Summary,
The play starts with Antonio, a rich merchant of Venice, complaining to his friends about a melancholy that he cannot find any reasons for, his friends feel that it could because of the worry regarding the safety of his merchant ships that may be threatened by storms or sea pirates. Antonio denies this by saying that his merchandise is widely distributed and does not depends upon those ships only. Solanio says that it may be due to love, but Antony dissents this
and states that, he hates falling in love. So his friends attribute the melancholy to his 'strange' nature.
After the departure of these two friends, Bassanio, Gratiano and Lorenzo arrives. Gratiano teases Antonio by suggesting that he is too much bothered about the opinion of the world or he wants to appear as a wise man. Antonio replies that he treats the world ‘but as the stage‘, a stage every man has to do a role and his is a sad one. Gratiano immediately responds, and says that he is not the one willing to be sad, he wants to enjoy his youth before the age
descends upon him. He departs by advicing Antonio to overcome his sadness and not to be its victim.
When he is left alone with Bassanio, he asks his friend about his visit to a lady. Bassanio then confesses that he is in love with a rich lady from Belmont, but without any money, because of his extravagant nature, he'll not find a chance to woo the lady. He will be at a disadvantage as compared with the other rich suitors. He requested Antonio to lend him sufficient money, but Antonio
does not have any ready cash as his 'fortunes are at sea' but offers to stand as a guarantee for a credit to raise the money.
Meanings
In sooth = truly, want-wit = a dull fellow, argosies = merchant ships, signiors = gentlemen, portly = stately, burghers = citizens, pageants = decorated floats, overpeer = look over the heads of, petty traffickers = small commercial boats, reverence = respect, woven wings = canvas sails, broth = soup, shallows and of flats = shallow waters and sandbanks, Andrew = common name for big ships, dock‘d = run ashore, bechanced = happened, Janus = a Roman God at doors who has two faces-one frowning and the other smiling, vinegar aspect = bitter nature, Nestor = an old and wise Greek General who would not laugh at silly jokes, marvelously = considerably, let my liver = a liver environed by wine will produce richblood that will enliven one's disposition, mortifying = miserable, alabaster = marble white stone used in making statues, jaundice = sickly and complaining, profound conceit = deep thought, ope = open, gudgeon = a small foolish fish easily caught, exhortation = good advice, a neat's tongue dried 2 an ox-tongue, preserved and ready to be eaten, prodigal = extravagant, aged = in debt, extremest means = utmost capacity or resources, shaft = arrow, latte; hazard = second loan, fleece = wool, Jasons = adventurous sailors, presages = prophesies, thrift = profitable success, rack‘d = stretched.
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Act I Scene 2
Summary,
The location of the scene is now at Belmont. From the masculine commercial world of Venice we are taken to a romantic, feminine world of Belmont The plot unfolds through theconversation of Portia and Nerissa. Like Antonio, Portia is also sad; but there is a reason for her sadness. At the time of death, her father had willed that Portia‘s husband should be chosen by a lottery. The suitor has to choose one of the three caskets displayed. They are made of gold, silver and lead with cryptic inscriptions on each. The one who chooses the right casket with the portrait of Portia will win her hand. The person who chooses the wrong casket should take an oath never to marry or reveal what is written on the casket.
There is an interesting conversation between the two ladies regarding the suitors. Portia wittily lind out faults within each suitor who has come to try their luck. There is a Neopolitan prince who only talks about horses, a Palatine who does nothing but frown, Monsieur Le Bon has no character of his own, someone is a drunkard, the other one is strangely dressed and so on. Fortunately, for Portia all of them decide to leave without taking any risk. The lady is highly
relieved. The real reason is that she is attracted to Bassanio whom she had met earlier on some occasion.
Nerissa informs Portia that 'a Venetian, scholar and soldier‘ has arrived. Portia remembers the man as 'the best deserving of a fair lady'. This kindles the curiosity of the audience to meet the young man who has captured the fair lady‘s imagination.
Meanings
Troth = faith, aweary = tired, aught = anything, surfeit = having too much, superfluity = state of having too much, divine = preacher, madness (the youth) = high spirits of the youth, skip o'er = jump over, meshes = nets, cripple = hurt, reasoning = wise talk, curbed = restrained, virtuous = having good qualities like wisdom, inspirations = divine guidance, over-name = call out their names, Neapolitan = from Naples, colt = an inexperienced young man, appropriation = qualification, County Palatine = count of Palatinate, frown = have an angry or disgusted expression, the weeping philosopher = Heraclitus of Ephesus who went to the mountains as he was disgusted by human stupidity, death's-head = skull, throstle = thrush, a song bird, capering = jumping or leaping, suited = dressed, doublet == jacket, round hose = breeches, a box of the ear = a blow on the ear, vilely = badly, fell = happen, make shift = manage. Rhenish wine = White wine made in Rhine valley, contrary = wrong, imposition e will, Sibylla = an old woman, wooers = suitors, fore-runner = messenfsyen Shrive = hear my sins and grant forgiveness.
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Act I Scene 3
Summary,
Again, the scene shifts to a public place in Venice. The audience is brought back to the world of business and hard talk. Shylock, one of the most complex characters in English Literature, is introduced here. The scene completes the exposition that started with the bond story when Antonio agrees to Shylock's demand of a pound of flesh.
Bassanio meets Shylock and asks for a loan of three thousand ducats on Antonio's credit. Shylock considers that since Antonio's riches are at the mercy of the sea, he's ‘a good man' and if fortune wills, he can make some money. When Bassanio invites him to dine with Antonio, Shylock refuses as it's his principle not to dine with Christians.
Antonio makes his appearance and at the very sight of the merchant Shylock is filled with loath. Antonio has always criticized him for taking interest on the money lent. Many a time Antonio has insulted the Jew, spat on him and called him a dog. Shylock considers it as a good opportunity to take his revenge against the Christians. So he says, he wants Antonio's friendship and will advance the money without interest. But he wants to make the transaction a 'merry sport' and a penalty clause is to be inserted by way of a bond. If Antonio is unable to repay the borrowed money, Shylock would cut a pound of flesh from any part of his body. Bassanio is worried about Shylock’s intentions, but Antonio expresses his happiness as the usurer is turning into a Christian.
Antonio is confident that his ship's cargo will be sold by that time, and he will be able to settle the debt.
Meanings
Ducats = Venetian gold coins, be bound = will stand as guarantee, stead = supply, imputation = allegation, in supposition = at risk, argosy = merchant ship, Rialto = Venetian Stock Exchange, squandered = scattered lavishly, bethink = think it over, fawning = servile, publican = tax collector, gratis = free of interest, sacred nation = Jewish tribe, rails = abuses, congregate = gather, bargains = business deals, debating = calculating, present store = ready money, gross = full amount, Hebrew = Jew, furnish = supply, albeit = although, excess = interest, ripe = pressing, wrought = schemed, third possessor = third in line of possession, compromis'd = agreed, eanlings = new born lambs, streak'd and pied = with fleeces of two colours, thrive = succeed, thrift = profit, swayed and fashioned = controlled and shaped, holy witness = biblical arguments, goodly = pleasant, beholding = indebted, rated = abused, usances = money deals, sufferance = long suffering, badge = characteristic, gabardine = loose cloak, void your rheum = spit, cur = stray dog, bondman's key = like a bond man in the tone of a slave, bated breath = holding breath in a suppressed manner, spurn'd = rejected, exact = take. doit“= interest, notary =. lawyer for drawing up contracts, nominated = named, forfelture = Penalty, adieu = bye , merry bond = a pleasant joke, unthrifty knave = irresponsible Servant, dismay = reason for anxiety.
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© E Learning (2017)
Education Society of HOW
® All rights reserved.
■ The Merchant of Venice (Full Bengali Translated PDF) — Chick Here
_____________________________________________
© E Learning (2017)
Education Society of HOW
® All rights reserved.
■ The Merchant of Venice (Full Bengali Translated PDF) — Chick Here
