Important Annotations : These lines are taken from play “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare.

 

Annotations : (These lines are taken from play “The Merchant of Venice” by  William Shakespeare.)   

  "In sooth, I know not why I am so sad."

• Who said it: Antonio (Act 1, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: The opening line of the play immediately establishes Antonio's melancholic and somewhat passive nature. His unexplained sadness hints at an underlying vulnerability and foreshadows the somber tone that often underpins the play despite its comedic elements. It sets up the immediate need for Bassanio to cheer him up or distract him, leading directly to the request for the loan.

 

  "To you, Antonio, I owe the most in money and in love."

• Who said it: Bassanio (Act 1, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: This line highlights the deep bond of friendship between Bassanio and Antonio, suggesting that their emotional connection is even greater than their financial ties. It underscores Antonio's devotion to Bassanio, which ultimately leads him to enter the dangerous bond with Shylock.

 

 "My purse, my person, my extremest means, / Lie all unlocked to your occasions."

• Who said it: Antonio (Act 1, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: Antonio's declaration of unwavering loyalty and generosity to Bassanio. It shows the extent of his willingness to help his friend, even when his own funds are tied up. This extreme generosity is what puts him in a precarious position with Shylock.

 

   "You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, / And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine."

• Who said it: Shylock (Act 1, Scene 3)
• Why it's important: Shylock directly confronts Antonio about the history of anti-Semitic abuse he has suffered. This line, early in the play, immediately establishes the deep-seated prejudice in Venetian society and provides a crucial context for Shylock's later actions and his desire for revenge.

 

   "I am as like to call thee so again, / To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too."

• Who said it: Antonio (Act 1, Scene 3)
• Why it's important: Antonio's unapologetic response to Shylock's accusations confirms his ingrained prejudice and utter lack of remorse for his ill-treatment of Shylock. It portrays Antonio as a flawed character despite his generosity to his friends and significantly fuels Shylock's determination for revenge.

 

   "A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off / Nearest the merchant's heart."

• Who said it: Shylock (Act 1, Scene 3)
• Why it's important: This is the chilling and specific clause of the bond proposed by Shylock. The explicit mention of "nearest the merchant's heart" immediately signals the deadly and personal nature of the bond, setting up the central conflict and the high stakes of the play.

 

"The villainy you teach me, I will execute; and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction."

• Who said it: Shylock (Act 3, Scene 1 - Note: While the action leading to this is in Act 2, this famous quote is spoken in Act 3 after Jessica's elopement. However, it's a direct consequence of the "villainy" of prejudice he experiences earlier.)
• Why it's important: This is Shylock's declaration of his intent to not only return the hatred he receives but to exceed it. It's a key line for understanding his motivation for pursuing the bond so relentlessly.

   "Marry, you may partly hope to catch her in hell for she is a fiend."

• Who said it: Launcelot Gobbo (Act 2, Scene 2)
• Why it's important: Launcelot's humorous, yet sharp, assessment of Shylock. It reflects the common Christian perception of Jews as demonic or evil, contributing to the pervasive anti-Semitism in the play. It also provides an early glimpse into the fraught relationship between Shylock and his household.

 

   "I am sorry thou art come to this, for thy father is a Jew, and, God forgive me, I am a Christian."

• Who said it: Jessica (Act 2, Scene 3)
• Why it's important: This line highlights Jessica's profound alienation from her father's religion and culture. Her desire to escape Shylock's house is not just about a harsh father but about converting to Christianity, which she sees as a path to a better life and salvation.

 

   "All that glisters is not gold; / Often have you heard that told; / Many a man his life hath sold / But my outside to behold; / Gilded tombs do worms enfold."

• Who said it: The scroll in the gold casket (Act 2, Scene 7)
• Why it's important: This is a crucial thematic statement of the play. It emphasizes that appearances can be deceiving and that true worth is not always found in what is outwardly magnificent or expensive. It directly relates to the casket plot, where the seemingly unattractive lead casket holds the true prize.

 

  "Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, 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?"

• Who said it: Shylock (Act 3, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: This is Shylock's most famous and powerful monologue, a desperate and eloquent plea for human recognition. He argues for shared humanity with Christians, highlighting that he experiences the same pains and joys. The final rhetorical question, "And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?" acts as a chilling justification for his desire for Antonio's flesh, presenting his actions as a natural consequence of the persecution he has suffered.

 

 

  "I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor: I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys."

• Who said it: Shylock (Act 3, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: This line, about a ring Jessica traded for a monkey, reveals a rare moment of deep personal grief and sentimentality from Shylock. Leah was his deceased wife, and the ring was a token of their early love. It shows a human side to Shylock that contrasts sharply with his usual image as a rigid miser and adds complexity to his character, making his suffering more poignant.

 

  "Thou stick'st a dagger in me: I shall never see my gold again."

• Who said it: Shylock (Act 3, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: Spoken in response to Tubal's news of Jessica's extravagant spending, this line further emphasizes Shylock's profound distress over his financial losses, often interpreted as being almost as painful as the loss of his daughter herself. It fuels the debate about whether he loves his ducats more than his child.

 

  "O love, be moderate, allay thy ecstasy, / In measure rain thy joy, scant this excess!"

• Who said it: Portia (Act 3, Scene 2)
• Why it's important: Portia speaks this as Bassanio is about to choose the casket. It reveals the depth of her love for him and her intense anxiety over his choice. Her words show a vulnerability and a genuine emotional investment, moving beyond her initial portrayal as merely a rich heiress.

 

  "But when this bond is forfeit, you call me Jew, / And I am content."

• Who said it: Antonio (Act 3, Scene 3)
• Why it's important: Antonio accepts his fate, indicating a degree of resignation or even fatalism. It underscores the severity of the bond and Antonio's understanding that Shylock's hatred runs deeper than mere financial dispute.

 

  "The quality of mercy is not strain'd; / It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven / Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd; / It blesseth him that gives and him that takes."

• Who said it: Portia (disguised as Balthazar) (Act 4, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: This is the most famous speech in the play and the heart of its moral dilemma. Portia eloquently argues for the divine and beneficial nature of mercy, elevating it above strict justice. It's a powerful appeal, but its failure to sway Shylock, and the subsequent lack of mercy shown to Shylock, create a profound irony that critiques the Christian characters' own ideals.

 

   "I crave the law, / The penalty and forfeit of my bond."

• Who said it: Shylock (Act 4, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: Shylock's unyielding demand for justice according to the letter of the law. This line encapsulates his determination and refusal to compromise, setting the stage for Portia's legalistic counter-argument. He insists on the very system that will ultimately turn against him.

 

   "A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine. / The court awards it, and the law doth give it."

• Who said it: Portia (as Balthazar) (Act 4, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: This line initially validates Shylock's claim, building dramatic tension and making his victory seem imminent. It sets up the audience for the stunning legal twist that Portia is about to reveal.

 

  "This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood."

• Who said it: Portia (as Balthazar) (Act 4, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: This is Portia's brilliant legal loophole, the turning point of the trial. By focusing on the exact wording of the bond, she renders Shylock's demand impossible to execute without incurring severe penalties, thus saving Antonio's life. It highlights the power of precise legal interpretation.

 

   "In the course of justice none of us / Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy, / And that same prayer doth teach us all to render / The deeds of mercy."

• Who said it: Portia (as Balthazar) (Act 4, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: Another part of Portia's mercy speech, this connects the human act of showing mercy to the Christian concept of divine salvation. It underscores the hypocrisy of the Christian characters if they refuse to show the very mercy they pray for.

 

   "I am content."

• Who said it: Shylock (Act 4, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: Spoken after the Duke and Antonio have imposed the harsh conditions of his conversion to Christianity and the forfeiture of his wealth. This line is delivered with utter resignation and defeat. It marks his complete ruin, symbolizing the crushing of his spirit and identity, and serves as a chilling end to his role in the play.

 

  

"The man that hath no music in himself, / Nor is not mov'd with concord of sweet sounds, / Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils."

• Who said it: Lorenzo (Act 5, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: This line, spoken in the peaceful, romantic setting of Belmont, shifts the mood dramatically from the tension of the trial. It suggests that a love for music (and by extension, harmony, beauty, and emotional depth) is indicative of a good character, while a lack of it suggests malevolence. This is often seen as an implicit jab at Shylock, who is portrayed as having no appreciation for such things.

 

  "When I was yet in Venice, I was with her / The first of all, and swore a solemn oath / That I would never part with it."

• Who said it: Bassanio (Act 5, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: Bassanio's explanation for giving away the ring highlights his predicament and the playful trick Portia has played on him. It sets up the comedic resolution of the ring plot, where trust and fidelity are tested but ultimately affirmed.

 

  "Sweet Portia, if you did know my heart, / You would confess that I have lost the dearest friend / That ever did survive, among my foes, / And lost him too, in paying your debt."

• Who said it: Antonio (Act 5, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: This line reiterates Antonio's deep bond with Bassanio and his selfless sacrifice. It also highlights his sense of isolation ("among my foes") and the personal cost of the bond, even in victory.

  "Nor shall not now be my partner, save in the bed."

• Who said it: Nerissa (Act 5, Scene 1)
• Why it's important: Nerissa's playful retort to Gratiano about his ring, mirroring Portia's trick. It adds a comedic element to the resolution, reinforcing the theme of wit and cleverness (especially on the part of the women) that permeates the play.