‘The Merchant of Venice’ – “In sooth, I know not why I am so sad.”
‘The Most Excellent Historie of the Merchant of Venice’ – “In sooth, I know not why I am so sad.”
It is strange to think that in Shakespeare’s time a performance of ‘The Most Excellent Historie of the Merchant of Venice’ would have been heralded with the raising of a white flag above The Rose or The Curtain to indicate that a comedy was to be performed that day. It certainly has some romantic comedy threads but stylistically it is eclectic and complex by any times definition and tastes. Let’s get some of the modern controversy surrounding this play out of the way first.
Many modern critics and audiences see the greatest barrier for modern audiences for this play is that see it as anti-Semitic. I think that two things must be kept strongly in mind when contemplating such a question. ‘The Merchant of Venice’ was first staged in about 1596 and also it was listed as viewed as a comedy at the time. Let’s start with the second one.
Comedy is a wonderful form. Humour is a master of many styles and purposes and one of its essential purposes is that it allows through imitation, mockery and even satire the criticism of prejudices, attitudes and conceptions. It is also a fickle mistress to fashion and form and what seems hilarious or even astutely poignant in a piece one year can be embarrassing, not humorous and misunderstood a year hence. My point is that perhaps Shakespeare’s audience saw that even though it was dramatic in much of its form, that ‘The Merchant of Venice’ was mocking their prejudices. The way the play ends with Shylock’s punishment and conversion is stylistically a little overdone even for Shakespeare’s time and perhaps we miss the subtle social and cultural commentary that some or many of Shakespeare’s audiences would have picked up.
Jewish people had lived in England for centuries but from about 1300, the expulsion of and confiscation of Jewish property was continuous (or at least it kept coming in waves). There simply weren’t that many around in England anymore so ignorance abounded. Also, just as we go through waves of using ethic and religious groups as villains (remember when ever villain was a Russian or a South African, ah, those were the days), writers and audiences have always done this. Will we cringe in years to come at the way that nearly every second villain in our movies seems to be a Muslim or someone from a dis-enfranchised ex-Soviet state, or both? I certainly hope we do, because that will mean that we meeting our prejudices in the face. And let’s face it, villains are not meant to painted with the simple delicate brush strokes and hues of sympathy but with the broad emotionally charged slaps and dashes of a bright pallet that challenges our values, perceptions and prejudices.
“In sooth, I know not why I am so sad:
It wearies me; you say it wearies you;
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn;
And such a want-wit sadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.”
‘The Merchant of Venice’ begins with such beautiful simplicity, at the end of a conversation about Antonio’s, a merchant of Venice, melancholy. Salarino and Salanio suggest it is because of him worrying about his investments which are ‘at sea’ or maybe ‘sunk’. When Antonio denies this is the reason, they suggest that he must be in love but Antonio also denies this. They come across a myriad of other merchants including Antonio’s friend Bassanio. Bassanio reveals that he has fallen in love with a girl called Portia, whose father has just died and who has inherited a large fortune. He says that he wishes to compete with other suitors who are more well known and richer than him and he want to borrow money from Antonio so he can pursue his suit. Antonio says although he does not have the money at the moment. That he will act as a guarantor for a loan for Bassanio.
We switch to Belmont, where we encounter the rich, beautiful and intelligent Portia (the heroine of this drama) who is first encountered bemoaning to her friend and lady in waiting Nerissa that she upset that the will of her dead father has left a task for any of her suitors to complete to decide who should be her husband. The tasks involves suitors choosing one of three chests – one made of gold, one of silver and one of lead. The one who chooses the correct chest gets to marry Portio. Even Portia does not know which is the correct chest. They then go through criticizing and mocking the negative traits of her suitors one by one from the horse-loving Neapolitan prince, to the frowning County Palantine, to the Frenchman Monsieur Le Bon who is filled with conceit and vanity. They finally start to recall a young man from Venice called Bassanio who once visited and are just speaking about him in admiring tones when s servant enters and tells Portia that a prince from Morocco will arrive soon. Portia despairs at the continuous throng of unsuitable suitors.
The audience then shifts their focus back to Venice, where the Jewish moneylender Shylock is negotiating with Bassanio whether to loan him the money (three thousand ducats for three months) using Antonio as the guarantor. Shylock seems more interested in the fact that the deal would include Antonio being bound to him if the debt was forfeited. Shylock shows his great understanding of Christians and their ways and their great ignorance of Jews and their customs and ways. He reveals that he dislikes Antonio because he lends money without interest (which undermines business) and because Antonio has mocked and derided Shylock in public.
Despite his obvious hatred towards Antonio, Shylock comes up with a ‘kind’ deal:
“I would be friends with you and have your love,
Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with,
Supply your present wants and take no doit
Of usance for my moneys, and you'll not hear me…
This kindness will I show…
If you repay me not on such a day,
In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me.”
Thinking that Shylock is only motivated by money, Antonio accepts the arrangement and Shylock arranges for them to meet later at a notary to sign the agreement. But we know that Shylock motives run deeper than Antonio and others grant him and we as an audience sense that something sinister lurks behind Shylock’s “kindness”. Antonio remarks how amicable Shylock seems while Bassanio remarks that he is suspicious and likes not “fair terms and a villain’s mind”. Antonio dismisses his worries claiming that his ships and fortune will arrive a full month and a day before the agreement runs out and that the forfeit will not see the light of day.
‘The Merchant of Venice’ Act 2 – “Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.”
‘The Merchant of Venice’ is a wonderfully esoteric play in some ways. It switches between places and people little known to Shakespeare that one can’t but ponder about what was Shakespeare reading at the time and who and what did he see in the streets of London. The source for the money lending and the seeking of ‘a pound of flesh’ payment plot is Giovanni Fiorentino’s 1378 story (published in Italian in 1595) ‘Il Pecorone’ (‘The Simpleton’). Shakespeare either had this translated into English privately, or he read it in the original Italian or he heard a retelling of the plot from one of his new university educated friends and he noted carefully aspects of the story. While the Portia casket choosing sequence’s source is probably from a medieval short story from ‘Gesta Romanorum’ which was reprinted in 1577. Aspects of the Jessica and Jewish aspects of the plot could come from various sources such as a lost Elizabethan play called ‘The Jew’ or a novel entitled ‘Schoole of Abuse’ but the obvious success of Marlowe’s ‘The Jew of Malta’ must have convinced Shakespeare of the popularity of putting an intelligent, cunning but slightly unlikable Jewish character on stage.
Act 2 starts in Belmont. The Prince of Morocco in attempting to win Portia’s hand in marriage asks not to be judged by his skin colour but by the trueness of his heart and love. If he had left it there he might have won her heart but then he gives a long speech about his bravery and the more he praises himself the less praiseworthy he seems. Portia reminds him that the choice is not hers but is dependant on him choosing the right casket and if he chooses incorrectly, he doesn’t only not get her, but he must then be sworn to remain forever unmarried. Morocco agrees to the task but then we leave this scene and subplot suspended as they all go off to dinner.
Meanwhile back in Venice, we now see the world of servants and comic undercurrents finally appear. A good dose of slapstick and crass humour is dished out. It starts with Shylock’s servant Launcelot Gobbo contemplating running away from his master. Old Gobbo, who is blind, enters and asks direction to find his son Launcelot who works for the Jew. After initially pretending not to be Launcelot and claiming that Launcelot is fact dead, Launcelot reveals himself to his father and states his intention to leave Shylock’s service. Fortunously, Bassanio then enters and Launcelot and his father plead for Bassanio to take Launcelot into his service. Bassanio accepts. Bassanio then also tells Gratiano that he will allow Gratiano to come with him to Belmont on the condition that he behaves. Gratiano swears to “put on a sober habit” and stop his wild behaviour for the visit. “Nay, but I bar to-night: you shall not gauge me
By what we do to-night.”
Jessica, Shylock’s daughter tells how her life will be unbearable now Launcelot is leaving. She gives Launcelot a letter to give to Bassanio’s friend Lorenzo, who she loves and intends to run away and marry. Her intention and enthusiasm to convert to Christianity might seem strange to us now, but it would have fed straight into the prejudices and sense of Christian superiority of the majority of the Elizabethan audience. Elsewhere in Venice, Gratiano, Salarino, and Solanio discuss with Lorenzo how he can be with Jessica and then Launcelot arrives with Jessica’s letter. The elopement plans are teased out and Launcelot carries a message back to Jessica.
Although Shylock has agreed to letting Launcelot go, he warns Launcelot that Bassanio will not tolerate the laziness that Shylock has from him. Shylock calls for his daughter Jessica. He says he is going out, and he gives her keys and says that while he is out she is to keep the house locked and that she is not to even look at the celebrations taking place outside. Launcelot secretly tells Jessica Lorenzo’s message. Shylock leaves and Jessica laments as she plans her new future:
“Alack, what heinous sin is it in me
To be ashamed to be my father's child!
But though I am a daughter to his blood,
I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo,
If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife,
Become a Christian and thy loving wife.”
Later, Gratiano and Salarino are in front of Shylock’s house waiting to help Lorenzo, but Lorenzo is late. Analogies are drawn between love and lateness when finally Lorenzo arrives. Lorenzo calls to Jessica, she appears on the balcony dressed as a pageboy and tosses a casket of jewels and gold down and then comes down herself. They exit. Antonio appears and announces that Bassanio is leaving immediately for Belmont, so Gratiano must leave to and miss out on the festivities, although, strangely, he doesn’t seem too upset about this.
It is now after dinner in Belmont and the Prince of Morocco is about to choose a casket which he thinks will give him Portia’s hand in marriage. It is interesting to note the parallels between Jessica, who brings many riches and jewels to her elopement and Portia who also has quite a dowry. The casket inscriptions are read. The first, made of gold, has the enticing inscription “Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire” while the silver second reads “Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves” and the third and final one is made of lead and is inscribed with what sounds more like a warning, “Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath”. The Prince of Morocco chooses the gold casket, of course, and a skull with a scroll in its eye socket is found and a poem is revealed, which he reads before he leaves:
“All that glitters is not gold;
Often have you heard that told:
Many a man his life hath sold
But my outside to behold…
Fare you well; your suit is cold.
Cold, indeed; and labour lost:
Then, farewell, heat, and welcome, frost!
Portia, adieu. I have too grieved a heart
To take a tedious leave: thus losers part.”
Back in Venice, we hear of Shylock’s rage at Jessica’s elopement, through Solanio. It is obvious that Shylock seems as much upset or more upset by the loss of his jewels and ducats as he is by the loss of his daughter. Solanio states that he also hopes Antonio can repay his debt to Shylock, since he has heard that some of Antonio’s ships may have sunk.
We switch back to Belmont, where it is the Prince of Arragon’s turn to try his hand at the casket game where he, having such a sense of his own self-worth, selects the silver casket which bears the elusive title, “Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves…” He is quite upset when he finds a portrait of a blinking idiot inside, and a poem which states:
“With one fool's head I came to woo,
But I go away with two.”
This act ends with Arragon leaving but with Portia hearing that a young Venetian has come to announce the arrival of his lord who brings great gifts. Portia is so over her father’s casket quests and she leaves in hope that the Venetian lord is Bassanio since she believes he has come to win her father’s quest since he has already won her heart.
The Merchant of Venice Act 3 – “The villany you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.”
From where he lived in Bishopgate in London (near present day Liverpool Street Station), Shakespeare could see and hear the docks. The waterway near Tower Bridge extended much further up in those days to near Cable Street. He would have heard much about the comings and goings of ships and trade in his local ale houses and 1596 was a year when many ships had not come home to port. Until the invention and eventual adoption of Harrison’s clocks in the 18thCentury, inaccurate measurements of time at sea and longitude meant that somewhere from about a quarter of all English ships seemed to sink or suffer damage in transit on rocks or reefs. As the June rains subsided and the sun finally hit the London sky, people would have meandered through the streets to The Rose or the newly built Blackfriars Theatre to escape from their world into exotic worlds like the Italy shown in ‘The Merchant of Venice’. When the actors playing Salarino and Solanio entered the stage to start Act 3 of ‘The Merchant of Venice’, the news that Antonio had probably lost most or all his ships is one that would hit the hearts of all of Shakespeare’s audience and reminded them of the many English ships and Englishmen still at sea.
Shylock enters and accuses Salarino and Solanio of aiding in the elopement of his daughter Jessica. Shylock confirms his resolve to take the bond of a pound of flesh from Antonio. They berate Shylock but Shylock points out that Antonio treated him with so much distain because he was a Jew that now he will exact the same Christian lessons on Antonio:
“ …He hath disgraced me … and what’s his reason?
I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes?
Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions
Senses, affections, passions?
… If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by
Christian example? Why revenge. The villainy you
Teach me. I will execute and it shall go hard
But I will better the instruction.”
Salarino and Solanio go off to find Antonio, while Shylock discusses how he is particularly upset that his daughter Jessica took a ring when she ran away and traded it for a monkey. Shylock is made happier by the thought Antonio it seems certain that Antonio will forfeit his life to repay his debt. He insists that he wants to make his choice now. He examines the three caskets and dismisses the gold one because “the world is deceived by ornament” and the silver casket because it is a “pale and common drudge. He chooses the lead casket because its “paleness moves me more than eloquence” on opening it finds a portrait of Portia and a poem which commends him on his choice and urges him to “claim her with a loving kiss”. Portia then gives Bassanio a ring to confirm her love and asks him never to part with it. Shakespeare has a habit of making even the most insignificant moment take on a dramatic gravity later in a play. Then Nerissa and Gratiano announce that they also are in love. To top this off Lorenzo and Jessica arrive but a letter they carry strikes a more sombre note.
It seems that Antonio’s ships are all lost and that Shylock insists on taking his pound of flesh. Bassanio decides he will now return and Portia offers to put up the money so Bassanio can pay twenty times the debt. Jessica points out that she overheard her father say:
“That he would rather have Antonio’s flesh
Than twenty times the value of the sum…”
As we venture back to Venice, we see Shylock escorting Antonio to prison and repeating that he will exact his bond and that the Duke of Venice will have to grant Shylock his justice. Solanio discusses with Antonio the repercussions if the Duke does not uphold the law. Antonio’s final comment to the gaoler expresses his final desire that Bassanio “…see me pay his debt…”
Across the seas to Belmont, Portia tells Lorenzo that she sees helping and saving Antonio, her husband’s best friend, as no different from saving her husband. She declares that she and Nerissa will go to a monastery until her husband returns and that in the meantime, Lorenzo and Jessica should run her estate. Secretly, she in fact sends her servant Balthasar to Padua to see Dr Bellario with documents and letters about Antonio’s case to seek advice. She then reveals her plan to Nerissa for the two of them to disguise themselves as young men and visit their husbands in disguise. When asked by Nerissa the reasons for doing this, Portia tells her that she will tell her the reasons later. Perhaps Shakespeare had already decided that the old dramatic or comic convention of having a young male actor playing a woman dress up as a young man was what was needed at this point in the play even before he had decided the reason and purpose of such cross-dressing exploits.
The Merchant of Venice Act 4 – “The quality of mercy is not strain’d, It droppeth as the rain from heaven upon the place beneath…”
Wow! I had forgotten how amazing the long sustained court scene of Act 4 Scene 1 of “The Merchant of Venice’ is. Two things probably need to be remembered before evaluating and relaying this scene. Firstly, Antonio starts the play in a strange melancholia which he tries to relate to his friends and this melancholy dominates the almost resigned attitude he has to his fate and his seemingly inevitable death. Secondly, this play would have been considered a romantic comedy for Shakespeare’s audience. Shylock is the antagonist of the play, a villain painted in broad strokes sometimes in the style of commedia dell’ arte sometimes in strokes which resonate of melodrama. The comedy of the play must also be remembered when looking at the way that Portia conducts and wins her defence. She is shown as advocate, jury and judge and even Shakespeare’s audience knew this is not how trials and judicial judgments were conducted. This comic play needs, from a narrative point of view, a reversal of fortunes and the fact that this happens in the most dramatic of fashions whereby a knife is wielded and a man almost put to death, creates a great tension that only a great catharsis can relieve.
We return in Act 4 to Venice, where the Duke of Venice presides over a court to decide the fate of Antonio. The Duke addresses Shylock and expresses his belief that Shylock is only trying to frighten Antonio and that he hopes and believes that Shylock will withdraw his demands of his bond of a pound of flesh at the last minute. Shylock is insistent about the court not denying him his legal right, offering no real explanation about the reasons except to state:
“… I give no reason, nor I will not,
More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus
A losing suit against him.”
We then see the arrival of Bassanio who offers Shylock double the amount of the original loan but Shylock is immovable in wanting his payment of a pound of flesh. The Duke then announces that he has sent a message to a learned gentlsays that he has sent messages to the learned Doctor of Law in Padua to help decide the matter. As Shylock sharpens his knife, Nerissa enters dressed as a messenger and soon after Portia eneters
Doctor Bellario, asking him to come and decide on the matter. News comes that a messenger has arrived from Bellario, and Salarino runs off to fetch him. Meanwhile, Bassanio tries, without much success, to cheer up the despairing Antonio. Nerissa enters, disguised as a lawyer’s clerk giving the Duke a letter of introduction from Dr. Bellario which states:
“Your grace shall understand that at the receipt of
your letter I am very sick: but in the instant that
your messenger came, in loving visitation was with
me a young doctor of Rome; his name is Balthasar. I
acquainted him with the cause in controversy between
the Jew and Antonio the merchant: we turned o'er
many books together: he is furnished with my
opinion…”
And so Portia disguised as Balthasar enters the court. Initially, Portia as Balthasar starts simply enough and asks Antonio whether he admits to owing the money and then she concludes that that Shylock should be merciful. When Shylock asks on what compulsion he must be merciful, Portia responds with perhaps the most famous speech of the play in which she states that humans are most Godly and divine when they practice mercy:
“The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes…”
However, she still concludes that the law is on Shylock’s side. Portia then ascertains that asks Antonio through Basanio is able to pay twice the original sum and suggests that Shylock take this. Then Bassanio pleads that Antonio be let off but Portia insists that the law should not be broken. Shylock praises the wisdom, reverence and nobility of this “excellent young man”. Portia declares that the contract is binding and asks Antonio to bare his bosom ready for judgment.
As Antonio says a final goodbye to Bassanio and Gratiano say that they would even give up their lives for Antonio despite being newly married. Shylock is ready for the first cut when Portia points out that the bond states only that he can take a ponud of flesh but does not state that Shylock can take anything else and that Shylock cannot take even one drop of blood. But then Portia asks Shylock to:
“Tarry a little; there is something else.
This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood;
The words expressly are 'a pound of flesh:'
Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh;
But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed
One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate
Unto the state of Venice.”
Shylock withdraws his knife and offers to accept three times the original sum, but Portia insists that Shylock can only have his pound of flesh or he gets nothing. When Shylock wishes to withdraw, Portia stops him again: “Tarry, Jew:
The law hath yet another hold on you.
It is enacted in the laws of Venice,
If it be proved against an alien
That by direct or indirect attempts
He seek the life of any citizen,
The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive
Shall seize one half his goods; the other half
Comes to the privy coffer of the state;
And the offender's life lies in the mercy
Of the duke only…”
Ironically, the Duke of Venice shows mercy on Shylock and doesn’t take his life but only a fine and Antonio says he will return what he will get of Shylock’s estate if Shylock converts to Chrisainity and gives all his goods upon his death to his daughter Jessica and her new Christian husband Lorenzo. Shylock leaves in shock.
When Portia goes to leave, the Duke asks Antonio to reward the young lawyer. She refuses and even her husband Bassanio thanks her but does not recognize Portia and is adamant that the ‘young lawyer’ take some token by him. Portia takes Bassanio’s gloves and then asks for his ring (the one she gave him and which he promised he would never give up). Bassanio initially refuses but after Antonio insists that Bassanio should value friendship more than his wife’s love, he gives in and gives Gratiano the ring to give to Portia.
Portia and Nerissa are wrapping up business and signing of documents. Then Gratiano arrives and gives Bassanio’s ring to Portia. Portia is surprised and when Portia tells Nerissa to go with Bassino to Shylock’s house, Nerissa reveals that she will see if Gratiano also will easily give up his ring. The play heads into the final act with most of the drama resolved and a good set of romantic comic threads to be tied up.
The Merchant of Venice Act 5 – “…in such a night as this, when the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees, and they did make no noise…”
The magic of night, moonlight and lovers frames this finale to ‘The Merchant of Venice’. Lorenzo and Jessica craft poetic allusions and personifications in their declarations of love. “…in such a night as this/When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees/ And they did make no noise…” The news of Portia’s return brings music while Lorenzo continues contemplation.
“The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils;
The motions of his spirit are dull as night
And his affections dark as Erebus:
Let no such man be trusted.”
It is the music and then the night candles that signal Portia and Nerissa that they are almost home. Lorenzo welcomes Portia and when she finds out her husband’s party has almost arrived as well, she tells Lorenzo not to tell her husband of her absence.
Bassanio and Gratiano arrive and Bassanio introduces his good friend Antonio who he tells has won his life back in the court case in Venice. Suddenly, an argument is heard between Gratiano and Nerissa and what is revealed is that Gratiano has given away to a lawyer’s clerk the ring that Nerissa gave him. Portia chatises Gratiano and declares her husband Bassanio would never part with the ring she gave him. Gratiano reveals that Bassanio has in fact done just that when he gave his ring to a young lawyer in thanks and payment for saving his good friend Antonio. Portia declares she will never sleep with Bassanio until her produces the ring. She then accuses him of giving the ring to a woman. Bassanio denies this. Antonio tries to intervene and pledges his soul as collateral if ever Bassanio is unfaithful.
Portia knows she has had enough sport and she and Nerissa reveal the rings and the story of their cross-dressing exploits. Bassanio and Gratiano recognize the rings but swear that they could not and did not recognize their wives when they were dressed up as the young impressive lawyer and his clerk in Venice. Portia also reveals that three of Antonio’s ships laden with rich stores have come into harbour and gives Antonio a letter to confirm this. She then tells Lorenzo that he and his wife will receive Shylock’s fortune upon Shylock's death. So, with love, fortunes and ships coming home to harbour, we are still left to contemplate “in sooth” why ‘was’ and maybe ‘is’ Antonio so sad.
Shakespeare returns in ‘Henry IV Part 1’.
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