The Sunday News
AFTER studying The Merchant of Venice, students should be wiser in making judgments. What with lessons like, “All that glisters (glitters) is not gold.” These words are read by the Prince of Morocco after unlocking the golden casket hoping to find Portia’s portrait hence getting the right to marry her in accordance with the wishes of her father at the time of his death.
After considerable thought, the Prince of Morocco chooses the golden casket, the first of the three caskets. This casket has the following inscription, “Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.” The second silver, which this promise carries: “Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.” Morocco says of the third, the lead casket, “This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt, “Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.”
Morocco decides to survey the inscriptions again. He reads the inscriptions on the leaden casket, “Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.” He asks “Must give — for what? For lead, hazard for lead?” He says this casket threatens — men that hazard all do it in hope of “good profit.” He decides not to hazard all for lead. Turning to the silver casket he reads: “Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.” He adds that if he were to be judged according to the valuation of himself it would not be enough to win the lady.
Referring to the inscription, especially the last part, “. . . what many men desire,” Morocco is convinced that is the lady, Portia. All the world desires her. From all parts of the world they come to kiss Portia, he refers to in religious terms (this shrine), as if she were a saint, this mortal (breathing saint). That Morocco uses the language of religion in talking of Portia, shows the passionate love he has for her hence the use of these religious images.
Coming to the caskets again, Morocco is aware that one of them contains Portia’s picture. Looking at the leaden one, he says it would be damnation to think of such a low opinion of Portia being in that casket. It would be equally bad for him to think Portia’s picture could be in the silver casket being 10 times undervalued to tried gold. Morocco speaks of Portia as a precious stone (gem) fit only for a setting in gold. He is therefore convinced that Portia’s picture is in the gold casket.
With all the confidence Morocco asks for the key of the gold casket. Portia encourages him to take it and if her picture is there, then is his. He unlocks the golden casket. What does he find? He finds a skull which reminds him of death. He has been too bold in his reasoning, and risked too much. There is a written scroll and he starts reading it. “All that glisters (glitters) is not gold; Often have you heard that told. Many a man his life hath sold but my outside to behold — Gilded tombs do worms unfold; Had you been as wise as bold, young in limbs, in judgement old your answer had not been inscrolled — Fare you well; your suit is cold.”
All this warns the reader against being misled by outward appearances. “All that glisters (glitters) is not gold”. This is a well-known proverb which means not everything that looks precious is so. Never go by the appearance of anything, be it a person. Simply wanting something just by the looks of it can lead to great disaster. Most of the time what we see is not the reality, the outside appearance generally hides all the truth and reality. Morocco learnt the hard way when he chose the gold casket hence lost the chance to marry Portia.
This demonstrates the theme that says, appearances are deceiving. Neither the gold nor the silver casket contained the key to winning Portia. Instead it was the plain lead casket. Lead regarded by some as the base metal not worthy anything good. Having started the subject of themes we might as well briefly mention other simplified themes in the play. For example there is the theme of friendship shown through Antonio and Bassanio.
Friendship at times requires sacrifice. Antonio risks his fortune (riches) and later his life to help Bassanio win Portia. Antonio seals an inhuman bond with Shylock as surety that if Shylock’s loan is not paid on the stipulated date he shall cut a pound of flesh from any part of Antonio’s body whichever he chooses. We get to see that revenge ultimately destroys its perpetrator. Shylock seeks revenge against his enemies, the Christians, represented by Antonio, but it is he who suffers the downfall after Christians unite to trick him.
When Shylock is about to cut a pound of flesh from nearest Antonio’s heart as granted by the laws of Venice, he is stopped on his tracks by some legal trickery which says in cutting a pound of flesh there should be no blood shed. This is an impossible condition to fulfil hence his wish is stopped. He loses everything and out of all things he is told to convert to Christianity. From another perspective, Jews suffer bigotry and other forms of mistreatment because of their religion and race. Christians alienate Shylock because he is a Jew.
Shylock reveals that Antonio has many times insulted him and spat on his Jewish gabardine. Christians hate Jews. Women can be just as competent as men, maybe even more. Portia comes to court disguised as a man, speaks eloquently in defence of Antonio against Shylock and convinces the court to rule in Antonio’s favour. Portia lectures Shylock and the court on the importance of mercy. The Merchant of Venice asks a question — does mercy exist in the world?
Between religious intolerance and personal revenge, the play seems devoid of a merciful being. However, against all odds Portia does manage to bring about some mercy in Venice. When Shylock faces execution for his crimes, Portia persuades the duke to pardon him. She then persuades Antonio to exercise mercy by not taking all of Shylock’s possessions. Portia’s presence therefore turns the proceedings away from violence toward forgiveness.
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