Venice. Before they left, however, Portia and Bassanio were married and so were Nerissa and Gratiano. Sadly the two husbands said farewell to their wives and set out.
Portia began to think how she could help Antonio. At last she thought of a way. She wrote to her cousin, Doctor Bellario, who was a learned lawyer. She asked him to send her his advice and also his lawyer's gown. Doctor Bellario did so. In a short time Portia and Nerissa were also on their way to Venice. The former was dressed as a lawyer while the latter was disguised as a lawyer's clerk. Portia had decided to act as a lawyer and do her best to save the life of Antonio.
Meanwhile, Bassanio and Gratiano had reached Venice. They were already in the Court of Justice, waiting for the trail to begin. Soon the Duke entered with this attendants. He took his seat and the trail began.
The Duke asked Shylock to be merciful and not to claim his pound of flesh. Shylock would not listen to him. Bassanio offered Shylock twice the sum of money that he had lent to Antonio.
Shylock would not accept it. “I claim my pound of flesh,” he said. “The law is on my side. Antonio must pay the penalty that is written in the bond.
The Duke pitied Antonio but he could do nothing to help him. The law was on Shylock's side and the law must be obeyed. The wised lawyer in Venice, Doctor Bellario, was coming to speak in defence of Antonio. Even he, the Duke feared, could do nothing to save the unfortunate merchant.
Then a young clerk entered with a message from Doctor Bellario that illness prevented him from coming to the Court. He therefore begged the Duke to let a young friend of his, Doctor Balthazar, defend Antonio in his place. The Duke gave his permission and Doctor Balthazar entered the Court. He looked strangely young to be a lawyer whose wisdom could save Antonio. He was, of course, Portia in disguise. The clerk who had brought the message was Nerissa—also in disguise.
Portia begged Shylock to be merciful just as the Duke had done. “Mercy,” she said in a noble speech, “brings a blessing to him who shows it and to him who receives it. All of us pray to God for mercy. But God will only have mercy on us if we have mercy on others.” Shylock paid no attention to her noble words. “I demand the penalty,” he told her, “the lawful penalty, the penalty that is written in the bond.”
“Can Antonio not pay his debt?” asked Portia.
“Yes,” cried Bassanio. “He can pay it, and more. I am ready to pay ten times the sum he owes.”
“Will you not take the money, Shylock? Portia asked.
“No, I demand the lawful penalty. I claim my pound of flesh. Give me my pound of flesh, I say.”
“Let me see the bond, Shylock,” said Portia.
Shylock handed her the bond. She read it and said, “You are quite right, Shylock. You may claim the pound of flesh. But be merciful, I beg you. Take the money offered you and let me tear up this bond.”
Shylock still demanded the lawful penalty. Then Portia turned to Antonio, saying, “Make ready for Shylock to cut his pound of flesh. The law awards it to him.”
Hearing these words, Shylock filled with joy. “Oh, noble judge!” he cried out. “Oh, excellent young man!” He called Portia “a second Daniel”. Daniel, being a wise man, was held in high honor by the Jewish people.
“Come, Shylock, cut your pound of flesh!” cried Portia.
Shylock moved forward towards Antonio. His knife was ready in his hand. He raised it and told Antonio to bare his chest.
Before Shylock could use his knife, Portia spoken again. “Wait, Shylock! There's something else. This bound doesn't allow you to shed one drop of blood. The word's are a' pound of flesh'. There is no mention of blood. If, in cutting your pound of flesh, you shed one drop of your blood, then you must pay the penalty, and the penalty is this: the state will take all your property from you. You will lose everything you now own, Shylock!”
Shylock was silent. At last he asked in a tone of despair, “Is that the law?”
“That is the law,” Portia told him.
Shylock's face showed his bitter disappointment. Gratiano saw this and called out mockingly, “Oh, noble judge Oh, excellent young man! A second Daniel!”
Shylock turned at Bassnio. “You offered me ten times the sum. I will take it and Antonio can go free.”
Bassanio held out the money but Portia stopped him. “No! No!” she cried. “Shylock demanded the penalty according to the law. He shall have that and nothing else.”
Shylock moved to leave the Court. He looked a broken man. He had hardly taken two steps whe Portia called out:
“Wait! I have something else to say.
According to the law, any foreigner who plots to kill a citizen of Venice is punished thus: half of his property goes to that citizen and the other half goes to the state. Besides this, the Duke may add other punishment. He may even sentence the criminal to death. And so, Shylock, I would advise you to kneel before the Duke and beg for mercy.”
The Duke was merciful. He spared Shylock's life. “But,” he told him, “half your wealth will go to Antonio and the other half to the state.”
The Antonio spoke. “I will not take my half. If Shylock becomes a Christian, he can keep my share.” Shylock also had to promise that, on his death, he would leave his wealth to his daughter Jessica and her husband Lorenzo, a friend of Anton's. Jessica had run away from home in order to marry Lorenzo and this had almost broken Shylock's heart.
Shylock had lost his daughter and now he had lost much of his wealth. Gone too was his hope of revenge. He turned deathly pale and put his hand to his aching heart. “I am unwell. Let me go home,” he begged piteously. “Send the agreement after me and I will sign it.”
The Duke let Shylock go. He then set Antonio free and dismissed the court.
Throughout the trail everyone had been wondering at the youth and wisdom of Doctor Balthazar. Portia had disguise her appearance and her voice so well that not even Bassanio recognized her. All thought her to be an unusually clever lawyer.
As soon as the trial was over, Antonio went up to the Portia and begged her to accept the three thousand ducats that Shylock had lent to him. When Portia firmly refused to do so, Bassanio begged her to accept some toke of their gratitude.
“Since you insist,” Portia said to him playfully, “I will take your gloves.” Bassanio instantly took them off and handed them to her. “And” added Portia, “I will also take that ring you are wearing.”
“Ah! That is one thing I cannot give you,” Bassanio told her in dismay. “My wife gave it to me and I promised never to part with it.”
Portia laughed at him. “That's a common excuse that men make when they're unwilling to make a gift. Your wife, I am sure, would be pleased to let me have the ring.” She turned away and left the Court with her clerk, Nerissa.
“Bassanio, dear friend, let doctor have the ring,” Antonio begged. “He saved my life and deserves more than we can give him.” Bassanio then agreed and sent Gratiano after Portia to give her the ring. Portia accepted it. Clever and charming Nerissa was able to persuade Gratiano to give her his ring. This was the ring which she had given him at the time of their marriage. He, like Bassanio, had promised never to part with it.
Portia and Nerissa hurried home to Belmont. There they took off their disguises, put on their proper clothes and waited for the return of their husbands. It was not long before they arrived, bring Antonio with them.
While Portia was welcoming Antonio, Gratiano and Nerissa were quarreling in a corner of the room. Their angry voices reached Portia who called out to them laughingly, “What! Are you quarreling already? What's the matter?”
“It's about a ring that Nerissa gave me,” Gratiano explained. “It had these words cut on it, 'Love me and leave me not'. She...”
Here Nerissa interrupted him angrily, saying, “He promised me faithfully never to part with it. And now he tells me that he gave it away to a lawyer's clerk! I don't believe him. He gave it away to some woman, I am sure.”
“I didn't. It's not true,” said Gratiano, but Nerissa would not listen to him.
Now it was Portia's turn to trick her husband. “Nerissa,” she said, “I am on your side. Gratiano did wrong in giving your ring away. He broke his promise to you. How can you ever trust a man like that ! IU also gave my husband a ring and he promised never to part with it. I should be very angry indeed if he ever did.”
“Bassanio did give his ring away,” cried Gratiano. “He gave it to Doctor Balthazar who asked him for it. Then I gave mine away to his clerk who asked me for it.”
Portia, pretending to be very angry, then asked Bassanio, “What ring did you give away? Surely not that one which I gave to you?”
Bassanio had to confess that it was. “I didn't want to, but I had to,” he said in great dismay. “How could I refuse when Doctor Balthazar had saved Antonio's life?”
“I don't believe you,” cried Portia. “You gave the ring to some woman or other. I'm certain of it.”
Portia would not listen to Bassanio when he hotly denied this. Then Antonio said sadly, “I am the cause of these quarrels. Bassanio gave the ring to Doctor Balthazar because I asked him to. Forgive him this time, I beg you. I am sure that he will never again break a promise he has made to you.”
“Well, this time I will forgive him,” Portia said. “And, as a token of my forgiveness, I shall give him this ring.” So saying, she took from her purse the ring that had been the reason for the quarrel. She handed it to Bassanio and said, “I hope you will keep this one better than you did the other.”
Bassanio took the ring and looked at it. He could not believe his eyes. It was the very ring that he had given away!
Then Portia told the story of her going to the Court as Doctor Balthazar, with Nerissa as her clerk. She showed the letter that she had received from her cousin Doctor Balthazar. Bassanio was very happy and proud. He was happy because Portia had been angry only as a joke. He was proud that she had saved his friend by her courage and wisdom. Gratiano was equally happy when Nerissa returned him his ring.
There was great joy in Belmont that evening. This joy was even greater when a messanger came with letter for Antonio. These letters brought good news. The ships which he had believed lost had all returned safely to the harbor. All their rich cargoes were safe. Antonio was a rich man again.
The story ends with laughing and joking and great joy at Belmont.
No comments:
Post a Comment