02 Feb 2022

TNPSC General English – Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice

TNPSC General English Questions on Shakespeare’s – Merchant of Venice (Act IV Court Scene):

TNPSC Group 4 General English consists of three parts, first Grammer, second Literature, and finally Authors and their Literary Works. In this section, we discuss the second one Literature. Actually, the Literature part is easy & students can easily score maximum marks in this part. So, we provide the TNPSC Group 4 General English Study Material – Literature in an easy way for the TNPSC aspirants. The Merchant of Venice Act 4 Court Scene is given below.




 

Merchant of Venice (Act IV Court Scene):

DUKE: You are welcome: take your place.

Are you acquainted with the difference?

That holds this present question in the court?

PORTIA: I am informed thoroughly of the cause.

Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew?

DUKE: Antonio and old Shylock, both stand forth.

PORTIA: Is your name Shylock?

SHYLOCK: Shylock is my name.

PORTIA: Of a strange nature is the suit you follow;

Yet in such rule, that the Venetian law

Cannot impugn you as you do proceed.

(To Antonio) You stand within his danger, do you not?

ANTONIO: Ay, so he says.

PORTIA: Do you confess the bond?

ANTONIO: I do.

PORTIA: Then must the Jew be merciful.

SHYLOCK: On what compulsion must I? Tell me that.

PORTIA: The quality of mercy is not strain’d

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:

’Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes

The throned monarch better than his crown;

His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,

The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;

But mercy is above this sceptred sway,

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,

It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God’s

When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,

Though justice be thy plea, consider this

That, in the course of justice none of us

Should see salvation; we do pray for mercy,

And that same prayer doth teach us all to render

The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much

To mitigate the justice of thy plea,

Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice

Must needs give sentence ’gainst the merchant there.

SHYLOCK: My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,

The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

PORTIA: Is he not able to discharge the money?

BASSANIO: Yes, here I tender it for him in the court;

Yea, twice the sum, if that will not suffice,

I will be bound to pay it ten times o’er,

PORTIA: I pray you, let me look upon the bond.

SHYLOCK: Here ’tis, most reverend Doctor, here it is.

PORTIA: Shylock, there’s thrice thy money offer’d thee.

 

PORTIA: Why this bond is forfeit;

 

And lawfully by this the Jew may claim

A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off

Nearest the merchant’s heart. Be merciful.

Take thrice the money; bid me tear the bond.

SHYLOCK: There is no power in the tongue of man

To alter me. I stay here on my bond.

ANTONIO: Most heartily I do beseech the court

 

To give the judgment.

PORTIA: Why then, thus it is:

 

You must prepare your bosom for his knife.

SHYLOCK: O noble judge! O excellent young man!

PORTIA: Therefore, lay bare your bosom.

SHYLOCK: Ay, his breast –

 

So says the bond: doth it not, noble judge?

“Nearest his heart;” those are the very words.

PORTIA: It is so. Is there balance here to weigh The flesh?

SHYLOCK: I have them ready.

PORTIA: Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your Charge,

To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death.

 

SHYLOCK: Is it so nominated in the bond?

PORTIA: It is not so express’d, but what of that?

‘Twere good you do so much for charity.

SHYLOCK: I cannot find it; ’tis not in the bond.

PORTIA: A pound of that same merchant’s flesh is thine.

The court awards it, and the law doth give it.


SHYLOCK: Most rightful judge!

PORTIA: And you must cut this flesh from off his breast.

The law allows it, and the court awards it.

SHYLOCK: Most learned judge! A sentence! Come, prepare.

PORTIA: Tarry a little; there is something else.

This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood;

The words expressly are “a pound of flesh:”

Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh;

But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed

One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods

Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate

Unto the state of Venice.

 

SHYLOCK: Is that the law?

PORTIA: Thyself shalt see the act;

 

For, as thou urgest justice, be assured

Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desir’st.

SHYLOCK: I take this offer then: pay the bond thrice,

And let the Christian go.

BASSANIO: Here is the money

PORTIA: Soft!

The Jew shall have all justice. Soft! No haste:

He shall have nothing but the penalty.


TNPSC Questions on Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice:

1.To which religion did Shylock belong to?

Ans: Jews

2. To whom did Bellario asks to handle the case?

Ans: Portia. She entered dressed like a doctor of laws.

3.. What is the reaction of Duke on seeing Antonio?

Ans:  He shows sympathy on Antonio.

4.. What is the reaction of Antonio on Duke’s sympathy?

Ans: He says let the law can take its course.

5. Was Antonio ready to give his flesh to Shylock?

Ans: As he obeys laws, he was ready.

6.. What does the duke said to Shylock when he entered the court scene?

Ans: Shylock should show mercy and stop the drama.

7. What was Shylock’s replay when the duke asked him to show mercy on Antonio?

Ans: He said there is no need to show mercy as everything is by law.

8. To which act of Christians did Shylock compare to?

Ans: The Christians having slaves.

9. What is Shylock’s reply when Portia asks for a doctor?

Ans: There is no doctor as it is not mentioned in bond.

10. Is Bassanio ready to scarifies all his life to save his friend?

Ans: Yes.

11. What is the reaction of Shylock on hearing Bassanio’s statement about hatred and love?

Ans: He is not ready to answer for him.

12. Did Shylock ask the Christians to free slaves so that he can free Antonio?

Ans: No. He said as he does not ask the Christians to free slaves, they should not ask him to free Antonio.

13. Did Shylock accepted the offer given by bassanio? What did he say?

Ans: No. He says he won’t if 6 part of it is given also.

14. Where did Portia asked Shylock to cut in Antonio’s body?

Ans: In his Chest.

15. What are those some people don’t like which are stated by Shylock?

Ans: some does not like cat, some roasted pig and others bagpipes.

16. What does Bassanio says on hearing the cruel words of Shylock?

Ans: If all kill what they hate, then there will not be love.

17. What does Antonio say about the conversation between Bassanio and Shylock?

Ans: Antonio says to Bassanio that, it is no use of arguing with the person who is already full of hatred.

18. To whom does the Duke refer the case to be handled by?

Ans: Bellario, a doctor.

19. What is offer given by Bassanio for to Shylock for debt?

Ans: He will pay double (6000) the amount.

20. To which Gratiano compare Shylock to?

Ans: To wolf.

21. Who entered the court room dressed like a lawyer’s clerk?

Ans: Nerissa, the maid of Portia.

22. What did Nerissa brought to the court?

Ans: A letter from doctor Bellario.

23. Why did Bellario didn’t come?

Ans: He was sick.

24. To which attribute is mercy compared to?

Ans: To the God himself.

25. What is name given to Portia by Bellario in the letter?

Ans: Balthasar.

26. What does Portia asks the Shylock to do?

Ans: She asks him to show mercy on Antonio.

27. To what is the Quality of mercy is compared to?

Ans: To a gentle rain from heaven.

28. Does Portia offers Shylock to cut Antonio’s flesh?

Ans: Yes. As law allows.

29. What all does Shylock have to cut Antonio’s flesh?

Ans: A sharp knife, and a weighing balance.

30. What Portia asks to Shylock for the preparedness to cut the flesh?

Ans: A doctor, so that he can heal the wound.

31. Bassanio compares Portia to?

Ans: As his life himself.

32. Did Bassanio gave the Ring?

Ans: Yes. But he gave it to Gratiano to hand over it to the Judge (Portia).

33. What did the final judgment given by Portia?

Ans: Shylock can cut the pound of flesh. But not a single drop of blood should come as it is not mentioned in the bond.

34. What Antonio says to the court on Shylock’s wealth?

Ans: He wished to give the half given to him as penalty.

35. What will happen if blood falls from Antonio’s heart?

Ans: Shylock will be guilty and punishable.

36. Did Shylock accepts the judgment? What did he say?

Ans: No. He asks the penalty of 3 times the money offered by Bassanio.

37. What did Portia says when Shylock asks for penalty?

Ans: She refuses as he already denied it in the court openly.

38. What was the final say given to Shylock?

Ans: He can cut the flesh or get the mercy of Duke.

39. Did the Duke gives mercy to him?

Ans: Yes.

40. What condition was given to Shylock to show mercy on him by the duke?

Ans: He should hand over half his wealth to Antonio and other half to Venetian Atate.

41. What conditions did Antonio put for the half wealth of Shylock?

Ans: He mush covert to Christianity. And he must give them after his death to his son-in-law and daughter Jessica.

42. Did Shylock accepts Antonio’s condition?

Ans: Yes.

43. What Antonio says to Bassanio about the ring?

Ans: He asks Bassanio to give the Ring.

44. Did Bassanio give the ring?

Ans: No. He said it was gifted to him by his wife.

 

Click Here for Questions on Shakespeare’s Julius Ceasar (Act III Scene 2)

Click Here for Complete TNPSC General English Study Materials – General English Study Materials

 




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