The Sunday News
STUDENTS should note that the story of The Merchant of Venice takes place at both Venice and Belmont. Today we consider what takes place in Belmont, precisely in Portia’s house. Portia has moved from her home city, Belmont, because of an urgent need to save Antonio’s life from the jaws of Shylock, the Jewish moneylender. All this takes place in Act Five of the play.
This act begins with the talk of Lorenzo and Jessica. It is night-time at Belmont; Lorenzo and Jessica are in the garden enjoying the night air and the moonlight. The night is so beautiful that Lorenzo and Jessica are reminded of famous incidents that took place at night. These incidents are from old stories. Jessica says: “In such a night did Thisbe fearfully o’ertrip the dew, and saw the lion’s shadow ere himself and ran dismayed away.”
Thisbe was a girl of Babylon who loved her neighbour’s son, a youth called Pyramus. On one occasion they agreed to meet at a certain place, but before Pyramus got there, Thisbe, who had arrived first, saw a lion which had just killed an ox, and was bloody. She ran away in fear and dropped a garment which the lion picked up and stained with blood. Pyramus, when he arrived, found the garment and thought that Thisbe had been killed; he therefore killed himself and when Thisbe found his body she took her own life.
In addition to this, Lorenzo talks of Dido’s story who on such a night stood with a willow in her hand and waved her love to come again to Carthage. Dido was queen of the city of Carthage in North Africa. Virgil tells the story of her love for Aeneas, a noble Roman, who deserted her to seek the new home which the gods had promised him. This is the talk of Lorenzo and Jessica in the moonlit garden before the return of Portia to Belmont from Venice.
The talk between Lorenzo and Jessica goes on from the old stories to the present including theirs. Lorenzo says in such a night Jessica stole from the wealthy Jew, Shylock. He is saying Jessica left her father’s place in secret and took was not her own. We know that she stole money and jewellery from her father and spent freely or extravagantly on the journey. This discussion is interrupted by Stephano, Portia’s servant, who brings news that both Portia and Bassanio are nearby and will soon be home.
Lorenzo suggests to Jessica and Stephano that they go indoors and await Portia and her party’s arrival. Lorenzo also orders music to welcome them. He describes the starry sky, “Sit, Jessica. Look how the floor of heaven is thick inlaid with patens of bright gold;” and speaks of the sweetness of the music. When he tells the musicians to come and celebrate Diana, goddess of the moon, with a hymn, with sweetest notes and pierce Portia’s ear, and draw her home with music.
Portia is happy to see the light burning in her hall and enjoys the welcoming music. Portia asks Lorenzo at once whether their husbands have returned. They learn from Lorenzo that their husbands have not returned but a messenger has come before them to announce their imminent arrival. She gives orders through Nerissa to her servants that they make no remarks at all about their being away from home. Lorenzo informs Portia that, Bassanio, her husband is at hand as he hears his trumpet.
How does Lorenzo distinguish Bassanio’s trumpet from the rest? Critics says it seems that important people had their own special trumpet calls and could be recognised by them. As soon as Bassanio arrives, Portia jokes about a wife of uncertain loyalty and asks to give light but not to be light for a light wife makes a heavy husband – that is a sad husband. Portia pleads that Bassanio should never be sad on her account. Portia does this knowing that she is soon to blame her husband for giving away the ring which she has given him.
Meanwhile, Nerissa is already teasing Gratiano over the missing ring. The two women (Portia and Nerissa) pretend to be very angry that the rings have been given away. They go on to make serious allegations that the rings have been given to other women. Gratiano tells Nerissa that he gave the ring to the judge’s clerk, who ironically is his wife Nerissa.
When Portia asks for the cause of the quarrel between Nerissa and Lorenzo, the latter explains that it is all about the ring which had the following words engraved on it, “Love me, and leave me not.” Nerissa reminds Gratiano that he swore to her when she gave it to him that he would wear it till his hour of death and that it should lie with him in his grave. Even though not for her, he should have been careful and kept it. Portia adds on blaming Gratiano telling him that he is to blame to part so slightly with his wife’s first gift, a thing stuck with oaths upon his finger and riveted with flesh unto his flesh.
Portia pretends not to know that her husband Bassanio also has given away the ring by stating that she gave her love a ring, and made him swear never to part with it. She directs her talk to him saying: “Here he stands: I dare be sworn for him he would not leave it, nor pluck it from his finger, for the wealth that the world masters. Aside Bassanio says it would be best for him to cut his left hand off and swear he lost the ring defending it. Gratiano lets the cat out of the bag declaring that Bassanio gave his ring away to the judge who begged for it.
Portia pretends to be mad at Bassanio and asks him if he gave away the ring she gave him. At last Portia tells the truth of what happened but after a lot of teasing. Portia also brings news that three of Antonio’s have returned safely. The play ends with Nerissa telling Lorenzo and Jessica that they will get Shylock’s property, and Gratiano’s promise to be faithful to the doctor’s clerk, his wife Nerissa.
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