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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

 THE TRIAL SCENE FROM THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

THE CHARACTERS:

Antonio : a merchant of Venice

Shylock : a money lender

Bassanio : Antonio's friend

Portia : Bassanio's wife

Balthazar : Portia in disguise as a judge

Gratiano : Bassanio's friend

Nerissa : Portia's maid

Duke : The Chief Justice of the Court

The story so far:

Antonio, a merchant of Venice, borrowed money from his enemy Shylock to help his friend  Bassanio get married to Portia, a beautiful and intelligent lady. For this he signed an unusual kind of bond. This bond was that if Antonio could not return the mone??y on time, Shylock could cut a pound of flesh from Antonio's chest. Antonio was unable to pay back the money on time, so now he is facing a trial. Now read what happens in the trial scene.

THE TRIAL SCENE

DUKE: But Shylock, Bassanio has brought twice the money.

BASSANIO: No, my Lord, not just twice. I have brought three times the money; and I am prepared to pay him four times or five times as much as Antonio owes him.

DUKE: Well, Shylock?

SHYLOCK: My Lord, I am not prepared to take anything but the pound of flesh which is written in the bond.

DUKE: Buut what use is a pound of flesh to you? Do you eat human flesh?

SHYLOCK: My dog will eat it if I don't. Or catch a fish with it. The court need not worry about what I'll do with it. The pound of flesh is mine according to the bond and according to the law of Venice. And I must have it.

DUKE: But Shylock, if you cut his flesh off his chest, Antonio will die.

SHYLOCK: And I say it serves him right if my knife kills him. I hate him.

DUKE: But do we kill all those we hate?

SHYLOCK: Would we not kill them if we could?

DUKE: I wouldn't, but I see you would if there were no laws against murder. But still, I appeal to you to have mercy on this merchant.

SHYLOCK: Mercy! Why should I have mercy on my enemy?

DUKE: So that God may have mercy on you, Shylock. Have mercy on your fellow men.

SHYLOCK: I expect no mercy from God or men. All that I want is justice and I have come here to ask you if this court of Venice will give me justice.

DUKE: The Duke of Venice has never done injustice. Nor will I ever do justice.

SHYLOCK: I am glad to hear that. And I hope we won't have to wait long to hear your judgment.

Scene Two:

Meanwhile, a young, intelligent judge called Mr. Balthazar has come to take over the case. This judge is actually Portia who has come in disguise-Antonio and Bassanio do not recognise her.

PORTIA: Good morning, Your Lordship,

DUKE: Good morning, Mr. Balthazar and welcome to Venice. Gentlemen, I declare the court assembled again. Mr. Balthazar will now hear the case.

PORTIA: Which is Mr. Antonio and which is Mr. Shylock?

SHYLOCK: I’m Shylock, the plaintiff. I hope Your Honour will be just in your judgment.

BASSANIO: And this is Antonio, the kindest, friend any man has ever had. It was for the sake of a friend that he signed this bond and risked his life. Save him from that murderer, Your Honour.

PORTIA: I would if I could, but I’m doubtful if I can

SHYLOCK: (to himself) And I’m sure he can’t.

PORTIA: Antonio, may I know if you were quite well in body and in mind when you signed this bond?

SHYLOCK: Of course, he was, Your Honour.

GRATIANO: I wish you would speak for yourself, Mr. Shylock.

BASSANIO: Your Homour, Mr. Antonio was not well. His mind seemed to be sunk in misery at that time.

PORTIA: I hope Antonio will speak for himself.

ANTONIO: I was quite well, Your Honour.

PORTIA: And Shylock, did you ask him to sign this bond in fun or jokingly?

SHYLOCK: I asked for the pound of flesh in fun! But Mr. Antonio wanted me to be serious. And now, he finds I am also serious about it. For, I have come here to take my pound of flesh.

PORTIA: Because you can’t get your money back?

BASSANIO: No, Your Honour, for I can give him his money back and pay five times more than he has lent. But he refuses to take anything except his pound of flesh.

PORTIA: Why, Mr. Shylock? Do you expect a better offer?

SHYLOCK: No offer is better than justice. And I have come here for that. Let me have justice according to the laws of Venice.

BASSANIO: Justice according to God’s law, Your Honour. Do not allow him to murder a man who has done him no harm.

SHYLOCK: No harm? Antonio has abused me hundred times in the market place. He called me a cut-throat and a dog. And now let me see if I can cut his chest, if not his throat. I beg the learned judge to pronounce judgment according to the laws of Venice.

PORTIA: Well then, listen.

NERISSA: Silence please. The learned judge will now pronounce the judgment.

PORTIA: We can see nothing wrong or false in the bond agreed between. Antonio and Shylock. According to the laws of Venice , this court orders Antonio to give Shylock a pound of his flesh. And Shylock shall cut this flesh from Antonio’s chest, nearest to his heart.

SHYLOCK: Say so, learned judge. You are the justest and wisest judge I have ever seen!

GRATIANO: But, Your Honour, this will be legal murder. Can you not do something to prevent it?

PORTIA: I’m sorry. The laws are strict. I cannot do anything.

SHYLOCK: Well, I shall do something now. Come Antonio. Prepare yourself. Shylock has got you at last.

BASSANIO: Not you, Antonio. Shylock, let me take Antonio’s place. Cut as much flesh as you want from anywhere or everywhere in my body. Only let Antonio go.

ANTONIO: What nonsense, Bassanio! What does it matter if I die. I am an old man. I have no family to look after. And now that I have lost all my wealth, it is all the better that I die. You go back to Belmont and live a long and happy life. You have a wife waiting for you there.

BASSANIO: Yes, I have a wife and she is the loveliest of women. But Antonio, I would gladly lose both my wife and my life to save you now from death.

PORTIA: I admire your love for your friend, but I doubt if your wife would admire it if she heard what you have just said.

BASSANIO: Well, all the world admires my wife because she looks like and talks like an angel. So I wish she was in heaven now. For, then she would speak to the angels to change this murderer’s mind.

NERISSA: But if your wife was here to listen to your wish, I’m afraid she would not speak to you like an angel.

SHYLOCK: But we are wasting time in useless talk. I request the court to come back to business.

PORTIA: Of course. Antonio, expose your chest to him. Shylock have you brought a balance to weigh your pound of flesh?

SHYLOCK: Yes, I have. And here it is.

PORTIA: And have you asked a doctor to be here to stand by?

SHYLOCK: No, I haven’t. Why should I bring a doctor? There is no such condition in the bond.

PORTIA: But Shylock, Antonio will bleed when you cut his flesh. And if the bleeding is not stopped at once, he will die.

SHYLOCK: That is his affair, not mine.

PORTIA: It is your affair too, Shylock. If Antonio bleeds to death because of your cuts, you will be charged with the crime of murder. And don’t you know what the punishment for the crime of murder is? According to the law of Venice, you will be hanged.

SHYLOCK: I don’t want the pound of flesh then. I shall take the money that Bassanio has offered.

BASSANIO: Here it is Shylock, take it.

PORTIA: But no, Bassanio. He can’t take the money now. He has refused it in the open court. Now let him cut his pound of flesh.

GRATIANO: Cut it, Shylock. Let us see how you cut it. Here is the nicest and the justest judge I have ever seen.

SHYLOCK: Give me my three thousand ducats and let me go.

GRATIANO: Take your pound of flesh and let us go.

PORTIA: And be careful when you cut the flesh, Shylock. For, you have to cut exactly a pound. If the flesh weight is heavier or lighter than a pound by the weight of an atom, you will be charged with stabbing and injuring Antonio, according to the law of Venice.

BASSANIO: Have you had enough justice now, Shylock?

SHYLOCK: I don’t want your justice, I don’t want anything. Antonio is free from his debt and I am going. Goodbye!

-William Shakespeare

For Solved Exercises of this lesson, click on the link below:


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