Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
SHYLOCK: Shall I not have barely my principal?
PORTIA: Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture,
To be so taken at thy peril, Jew.
(i) What is the ‘principal’ that Shylock asks for?
Why does Portia refuse to give it to him?
(ii) What is the ‘forfeiture’ they are referring to?
What danger (‘peril’) would Shylock be in if he took the forfeiture?
(iii) What further hold does the law of Venice have on Shylock?
(iv) What concession does Antonio offer to Shylock?
On what condition does he make this offer?
(v) Why is Shylock in a hurry to leave the courtroom after the trial?
How far can Shylock be blamed for the outcome of the trial?
Give one reason for your response.
SECTION C
(Answer one or more questions from this Section.)
PROSE-SHORT STORIES
(Treasure Trove - A Collection of Poems and Short Stories)
Show SolutionHide Solution↓
(i) ‘Principal’ is the amount of money, 3000 ducats,
that Shylock gave to Antonio.
Portia refuses to give the principal amount to
Shylock as according to the agreement,he can only
receive the penalty and not the principal amount.
(ii) The forfeiture is the penalty, i.e. a pound of flesh
from near Antonio’s heart.
According to the agreement, Shylock could only
take ‘a pound of flesh’ from near Antonio’s heart
assuring that not a single drop of blood is dropped
from his body. If Shylock took the forfeiture, he will
surely drop Antonio’s blood and then he will be
sentenced to death.
(iii) The law of Venice also states that if a foreigner
tries to kill a citizen, that citizen will take half of his
goods and the other half will be confiscated by the
state. The life of this foreigner will be at the mercy
of the duke.
(iv) Antonio offers Shylockhis share of half of the goods
owed to him.
He makes this offer on the basis of two conditions,
first that Shylock converts to Christianity and
second that after his death, he will give everything
to his daughter and son-in-law, Lorenzo.
(v) Shylock was in a hurry to leave the courtroom
after the trial because he was not feeling well after
hearing the proceedings in the court.
Shylock can be blamed much for what happened in
the court as he could have easily shown mercy and
forgiven Antonio. He could also have taken 6000
ducats instead of 3000 ducats. But he chose not to
show mercy and did not forgive Antonio.
SECTION C