MERCHANT OF VENICE ACT 2 SCENE 6

                                                     ACT II Scene 6    

                                 CONTEXT QUESTIONS

 1. (i) This scene takes place in the street outside Shylock's house. Lorenzo has out-dwelt his hour to meet Gratiano and Salarino for the masque. Lovers generally rush to the meeting place long before the appointed hour.

 (ii) In Greek mythology, Venus is the goddess of love. Salarino comments that the doves that draw the chariot of Venus, the goddess of love, fly ten times faster when they are journeying to bind new love more firmly, than they do when love is already pledged and certain.

 (iii) According to Gratiano, people in love are anxious to meet each other. They rush to their meeting places much before the appointed time. Thus, people in love keep punctuality in their meetings and never delay.

(iv) (a) he overstays the time fixed by him to meet. (b) To bind new love more firmly.

(v) The given lines mean that you will not find even a horse travel again over the same road on its return journey with the same energy and animation with which it set out.

 (vi) "All things  enjoy'd" means that the pursuit of any desired object is more enjoyable a task and gives more joy compared to the pleasure one gets on its attainment. The truth of the statement is brought about by the example of a ship. A ship with its sails spread and flags flying, sails out from the harbour like a high-spirited spendthrift youth in search of pleasure. But after being tossed about and hugged by the rough wind, it comes back to the port with broken planks and torn sails. It looks like the returning of the prodigal son, ruined by the faithless gales.

2. (i) Lorenzo is in the street outside Shylock's house. His sweet friends are Salarino and Gratiano.

(ii) His friends said that lovers generally rush to meet each other before the appointed time. Salarino commented that the doves that draw the chariot of Goddess of love, fly ten times faster, when they are journeying to find new love than they do when love is once pledged and certain.

(iii) The speaker was kept away so long due to his business affairs. Also he had to plan for the masquerade, in which he would elope with his lady-love, Jessica.

(iv) 'To play the thieves for wives' means if ever any of them wishes to do what he is doing that night and steal away a fair lady to be his wife, he will wait as long as they have done to help him On the occasion. These remarks are quite relevant because Lorenzo wants to give the reason for his delay as well as thank his friends, whom he has kept waiting for a long time.

 (v) Later in the scene, Lorenzo tells Jessica to come down in the street quickly and that she has to play the part of his torch-bearer in the masque that night. Jessica is shocked and embarrassed at the suggestion. She asks Lorenzo whether she must hold a light to show up her shameful acts — her elopement, theft and male dress.

 (vi) After this extract, Jessica appears on the stage. She appears on the stage dressed in a boy's clothes, as a page-boy.

 3. (i) The casket must have valuables like jewellery which Jessica has stolen from her house. We can conclude that the contents in the casket are valuables since Jessica hands over the casket only after making sure that the person to whom she is giving the casket is her love, Lorenzo. Besides, she tells Lorenzo that it is worth carrying the casket.

 (ii) The given words mean that Jessica is much ashamed that she has to change her dress to that of a pal;-boy. This exchange was needed for her to elope with Lorenzo.

(iii) Love is blind in the context since it makes Jessica dress like a page-boy, steal jewellery and money from her house and be ready to elope with Lorenzo, a Christian. Cupid is the classical god of love, who is always represented as a blind boy with bow and arrows. Jessica says that Cupid, the little blind god of love himself would be shocked and blush if he saw her dressed like a boy.

(iv) Masquerades were dramatic performances where the players wore masks and costumes and took part in a torchlight procession playing drums and fife. Jessica was to carry the torchlight or candle. If she carries the candle, she will show up her shameful acts — her male attire, the casket containing her theft and the fact of her elopement.

 (v) The given lines mean: "The duty of a torch-bearer would expose me to all when I should be concealed." Jessica means that her shameful disguise of a page-boy's dress is too frivolous and Lorenzo should not light them further by having her as torch-bearer.

(vi) Jessica's feminine nature is highlighted in the extract. Her shyness at her male clothes shows her feminine modesty as in Elizabethan times women never wore men's clothes. Also she comes down from her house after making sure that the person, who has come to take her is Lorenzo, her lover.