The Merchant of Venice (33 page)
Read The Merchant of Venice Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Jessica
probably a form of “Iscah,” daughter of Abraham’s brother, Haran (Genesis 11:29)
10
exhibit
express (malapropism for “inhibit,” i.e. restrain)
12
get
beget, conceive
18
manners
behavior/character
19
strife
i.e. internal conflict, turmoil
1
in
during
5
spoke … of
discussed/hired
6
vile
degrading/worthless
quaintly
skillfully
ordered
arranged
9
furnish us
prepare
10
An
if
this
i.e. the letter’s seal
11
seem to signify
i.e. tell you something
12
hand
handwriting
fair hand
attractive handwriting (sense then shifts to “beautiful pale hand”)
16
By your leave
with your permission (to go)
18
sup
have supper
22
Go
i.e. come
23
masque
theatrical entertainment, usually involving music and dancing
24
of
with
28
some
about an
31
must needs
must
directed
instructed/described
36
gentle
puns on “gentile”
37
foot
step/path
38
she
i.e. misfortune
39
she
i.e. Jessica
issue
child
faithless
pagan/dishonest
2
of
between
3
gormandize
eat excessively
5
rend apparel out
wear out your clothes
9
wont
accustomed
12
bid forth
invited out
13
wherefore
why
15
upon
i.e. at the expense of
16
prodigal
wastefully extravagant
17
to
after
right loath
very reluctant
18
ill
harm/trouble
19
tonight
last night
20
expect
await
21
reproach
malapropism for “approach”; Shylock responds to what Lancelet has actually said
25
nose fell a-bleeding
considered to be a bad omen
Black … th’afternoon
a deliberately nonsensical series of details; Lancelet pokes fun at superstitious attitudes such as Shylock’s
Black Monday
Easter Monday
30
wry-necked
played with the musician’s head twisted away from the instrument
31
casements
windows
33
varnished faces
i.e. wearing masks
34
stop
shut
35
fopp’ry
foolishness
36
Jacob’s staff
in the Bible, the only possession Jacob started out with
37
mind of
inclination for
forth
away from home
41
for
despite
43
a Jewès eye
proverbial phrase for something very valuable; also plays on Jessica (a “Jewess”) eyeing Lorenzo
44
Hagar’s offspring
Abraham’s Egyptian concubine Hagar gave birth to Ishmael; both mother and son were outcast at Abraham’s wife Sarah’s request
46
patch
fool, clown
47
profit
progress
48
Drones
non-workers (literally, bees whose only role is to impregnate the queen)
hive
live (in a hive)
54
Fast … find
keep possessions securely and they’ll always be found quickly (proverbial)
56
crossed
thwarted
1
penthouse
projecting roof of a building
2
make a stand
i.e. wait
3
His … past
i.e. he is almost late
4
marvel
surprising
out-dwells his hour
i.e. is late
5
ever
always
run … clock
i.e. are early
6
Venus’ pigeons
doves that draw Venus’ chariot
8
obligèd
contracted, pledged
unforfeited
unbroken
9
ever
always
holds
holds true
10
that
with which
11
untread
retrace
12
measures
paces
unbated fire
undiminished keenness
15
younger
younger son, as the
prodigal
was (sometimes emended to “younker,” fashionable youth)
16
scarfèd bark
ship decorated with flags
puts from
leaves
17
strumpet
lascivious/wild/changeable
19
over-withered ribs
over-weathered ship’s timbers (i.e. damaged by waves)
20
rent
torn
beggared
made destitute
22
your
I beg your
abode
delay
25
watch
wait/keep watch
26
father
father-in-law
28
tongue
i.e. voice
36
exchange
change (into boy’s clothes)
38
pretty
clever, artful
39
Cupid
Roman god of love
42
hold … to
stand and observe/illuminate
43
sooth
truth
light
immoral/evident/luminous
44
office of discovery
i.e. torchbearing, because it involves revealing things
47
garnish
outfit/trimming (some editors emend “lovely” to “lowly”)
49
close
secretive/concealing
play the runaway
i.e. pass quickly
50
stayed for
awaited
51
make fast
i.e. shut securely, lock
gild
equip, adorn (literally, cover with gold)
53
gentle
dear one/gentile
54
Beshrew
curse
56
true
reliable
57
true
constant
65
stay
wait
66
is come about
i.e. has changed (favorably for sailing)
trains
retinues
1
discover
reveal
2
several
various, individual
4
who
which
5
Who
whoever
8
dull
not bright/blunt
blunt
forthright/unrefined
12
withal
with it
14
back
over
20
dross
rubbish/residue from melted metal
21
nor
neither
22
virgin hue
possibly because
silver
is the color of the moon, ruled over by Diana, goddess of chastity
25
weigh
weigh up, assess
even
fair/impartial
26
rated
valued/estimated
estimation
reputation/value
30
disabling
belittling
36
graved
engraved
40
mortal breathing
i.e. living
41
Hyrcanian deserts
Persian region south of the Caspian Sea known for its wildness
desert
deserted/isolated place
vasty
vast
44
watery kingdom
i.e. the sea
ambitious head
i.e. waves
46
spirits
courageous men
49
like
likely
50
base
unworthy (puns on lead as a
base
metal)
gross
inferior/coarse/ earthly
51
rib
enclose (as ribs do the internal organs)
cerecloth
winding-sheet, shroud
obscure
concealed/dark
52
immured
enclosed
53
undervalued to
less in value compared with
trièd
tested
55
set
fixed, like a jewel
56
angel
Archangel Michael who appeared on a coin known as an “angel”
57
insculped
engraved
61
form
image
64
carrion
loathsome/skeletal/putrefying
Death
death’s head, skull
69
But
only
72
in judgement old
i.e. wise
73
inscrolled
inscribed on a scroll
78
tedious
lengthy
part
depart
80
complexion
temperament/skin color
4
raised
roused, woke up
12
passion
passionate outcry
13
outrageous
excessively fierce
19
double ducats
twice the value of single ducats
20
stones
jewels
24
stones
plays on the sense of “testicles”
25
look
be sure
day
i.e. date on which the loan is to be repaid
28
reasoned
talked
29
narrow … English
i.e. the English Channel
30
miscarried
came to harm/was destroyed
31
fraught
laden
32
upon
of
40
Slubber
spoil/rush
41
stay
wait (for)
riping
ripening
42
for
as for
43
of
i.e. concerned with
45
ostents
displays
46
become you
be appropriate to you/dignify you
47
there
i.e. then
49
affection wondrous sensible
emotion extraordinarily evident
51
he … him
i.e. Bassanio is all he lives for
53
quicken
revive/lighten
embracèd heaviness
adopted sadness
Servitor
servant
1
straight
straight away
2
Aragon
region of northeastern Spain
3
election
choice
presently
at once