The Merchant of Venice

by William Shakespeare

  Since you do take it, love, so much at156 heart.

  PORTIA A quarrel, ho, already? What’s the matter?

  GRATIANO About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring

  That she did give me, whose posy159 was

  For all the world like cutler’s poetry

  Upon a knife, ‘Love me, and leave me not.’

  NERISSA What talk you of the posy or the value?

  You swore to me when I did give it you,

  That you would wear it till the hour of death

  And that it should lie with you in your grave.

  Though166 not for me, yet for your vehement oaths,

  You should have been respective167 and have kept it.

  Gave it a judge’s clerk! But well I know

  The clerk will ne’er wear hair on’s face that had it.

  GRATIANO He will, an if he live to be a man.

  NERISSA Ay, if a woman live to be a man.

  GRATIANO Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth,

  A kind of boy, a little scrubbèd173 boy,

  No higher than thyself, the judge’s clerk,

  A prating175 boy, that begged it as a fee.

  I could not for my heart deny it him.

  PORTIA You were to blame—I must be plain with you—

  To part so slightly178 with your wife’s first gift.

  A thing stuck on with oaths upon your finger

  And so riveted180 with faith unto your flesh.

  I gave my love a ring and made him swear

  Never to part with it, and here he stands.

  I dare be sworn for him he would not leave it,

  Nor pluck it from his finger, for the wealth

  That the world masters185. Now, in faith, Gratiano,

  You give your wife too unkind a cause of grief.

  An ’twere to me, I should be mad187 at it.

  BASSANIO Why, I were best to cut my left hand off

  Aside

  And swear I lost the ring defending it.

  GRATIANO My lord Bassanio gave his ring away

  Unto the judge that begged it and indeed

  Deserved it too. And then the boy, his clerk,

  That took some pains in writing, he begged mine,

  And neither man nor master would take aught

  But the two rings.

  PORTIA What ring gave you my lord?

  Not that, I hope, which you received of me.

  BASSANIO If I could add a lie unto a fault,

  I would deny it. But you see my finger

  Hath not the ring upon it. It is gone.

  PORTIA Even so void is your false heart of truth.

  By heaven, I will ne’er come in your bed

  Until I see the ring.

  NERISSA Nor I in yours till I again see mine.

  BASSANIO Sweet Portia,

  If you did know to whom I gave the ring,

  If you did know for whom I gave the ring,

  And would conceive208 for what I gave the ring,

  And how unwillingly I left the ring,

  When nought would be accepted but the ring,

  You would abate the strength of your displeasure.

  PORTIA If you had known the virtue212 of the ring,

  Or half her worthiness that gave the ring,

  Or your own honour to contain214 the ring,

  You would not then have parted with the ring.

  What man is there so much unreasonable,

  If217 you had pleased to have defended it

  With any terms of zeal, wanted218 the modesty

  To urge219 the thing held as a ceremony?

  Nerissa teaches me what to believe:

  I’ll die for’t but some woman had the ring.

  BASSANIO No, by mine honour, madam, by my soul,

  No woman had it, but a civil doctor223,

  Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me

  And begged the ring; the which I did deny him

  And suffered226 him to go displeased away—

  Even he that had held up227 the very life

  Of my dear friend. What should I say, sweet lady?

  I was enforced to send it after him.

  I was beset with shame and courtesy.

  My honour would not let ingratitude

  So much besmear it232. Pardon me, good lady!

  And by these blessèd candles of the night233,

  Had you been there, I think you would have begged

  The ring of me to give the worthy doctor.

  PORTIA Let not that doctor e’er come near my house.

  Since he hath got the jewel that I loved,

  And that which you did swear to keep for me,

  I will become as liberal239 as you.

  I’ll not deny him anything I have,

  No, not my body nor my husband’s bed.

  Know242 him I shall, I am well sure of it.

  Lie not a night from home. Watch me like Argus243.

  If you do not, if I be left alone,

  Now, by mine honour245, which is yet mine own,

  I’ll have the doctor for my bedfellow.

  NERISSA And I his clerk: therefore be well advised247

  How you do leave me to mine own protection.

  GRATIANO Well, do you so. Let not me take249 him, then.

  For if I do, I’ll mar250 the young clerk’s pen.

  ANTONIO I am th’unhappy251 subject of these quarrels.

  PORTIA Sir, grieve not you. You are welcome

  notwithstanding.

  BASSANIO Portia, forgive me this enforcèd wrong,

  And in the hearing of these many friends,

  I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes,

  Wherein I see myself—

  PORTIA Mark you but that!

  In both my eyes he doubly sees himself258.

  In each eye, one. Swear by your double259 self,

  And there’s an oath of credit260.

  BASSANIO Nay, but hear me.

  Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear

  I never more will break an oath with thee.

  ANTONIO I once did lend my body for thy wealth,—

  To Bassanio

  Which, but for him that had your husband’s ring,

  To Portia

  Had quite miscarried266. I dare be bound again,

  My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord

  Will never more break faith advisedly268.

  PORTIA Then you shall be his surety269. Give him this

  She gives Antonio the ring

  And bid him keep it better than the other.

  ANTONIO Here, Lord Bassanio. Swear to keep this ring.

  BASSANIO By heaven, it is the same I gave the doctor!

  PORTIA I had it of him. Pardon, Bassanio,

  For, by this ring, the doctor lay with274 me.

  NERISSA And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano,

  For that same scrubbèd boy, the doctor’s clerk,

  In lieu of277 this last night did lie with me.

  Shows her ring

  GRATIANO Why, this is like the mending of highways

  In summer, where the ways are fair279 enough.

  What, are we cuckolds280 ere we have deserved it?

  PORTIA Speak not so grossly281. You are all amazed.

  Here is a letter, read it at your leisure.

  She gives a letter

  It comes from Padua, from Bellario.

  There you shall find that Portia was the doctor,

  Nerissa there her clerk. Lorenzo here

  Shall witness I set forth as soon as you,

  And but e’en287 now returned. I have not yet

  Entered my house. Antonio, you are welcome,

  And I have better news in store for you

  Than you expect. Unseal this letter soon.

  Gives him a letter

  There you shall find three of your argosies

  Are richly292 come to harbour suddenly:

  You shall not know by what strange accident

/>   I chancèd on this letter.

  ANTONIO I am dumb295.

  BASSANIO Were you the doctor and I knew you not?

  GRATIANO Were you the clerk that is to make me cuckold?

  NERISSA Ay, but the clerk that never means to do it,

  Unless he live until he be a man.

  BASSANIO Sweet doctor, you shall be my bedfellow.

  When I am absent, then lie with my wife.

  ANTONIO Sweet lady, you have given me life and living302;

  For here I read for certain that my ships

  Are safely come to road304.

  PORTIA How now, Lorenzo?

  My clerk hath some good comforts too for you.

  NERISSA Ay, and I’ll give them him without a fee.

  There do I give to you and Jessica,

  From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift,

  After his death, of all he dies possessed of.

  LORENZO Fair ladies, you drop manna311 in the way

  Of starvèd people.

  PORTIA It is almost morning,

  And yet I am sure you are not satisfied

  Of these events at full314. Let us go in,

  And charge us there upon inter’gatories316,

  And we will answer all things faithfully.

  GRATIANO Let it be so. The first inter’gatory318

  That my Nerissa shall be sworn on319 is,

  Whether till the next night she had rather stay320,

  Or go to bed now, being two hours to day.

  But were the day come, I should wish it dark,

  Till I were couching323 with the doctor’s clerk.

  Well, while I live I’ll fear no other thing

  So sore325 as keeping safe Nerissa’s ring.

  Exeunt

  TEXTUAL NOTES

  Q = First Quarto text of 1600

  Q2 = Second Quarto text of 1619

  F = First Folio text of 1623

  F2 = a correction introduced in the Second Folio text of 1632

  Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor

  SD = stage direction

  SH = speech heading (i.e. speaker’s name)

  List of parts = Ed

  1.1.0 SD Salerio and Solanio = Ed. F = Salarino, and Salanio 8 SH SALERIO = Ed. F = Sal. Q = Salarino. SHs for first three speeches of Antonio’s friends reversed in F, due to confusing SHs in Q: Salarino, Salanio, Salar. 15 SH SOLANIO = Q (Salanio). F = Salar. 28 docked = Ed. F = docks 62 SH SALERIO = Ed. F = Sala. (his next two speeches: Sal.) 70 SD Salerio = Ed. F = Salarino 116 Is = Ed. F = It is 118 are two = F. Q = are as two 158 do me now = Q. F = doe

  1.2.6 small = F. Q = meane 15 be one = F. Q = to be one 19 reason is not in = F. Q = reasoning is not in the 22 Is it = Q. F = It is 39 Palatine = Q2. F = Palentine 44 rather to be = F. Q = rather be 47 Bon = Ed. F = Boune 52 throstle = Ed. F = Trassell 55 should = F. Q = shall 67 other = F. Q = Scottish. Altered in F so as not to offend Scottish King James 96 wish = F. Q = pray God grant 105 seek you = F. Q = seeke for you

  1.3.33 Rialto = Ed. F = Ryalta 45 well-won = Q. F = well-worne 61 ye = Q. F = he 82 peeled spelled pil’d in F 111 spit spelled spet in F 121 should = F. Q = can 124 spat spelled spet in F 132 of barren = F. Q = for barren 135 penalties = F. Q = penaltie 151 it pleaseth = F. Q = pleaseth 180 terms = Q. F = teames

  2.1.0 SD Morocco spelled Morochus in F 32 thee, lady = Q. F = the Ladie 36 page = Ed. F = rage

  2.2.1 SH LANCELET = Ed. F = Clo. 3 Gobbo = Q2. F = Iobbe (throughout scene) 22 a kind = F. Q = but a kinde 48 Lancelet = F. Q = Lancelet sir 87 last = Q2. F = lost 156 SD Exit placed two lines earlier in F 167 where they = F. Q = where thou

  2.3.9 talk = F. Q = in talk 11 did = Ed. F = doe 13 somewhat = F. Q = something

  2.4.0 SD Salerio = Ed. F = Slarino (Sal. for his SHs throughout this scene) 11 shall it = F. Q = it shall 14 Is = Q. F = I

  2.5.1 SH SHYLOCK = Q2. F = Iew 28 there = Q. F = their 43 Jewès = Ed. F = Iewes 47 but = F. Q = and

  2.6.0 SD Salerio = Ed. F = Salino 2 a stand = F. Q = stand 7 seal = Q. F = steale 18 a prodigal = F. Q = the prodigal 46 you are = F. Q = are you 60 gentlemen = F. Q = gentleman

  2.7.5 many men = Q. F = men Line accidentally printed twice in F 70 tombs = Ed. F = timber

  2.8.0 SD Salerio = Ed. F = Salarino 6 comes = F. Q = came 8 gondola spelled Gondilo in F 34 You = Q. F = Yo

  2.9.7 thou = F. Q = you 45 peasantry = Q. F = pleasantry 102 Bassanio, Lord Love, = Ed. F = Bassanio Lord, loue

  3.1.0 SD Salerio = Ed. F = Salarino 6 gossip’s = F. Q = gossip 33 blood = F. Q = my blood 50 what’s the = F. Q = what’s his 64 SH SERVANT = Ed. Not in F 71 of her = Q. F = of ster 80 how much = F. Q = whats 94 heard = Ed. F = here 105 turquoise = Ed. F = Turkies

  3.2.0 SD trains = Q. F = traine 17 if = Q. F = of 34 do = Q. F = doth 44 aloof = Q. F = aloose 63 much, much = Q. F = much 69 eyes = F. Q = eye 83 vice = Ed. F = voice 152 me = Q. F = my 161 nothing = F. Q = something 174 lord = F. Q = Lords 199 have = Q. F = gaue 207 roof = Q2. F = rough 213 is so = F. Q = is 323 SH BASSANIO = Ed. Not in F 326 might see = F. Q = might but see 333 No = Q. F = Nor

  3.3.2 lends = F. Q = lent

  3.4.13 equal spelled egal in F 50 Padua = Ed. F = Mantua 51 hand = F. Q = hands 54 traject = Ed. F = Tranect

  3.5.67–8 merit it, In = Ed. F = meane it, it Is. Q = meane it, it In 75 a wife = F. Q = wife

  4.1.52 Mistress = Ed. F = Masters 66 answer = F. Q = answers 75 Why … made = Q. Not in F 78 fretted = F. Q = fretten 80 what = F. Q = what’s 112 messenger = Q. F = Messengers 144 endless = F. Q = cureless 169 Came = F. Q = Come 208 court = Q. F = course 228 do I = F. Q = I do 234 No, not = F. Q = Not not 266 should = F. Q = doe 267 Is it so = Q. F = It is not 271 Come = F. Q = You 286 not = F. Q = but 316 Then take = F. Q = Take then 337 it so = F. Q = it but so 344 thee = F. Q = you 354 taken so = F. Q = so taken 411 thou shalt = F. Q = shalt thou 414 home with me = Q. F = with me home

  5.1.3 noise = Q. F = nnyse 32 SH STEPHANO = Ed. F = Mes. 41 is = Q. F = it returned = Q. F = rnturn’d 44 us = Q. F = vs vs 56 Sweet soul = Ed. F prints as last words of Lancelet’s speech 58 Stephano = Q2. F = Stephen pray = F. Q = I pray 72 it in = Q. F = in it 89 time = F. Q = the time 164 the hour = F. Q = your hour 168 But … know = F. Q = no God’s my Iudge 233 And by = F. Q = For by 264 thy = F. Q = his 273 Pardon = F. Q = Pardon me 287 but e’en now = F. Q = even but now

  SCENE-BY-SCENE ANALYSIS

  ACT 1 SCENE 1

  Lines 1–115: Antonio confesses he is sad but cannot explain the reason. Salerio suggests he is worried about his ships, currently at sea, but Antonio says that he is not concerned about his merchandise. Salerio therefore suggests that it is because Antonio is “in love,” establishing a link between two main themes: commerce and love. They are interrupted by Bassanio, Lorenzo, and Gratiano. Solanio and Salerio take their leave, joking that some “worthier company” has arrived, introducing the motif of “worth” (both of goods and people). Gratiano observes that Antonio looks unwell and Antonio’s meta-theatrical response is that the world is a “stage where every man must play a part” and that his is “a sad one.” Gratiano urges him not to put on sadness merely to seem wise, establishing the themes of disguise/appearance versus reality.

  Lines 116–188: Bassanio observes that Gratiano “speaks an infinite deal of nothing” and that “His reasons are two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff,” images that reinforce the play’s concerns with quantity and value. Antonio questions Bassanio about the lady he is in love with. Bassanio’s response is elliptical, focusing instead on his lack of fortune and need to borrow money from Antonio, despite already being in debt to him “in money and in love,” further reinforcing the link between these two themes. Bassanio describes Portia of Belmont, “a lady richly left,” who has inherited a large fortune on her father’s death, and who is “fair and, fairer than that word, / Of wondrous virtues.” This raises the motif of “fairness,” in terms of both beauty and justice. Bassanio needs money to court Portia. Antonio explains that his “fortunes are a
t sea” but will stand security if Bassanio borrows money.

  ACT 1 SCENE 2

  In Belmont, Portia is complaining of being “aweary of this great world,” echoing Antonio in the previous scene. Under the terms of her dead father’s will, she cannot choose her own husband, nor refuse one she dislikes if he passes the test set by her father. Each of Portia’s suitors must choose between three caskets: one gold, one silver, and one lead. Only the man who chooses correctly shall marry Portia. She and Nerissa list her recent admirers: a “Neapolitan prince,” a “French lord,” a “young baron of England,” and “the Duke of Saxony’s nephew,” emphasizing the competition that Bassanio faces, but also the play’s concerns with cultural identities and differences. Portia dismisses each one, showing her quick wit and ability to reason. Nerissa reminds her of “a Venetian, a scholar and a soldier” (Bassanio) who visited their household while Portia’s father was alive. The ladies agree he is “worthy” of praise. A servant announces that the four suitors have left, but that a fifth, “the Prince of Morocco,” will arrive that night. Portia is unimpressed, commenting that her new suitor will have “the complexion of a devil,” highlighting the racial/cultural boundaries that exist in the play.

  ACT 1 SCENE 3

  Bassanio and Shylock discuss a loan of “Three thousand ducats” for “three months.” Bassanio assures Shylock that “Antonio shall become bound” in guarantee, but Shylock is unsure: Antonio’s wealth is uncertain while his ships are still at sea. Antonio approaches and Shylock reveals his hatred in an aside: he hates Antonio “for he is a Christian,” but more importantly because Antonio makes loans without charging interest, damaging Shylock’s moneylending business. Finally, he points out that Antonio hates him because he is Jewish, and because he is a moneylender. This speech makes clear the opposing characters of Shylock and Antonio, contrasted throughout the play in terms of their faiths and characteristics.

  When Antonio arrives, Shylock makes a show of civility. Antonio tells him that usually he does not “lend nor borrow,” but that he is making an exception for Bassanio. Shylock remembers all the times that Antonio has “rated” him over his moneylending, and insulted him on the grounds of his faith, calling him a “misbeliever.” He asks why he should lend money to someone who has “spat on” him and called him a “dog.” Antonio replies that he is likely to do these things again and tells Shylock that he will be making a loan to his “enemy,” who it will be easier to “Exact the penalties” from if he fails to pay. Shylock claims that he wants to “be friends,” making the loan with no interest charges. He suggests, “in a merry sport,” that if Antonio fails to pay back the money on the day stipulated, he will take a “pound” of Antonio’s “fair flesh.” Antonio agrees, despite Bassanio’s protests. He points out that within two months he is expecting a return of “three times the value of this bond.” Shylock tells them to meet him “at the notary’s,” where they will put the bond in writing, and leaves. Antonio observes that Shylock “grows kind,” but Bassanio is less trusting, saying that Shylock has “a villain’s mind.” Antonio reiterates that his ships will come home “a month before the day,” one of many references to time that create pace and tension.