The Merchant of Venice (36 page)
Read The Merchant of Venice Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
14
gone
ruined
15
I … husband
“the unbelieving wife is made acceptable to God by being united to her Christian husband” (1 Corinthians 7:14)
17
We … enow
there were enough of us Christians
18
by
alongside/off
19
raise … hogs
because Christians eat pork (unlike Jews)
21
money
any price
25
get … corners
i.e. for sex
27
are
have fallen
32
getting … belly
making the
negro
pregnant
Moor
African (woman)
34
much
of concern
more than reason
greater than is reasonable (i.e. pregnant);
more
puns on
Moor
35
less … for
i.e. Lancelet does not think much of the woman’s morals (possibly he gets confused in his attempt to play on
Moor
/
more
/
less
)
honest
chaste
38
grace
virtue, quality
40
them
i.e. the servants (but Lancelet takes the sense of “diners”)
41
stomachs
appetites
42
wit-snapper
wisecracker
44
‘cover’
lay the table (Lancelet goes on to play on the sense of “cover one’s head with a hat”)
46
my duty
i.e. as a servant, who would remove his hat in the presence of superiors
47
quarrelling with occasion
i.e. taking the opportunity for quibbling
50
fellows
fellow servants
52
For
as for
table
i.e. food
53
covered
i.e. on a covered serving dish
54
humours and conceits
whims and fancies
55
discretion
judgment
suited
adapted as appropriate
58
A many
many
stand … place
have higher positions of employment
59
Garnished
provided with a good supply of words/dressed
60
Defy the matter
confuse the meaning
cheerest thou
are you feeling
63
Past all expressing
beyond words
meet
suitable
68
In reason
it stands to reason
70
lay
bet, stake
72
Pawned
pledged
rude
unrefined
73
fellow
equal
74
Even
just
75
of
in
78
stomach
appetite/inclination
81
digest
consider/endure/swallow
82
set you forth
praise you/serve you up
3
answer
face/defend yourself against
6
From
of
dram
tiny amount
8
qualify
diminish, moderate
9
stands obdurate
remains inflexible
11
envy’s
malice’s
14
tyranny
cruelty
17
our
the royal plural
19
but … fashion
only persist in this form/contrivance
20
last … act
i.e. eleventh hour, final moment
21
remorse
pity
strange
surprisingly
22
strange
unnatural/foreign
25
loose
revoke, abandon
27
moiety
portion/half
30
royal merchant
merchant prince
32
brassy bosoms
hard hearts
33
Turks and Tartars
both considered pitiless infidels
35
gentle
puns on “gentile”
36
possessed
notified
38
due
debt
39
danger
damage
40
charter
deed of privilege
42
carrion
loathsome/putrefying
44
humour
mood, inclination
answered
explained satisfactorily
47
baned
poisoned
48
love
who love
50
i’th’nose
with a nasal twang
51
affection
inclination
55
he
one person
gaping
i.e. roasted with its mouth open
56
Why he
another person
necessary
useful (for catching rats and mice)
61
lodged
deep-rooted
certain
definite, fixed
62
follow
pursue
63
losing
i.e. involving loss (for Antonio)
65
current
course, flow
71
think
realize
73
main flood
sea at high tide
bate
lessen
74
use question
dispute
77
wag
sway
78
fretted
chafed
79
hard
difficult (puns on the sense of “tough, firm”)
80
than
more than
83
conveniency
convenience
88
draw
collect/receive
89
rend’ring
yielding/giving back
90
no wrong
i.e. nothing illegal
93
parts
actions/duties
98
viands
food (as you eat)
104
stand for
represent/uphold
109
stays without
waits outside
116
tainted
diseased
wether
sheep (specifically, castrated ram)
117
Meetest
most fitting
126
keen
sharp/eager
127
hangman’s
i.e. executioner’s
keenness
sharpness/eagerness/ severity
130
inexecrable
unmovable/accursed
131
thy life
the fact that you are alive
accused
chastised
133
Pythagoras
ancient Greek philosopher whose doctrine supported the transmigration of souls
135
currish
mean-spirited/snarling (like a dog)
137
fell
savage
fleet
leave, fly off
138
unhallowed
unholy
dam
mother
141
rail
rant
142
but offend’st
merely harm
143
Repair
restore
148
hard
close
155
in loving visitation
on a friendly visit
159
furnished
equipped
161
importunity
urging
163
reverend
respected, worthy
165
whose trial
the testing of whom
166
publish
make known
commendation
recommendation/praise
172
difference
dispute
173
present question
current argument
174
throughly
thoroughly
180
rule
proper discipline
181
impugn
call into question
182
danger
(power to) harm
184
confess
acknowledge
188
strained
forced, artificial; also perhaps filtered/distilled (setting up rain imagery)
190
is twice blest
bestows a double blessing
194
shows
represents
196
dread
reverence/awe
197
sceptred sway
royal government
200
likest
most like
201
seasons
modifies
203
justice
i.e. God’s justice (if He did not show mercy to humankind)
205
render
perform in return
210
My … head!
possible echo of the crowd’s acceptance of responsibility for Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:25)
212
discharge
pay
213
tender
offer
217
must appear
will be evident
218
bears down truth
overwhelms integrity
219
Wrest once
for once, forcibly subject
224
for
as
precedent
i.e. on which future lawsuits can be based
227
Daniel
in the Apocryphal story, Daniel judges Susannah correctly, despite his youth and the false witness of the Elders
judgement
i.e. make judgment
240
tenure
legal conditions, terms of the bond
254
Hath … to
fully supports
262
balance
scales
265
by
nearby
on your charge
at your responsibility/expense
266
stop
staunch
272
armed
i.e. prepared/fortified
276
still
always (usually)
use
practice
282
process
course, manner
283
me … death
favorably of me when I am dead
285
love
i.e. loving friend
289
with … heart
most willingly/literally, with my heart
291
Which
who
295
deliver
free
302
else
otherwise
304
Would
I wish
Barabbas
a thief released by Pontius Pilate instead of Jesus at the people’s request
306
trifle
waste
pursue
proceed with
319
confiscate
confiscated
321
Mark
take note
330
Soft!
Wait a moment!
331
all
only/complete
337
just
exact (plays on the sense of “fair, lawful”)
338
substance
amount/weight
340
scruple
tiny amount
341
estimation … hair
by a hair’s breadth/weight
344
on the hip
at a disadvantage (wrestling term)