The Merchant of Venice

by William Shakespeare

  good Antonio, the honest Antonio—O that I had a title good

  enough to keep his name company!—

  SALERIO Come, the full stop14.

  SOLANIO Ha, what sayest thou? Why, the end is, he hath lost

  a ship.

  SALERIO I would it might prove17 the end of his losses.

  SOLANIO Let me say ‘amen’ betimes18, lest the devil cross my

  prayer, for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. How now,

  Shylock! What news among the merchants?

  Enter Shylock

  SHYLOCK You knew, none so well, none so well as you, of my

  daughter’s flight.

  SALERIO That’s certain. I, for my part, knew the tailor that

  made the wings24 she flew withal.

  SOLANIO And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was

  fledged26, and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the

  dam27.

  SHYLOCK She is damned for it.

  SOLANIO That’s certain, if the devil29 may be her judge.

  SHYLOCK My own flesh and blood30 to rebel!

  SOLANIO Out upon it31, old carrion! Rebels it at these years?

  SHYLOCK I say, my daughter is my flesh and blood.

  SALERIO There is more difference between thy flesh and hers

  than between jet and ivory34, more between your bloods than

  there is between red wine and Rhenish. But tell us, do you

  hear whether Antonio have had any loss at sea or no?

  SHYLOCK There I have another bad match37: a bankrupt, a

  prodigal, who dare scarce show his head on the Rialto, a

  beggar that was used to come so smug upon the mart39. Let

  him look to40 his bond. He was wont to call me usurer. Let him

  look to his bond. He was wont to lend money for a Christian

  courtesy41. Let him look to his bond.

  SALERIO Why, I am sure if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his

  flesh. What’s that good for?

  SHYLOCK To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will

  feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me46

  half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains,

  scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled48 my

  friends, heated49 mine enemies, and what’s the reason? I am a

  Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs,

  dimensions51, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same

  food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same

  diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by

  the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick

  us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you

  poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not

  revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you

  in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility58?

  Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his

  sufferance59 be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The

  villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but61

  I will better the instruction62.

  Enter a man from Antonio

  SERVANT Gentlemen, my master Antonio is at his house and

  desires to speak with you both.

  SALERIO We have been up and down65 to seek him.

  Enter Tubal

  SOLANIO Here comes another of the tribe66. A third cannot be

  matched67, unless the devil himself turn Jew.

  Exeunt Gentlemen [Solanio, Salerio and Servant]

  SHYLOCK How now, Tubal, what news from Genoa68? Hast thou

  found my daughter?

  TUBAL I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot

  find her.

  SHYLOCK Why, there, there, there, there! A diamond gone,

  cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfurt73! The curse never

  fell upon our nation till now, I never felt it till now. Two

  thousand ducats in that, and other precious, precious jewels.

  I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in

  her ear! Would she were hearsed77 at my foot, and the ducats

  in her coffin! No news of them? Why, so—and I know not

  how much is spent in the search. Why, thou loss upon loss!

  The thief gone with so much, and so much to find the thief,

  and no satisfaction81, no revenge, nor no ill luck stirring but

  what lights82 o’my shoulders, no sighs but o’my breathing, no

  tears but o’my shedding.

  TUBAL Yes, other men have ill luck too. Antonio, as I heard

  in Genoa—

  SHYLOCK What, what, what? Ill luck, ill luck?

  TUBAL —hath an argosy cast away87, coming from Tripolis.

  SHYLOCK I thank God, I thank God. Is it true, is it true?

  TUBAL I spoke with some of the sailors that escaped the

  wreck.

  SHYLOCK I thank thee, good Tubal, good news, good news!

  Ha, ha, heard in Genoa?

  TUBAL Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, one night

  fourscore94 ducats.

  SHYLOCK Thou stick’st a dagger in me. I shall never see my

  gold again. Fourscore ducats at a sitting96, fourscore ducats!

  TUBAL There came divers97 of Antonio’s creditors in my

  company to Venice, that swear he cannot choose but break98.

  SHYLOCK I am very glad of it. I’ll plague him, I’ll torture him.

  I am glad of it.

  TUBAL One of101 them showed me a ring that he had of your

  daughter for a monkey.

  SHYLOCK Out upon her!103 Thou torturest me, Tubal. It was my

  turquoise, I had it of Leah104 when I was a bachelor. I

  would not

  have given it for a wilderness105 of monkeys.

  TUBAL But Antonio is certainly undone106.

  SHYLOCK Nay, that’s true, that’s very true. Go, Tubal, fee107 me

  an officer108, bespeak him a fortnight before. I will have the

  heart of him, if he forfeit, for were he out of Venice I can

  make what110 merchandise I will. Go, Tubal, and meet me at

  our synagogue. Go, good Tubal, at our synagogue, Tubal.

  Exeunt [separately]

  [Act 3 Scene 2]

  running scene 14

  Location: Belmont

  Enter Bassanio, Portia, Gratiano, [Nerissa] and all their trains

  PORTIA I pray you tarry1. Pause a day or two

  Before you hazard, for in choosing2 wrong

  I lose your company: therefore forbear3 awhile.

  There’s something tells me, but it is not love,

  I would not lose you, and you know yourself,

  Hate counsels not in such a quality6;

  But lest you should not understand me well—

  And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought8—

  I would detain you here some month or two

  Before you venture10 for me. I could teach you

  How to choose right, but then I am forsworn11.

  So12 will I never be. So may you miss me.

  But if you do, you’ll make me wish a sin,

  That I had been forsworn. Beshrew your eyes,

  They have o’erlooked15 me and divided me.

  One half of me is yours, the other half yours,

  Mine own, I would17 say. But if mine, then yours,

  And so all yours. O, these naughty18 times

  Puts bars19 between the owners and their rights!

  And so, though yours, not yours20. Prove it so,

  Let fortune go to hell for it, not I.

  I speak too long, but ’tis to peise22 the time,

  To eke23 it and to draw it out in length,

  To stay24 you from election.

&nbs
p; BASSANIO Let me choose,

  For as I am, I live upon the rack26.

  PORTIA Upon the rack, Bassanio? Then confess

  What treason there is mingled with your love.

  BASSANIO None but that ugly treason of mistrust29,

  Which makes me fear30 the enjoying of my love.

  There may as well be amity and life

  ’Tween snow and fire, as32 treason and my love.

  PORTIA Ay, but I fear you speak upon the rack,

  Where men enforcèd34 do speak anything.

  BASSANIO Promise me life, and I’ll confess the truth.

  PORTIA Well then, confess and live36.

  BASSANIO ‘Confess and love’

  Had been the very sum of my confession.

  O happy torment, when my torturer

  Doth teach me answers for deliverance40!

  But let me to41 my fortune and the caskets.

  PORTIA Away, then! I am locked in one of them.

  If you do love me, you will find me out.

  Nerissa and the rest, stand all aloof44.

  Let music sound while he doth make his choice,

  Then if he lose, he makes a swan-like end46,

  Fading in music. That the comparison

  May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream

  And wat’ry death-bed for him. He may win,

  And what is music then? Then music is

  Even as the flourish51 when true subjects bow

  To a new-crownèd monarch. Such it is,

  As are those dulcet53 sounds in break of day,

  That creep into the dreaming bridegroom’s ear,

  And summon him to marriage. Now he goes,

  With no less presence56, but with much more love,

  Than young Alcides57, when he did redeem

  The virgin tribute paid by howling58 Troy

  To the sea-monster. I stand for59 sacrifice,

  The rest aloof are the Dardanian60 wives,

  With blearèd visages61, come forth to view

  The issue62 of th’exploit. Go, Hercules!

  Live thou63, I live. With much, much more dismay

  I view the fight than thou that mak’st the fray64.

  Here music

  A song the whilst Bassanio comments on the caskets to himself

  [SINGER] Tell me where is fancy65 bred,

  Or66 in the heart, or in the head?

  How begot67, how nourishèd?

  Reply, reply.

  It is engendered in the eyes,

  With gazing fed, and fancy dies

  In the cradle71 where it lies.

  Let us all ring fancy’s knell72.

  I’ll begin it—Ding, dong, bell.

  ALL Ding, dong, bell.

  BASSANIO So may the outward shows be least themselves75,

  The world is still76 deceived with ornament.

  In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt,

  But, being seasoned with a gracious78 voice,

  Obscures the show of evil? In religion,

  What damnèd error, but some sober brow80

  Will bless it and approve81 it with a text,

  Hiding the grossness82 with fair ornament?

  There is no vice so simple83 but assumes

  Some mark of virtue on his84 outward parts;

  How many cowards, whose hearts are all as false

  As stairs of sand, wear yet upon their chins

  The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars87,

  Who, inward searched88, have livers white as milk.

  And these assume but valour’s excrement89

  To render them redoubted90. Look on beauty,

  And you shall see ’tis purchased by the weight,

  Which therein works a miracle in nature,

  Making them lightest93 that wear most of it:

  So are those crispèd94 snaky golden locks

  Which makes such wanton95 gambols with the wind

  Upon supposèd fairness96, often known

  To be the dowry of a second head,

  The skull that bred them in the sepulchre97.

  Thus ornament is but the guilèd99 shore

  To a most dangerous sea, the beauteous scarf

  Veiling an Indian101 beauty; in a word,

  The seeming truth which cunning times put on

  To entrap the wisest. Therefore, then, thou gaudy103 gold,

  Hard food for Midas104, I will none of thee;

  Nor none of thee105, thou pale and common drudge

  ’Tween man and man. But thou, thou meagre lead,

  Which rather threaten’st than dost promise aught,

  Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence,

  And here choose I. Joy be the consequence!

  PORTIA How all the other passions fleet110 to air,

  Aside

  As111 doubtful thoughts and rash-embraced despair

  And shudd’ring fear and green-eyed jealousy!

  O love, be moderate, allay thy ecstasy,

  In measure114 rain thy joy, scant this excess.

  I feel too much thy blessing. Make it less,

  For fear I surfeit116.

  BASSANIO What find I here?

  He opens the lead casket

  Fair Portia’s counterfeit118! What demigod

  Hath come so near creation? Move these eyes119?

  Or whether120, riding on the balls of mine,

  Seem they in motion? Here are severed121 lips,

  Parted with sugar breath, so sweet a bar122

  Should sunder123 such sweet friends. Here in her hairs

  The painter plays the spider, and hath woven

  A golden mesh t’entrap the hearts of men

  Faster126 than gnats in cobwebs. But her eyes—

  How could he see to do them? Having made one,

  Methinks it128 should have power to steal both his

  And leave itself unfurnished129. Yet look how far

  The substance130 of my praise doth wrong this shadow

  In underprizing it, so far this shadow

  Doth limp behind the substance. Here’s the scroll,

  The continent133 and summary of my fortune.

  ‘You that choose not by the view

  Reads

  Chance as fair135 and choose as true.

  Since this fortune falls to you,

  Be content and seek no new.

  If you be well pleased with this

  And hold your fortune for your bliss,

  Turn you where your lady is

  And claim her with a loving kiss.’

  A gentle scroll. Fair lady, by your leave,

  I come by note143 to give and to receive.

  Like one of two contending in a prize144

  That thinks he hath done well in people’s eyes,

  Hearing applause and universal shout,

  Giddy in spirit, still gazing in a doubt

  Whether those peals of praise be his148 or no,

  So, thrice-fair lady, stand I, even so,

  As doubtful whether what I see be true,

  Until confirmed, signed, ratified151 by you.

  PORTIA You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand,

  Such as I am; though for myself alone

  I would not be ambitious in my wish,

  To wish myself much better, yet for you

  I would be trebled twenty times myself,

  A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times more rich,

  That only to stand high in your account158,

  I might in virtues, beauties, livings159, friends,

  Exceed account160. But the full sum of me

  Is sum of nothing, which to term in gross161

  Is an unlessoned girl, unschooled, unpractisèd162,

  Happy in this, she is not yet so old

  But she may learn. Happier than this,

  She is not bred so dull but she can learn;

  Happiest of all is that her gentle spirit

  Commits itself to yours to be directed,
r />   As from her lord, her governor, her king.

  Myself, and what is mine, to you and yours

  Is now converted170. But now I was the lord

  Of this fair mansion, master of my servants,

  Queen o’er myself, and even now, but now,

  This house, these servants and this same myself

  Are yours, my lord. I give them with this ring,

  Which when you part from, lose or give away,

  Let it presage176 the ruin of your love

  And be my vantage177 to exclaim on you.

  Puts a ring on his finger

  BASSANIO Madam, you have bereft me of all words,

  Only my blood179 speaks to you in my veins,

  And there is such confusion180 in my powers,

  As after some oration fairly spoke

  By a belovèd prince, there doth appear

  Among the buzzing pleasèd multitude,

  Where every something184 being blent together,

  Turns to a wild185 of nothing, save of joy

  Expressed186 and not expressed. But when this ring

  Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence.

  O, then be bold188 to say Bassanio’s dead!

  NERISSA My lord and lady, it is now our time,

  That190 have stood by and seen our wishes prosper,

  To cry, good joy: good joy, my lord and lady!

  GRATIANO My lord Bassanio and my gentle lady,

  I wish you all the joy that you can wish,

  For I am sure you can wish none194 from me.

  And when your honours mean to solemnize

  The bargain of your faith196, I do beseech you,

  Even197 at that time I may be married too.

  BASSANIO With all my heart, so198 thou canst get a wife.

  GRATIANO I thank your lordship, you have got me one.

  My eyes, my lord, can look as swift as yours:

  You saw the mistress, I beheld the maid201.

  You loved, I loved, for intermission202

  No more pertains to me, my lord, than you;

  Your fortune stood204 upon the caskets there,

  And so did mine too, as the matter falls205,

  For wooing here until I sweat again,

  And swearing till my very roof207 was dry

  With oaths of love, at last208, if promise last,

  I got a promise of this fair one here

  To have her love, provided that your fortune

  Achieved her mistress.

  PORTIA Is this true, Nerissa?

  NERISSA Madam, it is so213, so you stand pleased withal.

  BASSANIO And do you, Gratiano, mean good faith?

  GRATIANO Yes, faith215, my lord.

  BASSANIO Our feast shall be much honoured in your

  marriage.

  GRATIANO We’ll play with them the first boy217 for a thousand

  ducats.

  NERISSA What, and stake down218?