ACT V

1. Where does the scene take place? Who enter the scene?
A. This scene takes place in the avenue to Portia’s house and the garden in
front of her house in Belmont. Lorenzo & Jessica enter the scene.

2. What three qualities of the night does Lorenzo mention?

A. Lorenzo says that the moon shone as brilliantly and the sweet breeze was
gently touching the trees which silently received its caresses. It is a calm
and quiet night.

3. What does Lorenzo say about Troilus? Explain the allusion.

A. Lorenzo says that on a moonlit night as this, long years ago, Troilus
climbed up the walls of Troy and heaved deep sighs towards the Grecian camp
where his faithless beloved Cressida was sleeping.
According to the medieval story, Troilus fell in love with Cressida, a young
Trojan woman. She was the niece of Troilus's friend Pandarus, who encouraged
the relationship by carrying letters and arranging meetings. However,
Cressida's father decided to side with the Greeks against his own people,
and he ordered Cressida to join him in the Greek camp. There, despite her
vows of loyalty to Troilus, she fell in love with a Greek soldier named
Diomedes. Her faithlessness filled Troilus with rage and despair.
Lorenzo is of the opinion that men are more faithful than women in matters
of love.

4. What does Jessica say about Thisbe? Explain the allusion.

A. Jessica says that on a moonlit night like this Thisbe, timidly and silently
ran over the dewy grass. The bright moonlight showed her the shadow of a
lion and being warned in time, she ran away to safety.
Pyramus and Thisbe lived in Babylonia and from the time they were young,
they were neighbours. They played together daily as children and fell in
love as they grew older. Although neighbours, their families were hostile to
one another so the love between Pyramus and Thisbe remained a secret.
Suddenly they came to the decision that they would not be stopped from being
together any longer. They decided to meet that night outside the city gates
under a mulberry tree filled with white fruit. This particular tree grew
near a stream next to the local cemetery. Thisbe, hidden by a veil, arrived
at the appointed spot first and waited patiently for Pyramus to come. All of
a sudden, a lioness fresh from a kill, her jaws covered in blood, slunk out
of the brush to satisfy her thirst at the stream. Thisbe, frightened by this
disturbance, ran to a nearby cave. In her haste, she dropped her veil and
the lioness grabbed it and shredded it with her bloody jaws. Meanwhile,
Pyramus had arrived at the meeting place. As he approached the tree he could
not help but notice the large paw prints of the lioness. His heart beat
faster. As he approached the stream, his fears were confirmed upon seeing
Thisbe’s veil torn and bloodstained. Unable to find Thisbe and fearing that
she was dead, Pyramus was unable to contain his sorrow. He drew his sword
and plunged it deeply into his side. As he removed the sword from his side,
blood sprayed the white fruit on the tree, turning it a dark purple colour.

Meanwhile, Thisbe, recovered from her fright, came back to the meeting place
by the stream. There she saw Pyramus’ body lying in a crumpled heap on the
ground. Racked with uncontrollable agony, she took his sword and threw her
body onto it.
 Jessica wanted to show that both had become symbols of faithful lovers.

5. What does Lorenzo say about Queen Dido? Relate the story referred to here.
A. Lorenzo says that on a moonlit night like this, Queen Dido stood on the wild
sea shore of Carthage with a branch of willow tree ( the emblem of forsaken
love) in her hand waving to her beloved Aeneas in his ship, vainly appealing
to him to return to her.

In Greek mythology, Dido was the founder and queen of Carthage, a city on
the northern coast of Africa. The Trojan leader Aeneas was shipwrecked on
the shore near Carthage at the time when Dido was building the new city.
After welcoming Aeneas and his men, the queen fell deeply in love with him.
In time, the two lived together as wife and husband, and Aeneas began to act
as though he were king of Carthage. Then Jupiter sent a messenger to tell
Aeneas that he could not remain in Carthage. Rather, his destiny was to
found a new city for the Trojans in Italy.

Dido was devastated when she heard that Aeneas planned to leave. She had
believed that the two of them would eventually marry. Aeneas insisted that
he had no choice but to obey the gods, and shortly afterward, he and his men
set sail for Italy. When Dido saw the ships sail out to sea, she ordered a
funeral pyre to be built and died in the flames.

6. What does Jessica say about Medea? Relate the story connected with her.
A. Medea the wife of Jason, restored Jason’s father, Aeson to youthful vigour
by her skill in magic. She gathered herbs by moonlight. Then she made a
potion and made him drink it. Thus he was restored to his youthful strength.

7. What does Lorenzo say about Jessica now & what was Jessica’s reply?
A. Lorenzo says that on one such night, Jessica left her rich old father,
Shylock the Jew, and ran away with a penniless husband from Venice and came
to Belmont.
Jessica says that on a similar night young Lorenzo swore to her that he
loved her dearly. He won her heart and made many promises of constancy and
love, but there was not a word of truth in any of them.

8. How does Lorenzo retort?

A. Lorenzo retorts by saying that on such a bright night as this, the lovely
Jessica, like a little shrew ridiculed her husband, and he pardoned it all.

9. What does Jessica say now?

A. Jessica tells Lorenzo that she could outdo Lorenzo in specify instances of
moonlit nights, if they had only a little longer time to themselves; but
they are interrupted and she can hear the footsteps of a man approaching.

10. Who enters the scene now? What news does he bring?
A. Stephano, a servant of Portia, enters the scene.
He has come to inform Lorenzo that Portia will arrive at Belmont before
daybreak. On her way to this place she is going from one religious shrine to
another where there are holy crosses, kneeling and praying for happy married
hours.

11. Who is coming with Portia and what does Stephano ask about Bassanio and
what reply does he get?
A. None except a holy hermit (monk) and her servant.
Stephano wants to know whether Bassanio has returned and Lorenzo tells him
he has not yet returned, nor do they have any news concerning him.

12. Who enters the scene now and with what news?
A. Launcelot. He informs Lorenzo and Jessica that Bassanio has sent a messenger
to announce that he will arrive shortly before break of day.

13. What does Lorenzo decide to do first? Why does he change his mind?
A. At first Lorenzo decides that they should go in and wait for the arrival of
Portia and Bassanio. Then he changes his mind and decides to wait in the
garden. He tells Stephano to go in and announce to the servants that Lady
Portia will soon arrive. He tells him to send the orchestra out-of-doors to
welcome the arrivals with music.

14. Explain : ‘Look, how the floor of heaven……………………in we cannot hear it’.
A. Lorenzo asks Jessica to look at the beauty of the moonlit night. The stars
shining in the sky look like pieces of bright gold fixed on a dark coloured
canopy.
Even the smallest star that seems to be moving produces sweet music like
angels do in the company of young cherubim. Only angels with beautiful and
youthful eyes listen to the music produced by the movement of stars. This
music is not meant for human ears. The music produced by the spheres can be
enjoyed only by the angels who have immortal souls. Human beings do not
enjoy this music as long as their souls are imprisoned in their mortal
bodies made of dust.

15. How does Lorenzo ask the musicians to play music?

A. Lorenzo asks the musicians to play music and wake up the goddess of moon,
Diana, from her sleep. He tells them that the sweet music should reach the
ears of their mistress (Portia) and attract her home.

16. What effect does sweet music have on Jessica? What reason doe Lorenzo give
for it?
A. Jessica says that when she listens to sweet music, she becomes serious or
sad.
Lorenzo tells her that she becomes serious because her soul pays full
attention to the music and so her mind does not or does not have any room to
think of any light and happy thoughts.

17. According to Lorenzo what effect does music have upon untamed spirits?
A. According to Lorenzo even savage and untamed beasts and young and untrained
colts that rush about madly bellowing and neighing aloud, being full of
energy and strength, also come to a standstill and remain quiet if they only
hear the sound of a trumpet or some soft notes of music. Their wild eyes
transform to gentle gaze. Such is the effect of music even over the wild
beasts.

18. Who is Orpheus? Explain.

A. Orpheus was the son of Calliope - a Muse (a Muse is the personification of
knowledge and the arts, especially literature, dance and music). Calliope
was one of the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. He was presented with a
lyre by Apollo. With its music he enchanted not only the wild beasts, but
 also the trees and rocks upon Olympus so that they moved from their places
to follow the sound of the golden harp.

19. According to Lorenzo what did Ovid imagine?

A. According to Lorenzo, Ovid imagined that Orpheus with his flute could move
even trees, stones and water. However unfeeling or hard a thing may be,
however fierce or unyielding, music can melt or soften, while it is being
played.

20. What does Lorenzo say about a man who has no love for music?
A. Lorenzo says that the man who is unmoved by good music or whose soul is not
touched by the beauty of music, is capable of treachery (acting against his
country), plunder or destruction. His thoughts are base, his soul is dark
and his emotions are as sordid (disgusting) as hell. Such a man cannot be
trusted.

21. Who appears in the distance unnoticed by the others? What are the thoughts
suggested by the light of a candle to Portia?
A. Portia and Nerissa appear in the distance.
Portia tells Nerissa that the light they see is burning in her own house.
The light from a little candle can travel very far into the night.
Similarly, the light of a good deed in this wicked world is equally far-
reaching. It shines like a light in the darkness.

22. What did Nerissa say about the candle? What is Portia’s reply?
A. Nerissa said that when the moon was shining, they did not see the light of
the candle.
Portia replies that the greater glory dims the lesser glory. The effect of a
small thing is overpowered by the fame of greater ones. In the absence of
the king the viceroy holds a high position and he looks as great as his
master. But when the king himself appears the other’s glory vanishes just
how a small river flowing on land vanishes into the mighty ocean.

23. Explain: ‘Nothing is good I see without respect, me thinks it sounds much
sweeter than by day’.
A. Portia says that we appreciate things much when we have leisure to pay
attention to them. We can fully enjoy a good thing when it is accompanied by
circumstances like the place and the time. So. However perfect, the music is
in the daytime, it sounds sweeter in the night.

24. Portia mentions about 5 birds. What does she say about them?
A. Portia mentions the crow, the lark, the nightingale, the goose and the wren.
Portia says that when we pay no attention to it, the hoarse voice of the
crow sounds as sweet as the melodious note of the lark. If the nightingale
sings by day when every goose is cackling, it will not be appreciated any
more than the twittering wren. The true value of a thing depends on the way
it has been seen or heard at the most fitting time. Even good things do not
attain perfection and fail to deserve the due praise simply because they are
not well timed.
25. Explain: ‘the moon sleeps with Endymion’
A. The above words mean that the moon is not visible now as it is hidden by the
clouds. So Portia uses the classical imagery of the moon sleeping with
Endymion.

Endymion was a handsome young shepherd boy of Greece. As he slept on Latmus(

a mountain), his surprising beauty won the cold heart of Diana, the moon
goddess. She condemned him to eternal sleep by endowing him with everlasting
youth, so that she could lie by his side and kiss him. The moon kissed him
by pouring down her silvery light on him. So here, the moon hiding behind a
cloud is described as her sleeping with Endymion.

26. Who welcomes Portia and Nerissa? What comparison does she make about her
voice?
A. Lorenzo recognizes the voice of Portia and welcomes her and Nerissa as they
reach the house.
Portia says that Lorenzo recognizes her by her unmusical voice just as a
blind man recognizes a cuckoo by its bad voice.

27. What instructions does Portia send to her servants through Nerissa?
A. Portia tells Nerissa to tell her servants within the house not to speak of
their absence or make any reference to it. She tells Lorenzo and Jessica not
to do so either.

28. Just before Bassanio could come in what remark does Portia make about the
night?
A. Portia says that the night is so bright that it is now like a dim day. It
looks just like a dim day when the clouds obscure the sun.

29. Who has overheard Portia? What does he say?

A. Bassanio overheard Portia and pays her a compliment by saying that if she
were to come forth at night after the sun set, they would still have day
even while the sun is lighting up the opposite side of the globe.

30. Explain: Let me give light……you are welcome home my lord.

A. Portia replies by saying that she would gladly give him light but let her
not have a light (immoral) character because an unfaithful wife makes her
husband sorrowful. She wishes that Bassanio should never be sorrowful on her
account. But, let God dispose of everything. She welcomes him home.

31. Describe the introduction of Antonio to Portia and state what was said on
both sides.
A. Bassanio introduces his friend, Antonio, and tells her that he is the man to
whom he owes so much. Portia says that he should in all reason fell obliged
to him because she has heard that Antonio was bound for Bassanio i.e. he
signed a bond for him at a great risk to his own life.
Antonio says that he had been repaid for what he had done. Portia says that
Antonio is welcome to their house but she must show him the warmth of her
welcome by deeds and not mere words. So she will put an end to speeches of
polite courtesy.
32. Why is Gratiano swearing to Nerissa that she is doing him wrong?
A. Nerissa has discovered that Gratiano has given away her ring and accuses him
of giving it to another woman. So, Gratiano is swearing to her by the light
of the moon above them that she is accusing him unjustly. He tells her that
really and truly he gave it to the lawyer’s young clerk. He says he wishes
the one he gave it to were dead, as it has displeased his beloved so much.

33. What does Gratiano reply Portia when she wants to know what the matter is?
A. Gratiano replies that he and Nerissa are quarrelling over a ring of gold, a
mere worthless ring that Nerissa gave him, with a rhyming inscription on it,
such as the manufacturers of knives engrave on their blades, ‘ Love me and
leave me not’.

34. How does Nerissa react to this?

A. Nerissa says the worth of the ring or the inscription on it does not matter.
She states that when she gave it to Gratiano, he solemnly vowed that he
would never part with it during his life time, and that after death it would
be buried in the grave with him. Even if he did not care sufficiently to
keep it for her sake, yet for the sake of not breaking his vow, he should
have felt it was his duty to keep it. She accuses him of not having given it
to a young clerk but to a woman.

35. How does Gratiano describe the clerk to whom he gave the ring?
A. Gratiano tells Nerissa he gave the ring to a boy. He was not taller than
Nerissa. He was the clerk to the young lawyer and he talked, coaxed and
entreated him to give him the ring in payment for his services, until
Gratianio could not be so hard-hearted as to refuse him any longer.

36. How does Portia join Nerissa in accusing and scolding Gratiano?
A. Portia tells Gratiano that it was very wrong of him to give away the first
present his wife had given him, so readily. Besides it was bound to his
finger with many faithful protestations (declarations). She tells him that
he has given Nerissa a very just ground for complaint. If it were done to
her, she would be really angry.

37. What does Portia tell Gratiano about the ring she had given Bassanio?
A. Portia tells Gratiano that she had also given a ring to her beloved husband,
Bassanio, and made him swear never to part with it. He stands before them.
She is willing to take an oath on his behalf that he will not part with it
nor give it away though he were offered all the riches of the universe.

38. Explain: ‘ Why I were best to cut my left hand off, and swear I lost the
ring defending it’
A. Bassanio is in a dilemma on hearing Portia express faith in him. In says the
best thing he can do is to cut off the left hand on which he wore the ring,
and vow that the ring was taken from him by force, and that he was wounded
in trying to prevent it.

39. What does Gratiano reveal at this stage?

A. Gratiano reveals now that Lord Bassanio did indeed part with the ring. He
gave it to the judge who asked for it and who really deserved a reward. When
his clerk, the youth who had taken great care in writing out the proceedings
 of the case saw that, he begged Gratiano for his ring. They offered them
compensate in money instead, but the judge and the clerk would accept no
other gift except the two rings.

40. How does Portia react when she sees that Bassanio does not have her ring?
A. Portia says that just as there is no ring on his finger, so there is no
truth in his false heart. She swears that she will never be a wife to him
until Bassanio shows her the ring again.

41. What further excuse does Bassanio give for having parted with the ring?
A. Bassanio tells Portia that if she knew the one who received the ring and if
she knew the man for whose shake he gave it, if she would consider what good
reasons he had for giving it and could imagine how reluctantly he gave it
when he found no other way of satisfying him, he thinks she would be less
angry with him.
He is so earnest in his explanation that he ends every line with ‘ring’.

42. How does Portia meet his excuses?

A. Portia continues his rhyme ‘ring’ at the end of every line in a teasing way
and tells him that if he knew the power of that ring, if he were aware of
half the virtues of the one who gave it to him or if he had considered how
his honour was involved in keeping it safe, he would never have given it
away. If he had seriously opposed the judge’s request with some earnestness,
would he have persisted so unfeelingly for a thing which he held almost
sacred? She says that she is forced to agree with Nerissa that he has given
the ring to some woman.

43. How does Bassanio explain the circumstances under which he parted with the
ring?
A. Bassanio explains the circumstances under which he parted with the ring.
Bassanio says that he swears by all that is most sacred to him that he never
gave the ring to a woman, but to a most learned doctor of the civil law.
He would not accept any fee, even when Bassanio offered the whole sum of
three thousand ducats due to the Jew. All he asked for was the ring. He
refused to give it to him, although he was the very one who had saved
Antonio’s life. He left the court angry and disappointed. Bassanio could not
appear so ungrateful. He was overwhelmed with feelings of shame at his
apparent thanklessness.
A sense of gratitude prompted him to show courtesy. He could not allow his
reputation to be tarnished with ingratitude on his part. Bassanio felt
compelled to send a messenger after him with the ring, he so much wished
for.
Bassanio begs of Portia to forgive him. He swears by the stars above them,
that if she had been present, she would herself have entreated Bassanio to
let the worthy doctor have the ring.

44. Why does Portia not want that doctor to come to her house?
Who echoes her sentiments?
A. Portia does not want the doctor to ever come to her house, for she will
follow Bassanio’s example. He has given the doctor the gem she prized so
highly, which he promised to keep for her, because he asked for it.
Therefore she will become generous as Bassanio, if he does come. She will
not refuse him anything she possesses.
 Nerissa echoes her sentiments and says that she will refuse nothing which
his clerk asks for. She tells Gratiano to take care, therefore, not to leave
her unguarded.

45. Which vow does Bassanio make and how does Portia tease
him for that?
A. Bassanio begins making a vow to her, with all his friends as witnesses, and
swears by Portia’s tow lovely eyes which reflect his image. Portia
interrupts him by telling everyone to hear what he says. Portia teases him
by saying that he sees himself in each of her eyes, therefore he sees
himself double. It is an appropriate oath to vow by his double –dealing
(insincere) self.

46. How does Antonio show that his confidence in Bassanio is

unabated?
A. Antonio tells Portia that once he had been surety for the welfare of her
husband. Had it not been for the worthy doctor to whom Bassanio gave her
ring, Antonio’s body would have perished. He says that he is so sure of her
husband’s faithfulness that he is ready to be his surety again, and offer
his soul as the forfeit this time. He swears that never again will Bassanio
knowingly break his word to her.
When Antonio says he is ready to pawn his soul, he means, he is ready to
pawn his salvation. He will forfeit it to Satan. This is a much greater
stake than forfeiting his body. These words show that Antonio’s confidence
in Bassanio is unabated.

47. What does Portia say and do now? What is Bassanio’s

reaction?
A. Portia tells Antonio she accepts his offer and he will be the guarantee for
Bassanio’s faith. Then she gives him the ring and tells Antonio to tell
Bassanio to take better care of it than he did of the last one.
Antonio tells Bassanio to take the ring and to take an oath that he will
never part with it. Bassanio recognizes the ring as his own and he is
dumbfounded to see the ring which he gave to the doctor in Venice.

48. How does Portia reveal her disguised presence at the

trial?
A. Portia gives a letter to Bassanio to read which Bellario of Padua sent to
him. She explains that in the letter it will be stated that the doctor of
law was Portia herself and that the young clerk was Nerissa. She tells all
of them that Lorenzo will testify that both of them started on their journey
immediately after Bassanio and Antonio did and that they have only just
returned. In fact, she has not even entered her house yet.
49. What good news does Portia give Antonio?
A. Portia gives Antonio another letter and tells him to open it quickly. There
he will find that three of his trading ships have unexpectedly reached their
destination with all their rich cargo intact. She further tells him that she
will not tell him by what strange chance she happened to obtain the letter.

50. What does Antonio tell Portia?

A. Antonio tells Portia that she has given him not only his life by saving it
at the trial, but now she has restored to him his means of livelihood, for
he reads in the letter given by her, that without doubt his ships have
arrived at the harbour.

51. What comforting news does Nerissa give Lorenzo? How does
Lorenzo react?
A. Nerissa gives Lorenzo and Jessica a special legal agreement, in which
Shylock leaves both of them all his riches and property after his death.

Lorenzo tells the ladies that their hands scatter blessings wherever they go
and provide food from heaven (manna) for the hungry. i.e. this pleasant news
is welcome to Lorenzo, Jessica & Antonio.

52. Who has the last word in the play? What does he say?
A. Gratiano says that for the remainder of his life, his chief care will be
nothing else but to guard Nerissa’s ring and never to part with it.

53. Why is this scene important?

A. The ring episode provides the welcome relief needed after the tension of the
Trial scene. Shakespeare ends his play by telling us what becomes of his
characters. So we learn that Antonio’s ships have returned safely and his
wealth is restored. Lorenzo and Jessica are happily settled as they are
going to receive a fortune from Shylock. Bassanio learns to appreciate the
value of his wife. Nerissa and Gratiano are happily united.
The stories of the caskets, the bond, the Lorenzo-Jessica story and the ring
story are all completed. Good has triumphed over evil. Harmony is restored
and the audience as well as the reader is left in a pleasing frame of mind.

*****